The Most Holy of All Meetings in the Church

Partaking of the Sacrament

2 Lessons - the grown-ups (for the parents and Jamie; the other one for the grandchildren

For the Parents:

Attention Getter: "No member of the Church who refuse to observe this sacred ordinance can retain the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Ghost." (Joseph Fielding Smith)

"The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift we can receive in mortality." (Wilford Woodruff)

"If we are to always have His Spirit to be with us, we must always be worthy and we cannot do that without regularly and appropriately partaking of the sacrament." (Dallin H. Oaks)

Lesson

"Every ordinance of the gospel focuses one way or another on the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why the ordinance of the Sacrament, with all its symbolism and imagery comes to us more readily and repeatedly than any other in our life." (Jeffrey Roy Holland)

Speaking of Sacrament Meeting - "it is the most sacred, the most holy of all meetings of the Church." (Joseph Fielding Smith)

Read 2 Nephi 31: 19-20 - Here the prophet Nephi tells us the importance of enduring to the end.

"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus siath the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

I personally cannot think of a more important lesson for each of the Robison children, their spouses, and children than the reminder of how important it is to endure to the end. We do this by remembering the covenants we made a baptism and partaking of the Sacrament worthily each Sunday so that we can continue to have the Spirit with us.

Practical Application:

What I Like Best about Church

By Isabelle Alpert

Isabelle Alpert, “What I Like Best about Church,” Ensign, June 2008, 70–71

Recently my husband and I had dinner with some friends. The conversation turned to religion, and one friend, a less-active member of the Church, began telling me why the Church was not true.

In the course of his explanation, he became adamant, hostile, and angry. The entire time I sat and listened. At first I felt like crying, but then I became angry and wanted to tell him off. The still, small voice, however, told me to be quiet.

Our friend didn’t finish his tirade until we had finished our dinner and paid the bill. Then he paused, as if waiting for my rebuttal. I sat there for a moment in silent prayer. Then, in a soft voice, I calmly said, “Do you know what I like best about going to church on Sunday? The sacrament. It allows me the opportunity to quietly bow my head and pray to Heavenly Father. I tell Him all the ways in which I could have done things differently during the past week, and I seek for ways to improve.”

Then I added, “I think of all the people I tried to be a blessing to during the past week, and I ask Heavenly Father to help me find more people to bless during the coming week. I am thankful that I have time during the sacrament each week to do this and to become the best I can be.”

Our friend looked at me and said nothing. We left the restaurant and walked to the car. I then asked him if he remembered all of the self-help books I had on my bookshelf at home. He did. I told him that since I had joined the Church, I had never read another self-help book. I said the only book I get my answers from anymore is the Book of Mormon.

A few days later he called to apologize.

“Come unto Christ … and love God with all your might, mind and strength” (Moroni 10:32), Moroni counsels us. As I have tried to follow that counsel, my love for God’s children has increased—even for those who try to be my enemy. (From Latter Day Voices, June 2008 Ensign)

Partaking of the Sacrament worthily is not just about Sunday. It is about living a Christ-like life so that we make the correct decisions all the time.

Sacrament Prayers

In the first prayer, we commit to take upon ourselves the name of Christ and to always keep His commandments. The second prayer, although a bit shorter, also assumes we will do this. In both prayers, we are admonished to remember, to always remember Him so that we may have His Spirit to be with us.

What things might we remember as we partake of the Sacrament?

Might we remember what we know about the pre-existence and the unselfish act of volunteering to take upon Him all of our sins that we might live with our Heavenly Father?

Might we remember the young mother of Jesus, not much younger than Karenin. What about the unselfish foster father, a humble carpenter about Justin's age?

Do we remember some of the teachings of the Savior and His miracles? Do we remember His example, his commandments, his love of children, his healings and the perfect life he led?

What could then could possibly keep us from living as we should?

King Benjamin taught us that it is we who estrange ourselves from the Spirit and not the other way around:

Read Mosiah 2:36

"And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved."

The Savior Himself left this caution which is similar to King Benjamin's. In the Garden of Gethesame, the Savior asked His disciples this poignant question when they fell asleep - "Could you not watch with me one hour?" The same question might well be asked of each of us as we reverently partake of the Sacrament and reverently ponder upon the meaning of the atonement.

Personal Application

I would encourage each of us to take an inward look at our understanding and appreciation for the sacred emblems of the Sacrament. It is critical that we realize the importance of the Sacrament in our daily lives and know that to always have His Spirit, we must always be worthy. Without regularly and worthily partaking of the Sacrament, we can not do this.