Farewell Talk: The Sacrament

 The Sacrament

    I have been asked to speak on the sacrament. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to gain a greater knowledge of the sacrament. I pray that as I speak today the spirit will be with us to guide and to testify of these teachings.

    Elder Groberg said, "One of the most important invitations ever issued to us and to all mankind is to 'come unto Christ and be perfected in him.' (Moroni 10:32). How do we do that? One of the most beautiful and important ways is through the ordinance of the sacrament." The Lord instituted the sacrament, as we know it today, during what we commonly call the Last Supper. In one sense, it was the last supper, but in another, it was the first supper--the beginning of many spiritual feasts.

    At that feast of the Passover, Jesus Christ took bread and broke it, and blessed it, and passed it to his disciples. He said, "Take and eat; this do in the remembrance of my body which I give a ransom for you." And He took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying, "Drink ye all of it for this is in remembrance of my blood of the new testament which is shed for as many as shall believe on my name, for the remission of their sins."

    Knowing that even Jesus himself ministered the sacrament gives a special meaning to the Aaronic Priesthood members who help each week. The sacrament provides us with the opportunity to remember with great gratitude the life, ministry and Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.

    With a crust of bread, always broken, blessed, and offered first we remember his bruised body and broken heart, his physical suffering on the cross where he cried "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

    With the small cup of water we remember the shedding of Christ's blood, the depth of his spiritual suffering, anguish, which began in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He said, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death," and prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

    Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shared the next few passages in an ensign message:

    "The Savior's spiritual suffering and the shedding of Christ's innocent blood, so lovingly and freely given, paid the debt for what the scriptures call the Original Guilt of Adam's Transgression. Furthermore, Christ suffered for the sins, sorrows and pains of all the rest of the human family, providing remission for all of our sins as well, upon the conditions of obedience to the principals and ordinances of the gospel as he taught in 2 Nephi 9:21-23 which states: 

'And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.' 

    "The Apostle Paul wrote, 'We were bought with a price.' What an expensive price and what a merciful purchase!

    "That is why every ordinance of the gospel focuses in one way or another on the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, and surely that is why this particular ordinance with all its symbolism and imagery comes to us more readily and more repeatedly than any other in our life. It comes in what has been called the most sacred, the most holy, of all the meetings of he church.

    "Perhaps we don't attach that kind of meaning to our weekly sacramental service. How sacred and how holy is it? Do we see it as our Passover, remembrance of our safety and deliverance and redemption?"

    (Add thought)

    One important thing to remember is that the sacrament isn't all just remembering the sacrifices of Jesus Christ. In it we also renew the covenants which we made in the waters of baptism which are found in Mosiah 18:8-9:

    "And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life."

Knowing these is crucial to our keeping them.

    This covenant is very important and with it we must follow the doctrine of Christ which is to believe in Him, rely on Him and repent of our sins. We also must take upon us the name of our savior Jesus Christ by being baptized in His church, receive the Holy Ghost and faithfully follow His examples. 

    Our Savior also wants us to be worthy to partake of the sacrament and warns us to the consequences of not. In 3 Nephi 18:29 He says, "For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul." 

    How do we know if we are really worthy? Elder John Groberg answered, "If we desire to improve (which is to repent) and are not under priesthood restrictions, then, in my opinion, we are worthy. If, however, we have no desire to improve, if we have no intention of following the guidance of the Spirit, we must ask: Are we worthy to partake, or are we making a mockery of the very purpose of the sacrament, which is to act as a catalyst for personal repentance and improvement? If we remember the Savior and all he has done and will do for us, we will improve our actions and thus come closer to him, which keeps us on the road to eternal life."

    Elder Featherstone said, "The sacrament is the ordinance of the Church that ties most directly to the Atonement. Some time before the Savior personally introduced this ordinance to the Nephites, He told them the law of the sacrifice of animals was fulfilled and that wheat He required instead was the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit (see 3 Nephi 9:19-20).

    "The law requiring the sacrifice of animals was given after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and, as the Bible Dictionary states, included 'offering the firstlings of their flocks in a similitude of the sacrifice that would be made of the Only Begotten Son of God (Moses 5:4-8). Thereafter, whenever there were true believers on the earth, with Priesthood authority, sacrifices were offered in that manner and for that purpose' ("Sacrifices," 765-66).

    "From Adam and Eve down through the ages, this law of sacrifice was continued until the death of Jesus Christ, which ended the shedding of blood as a gospel ordinance. An understanding of the ancient law of sacrifice can help us find more meaning in and better appreciate the Atonement as we ponder during the sacrament service."

    When we partake of the sacrament with a sincere heart with real intent, forsaking our sins, and renewing a commitment to God, the Lord provides a way whereby sins can be forgiven.

    Elder Groberg shared an experience of how the sacrament can change the evil desires of ones heart. He says, "Some years ago, a young couple we will call the Joneses visited with their bishop about a problem the wife had. The details are not important, but through the direction of the Spirit, the bishop's decision was that , among other things, Sister Jones would not partake of the sacrament for a period of time while she worked out some problems. 

    "With lots of love and support, she continued to attend meetings with her family, and few but her husband and the bishop were aware of the situation or even noticed that week after week she did not partake of the sacrament. At first she didn't feel much difference; but as time went on, she became more and more desirous to be worthy to partake of the sacrament. She thought she had repented before, but as the real soul-searching deepened and as her desire to worthily partake of the sacrament increased, true fundamental changes began to take place in her life and in her actions and in her thinking.

    "More time passed. Finally, during one sacrament meeting, the Sprit bore witness to the bishop and to Brother and Sister Jones that the time had come for her to again partake of the sacrament. "Next Sunday," the bishop said.

    "Next Sunday came, and Sister Jones sat again with her family, nervous, yet excited and full of anticipation. "Am I really worthy? How I want to be!" she thought. The sacrament hymn was more meaningful than ever. She sang with such feeling that it was difficult to hold back the tears. And the sacrament prayers--how profound! She listened so intently that every work sank deep into her soul--to take his name, always remember him, keep his commandments, always have his spirit (See D&C 20:77, 79). "Oh, how I desire this," she thought.

    "The deacons began to move up and down the aisles, and the trays were passed from person to person across the rows. As one young deacon got closer and closer to her row, her heart began to pound harder and harder. Then the tray was coming down her very row. Now her husband was holding the tray in front of her! Tears streamed down her face. There was a barely audible sob of joy as she reached for the emblem of the Lord's love for her. The congregation did not hear the sob, but they did notice the tears in the bishop's eyes.

    "Life and hope and forgiveness and spiritual strength had been given and received. No one could be more worthy. Sister Jones truly wanted to have his Spirit. She wanted to take his name upon her. With all her heart, she wanted to remember him and keep his commandments. She wanted to repent, to improve, and to follow the guidance of his Spirit."

    Elder Groberg adds the thought, "Think of it. Think of what could and should happen in your life, in your ward, in your stake, in the whole Church, in the whole world, if every Sunday individuals--hundreds, thousands, even millions--under the authority of the Priesthood of God, took the sacrament worthily and thus repented and sincerely determined to better follow the guidance of the Lord's Spirit. 

    "The life that would be given, the forgiveness that would be obtained, the spiritual strength that would be received! The light that would thus be generated would cause Zion to shine forth brilliantly and would prepare a people pure in heart, ready for the Lord's second coming in a way that would be marvelous to behold."

    I believe that is true. However, it is impossible without it starting with ourselves. We must make sure we are worthy to partake of the sacrament because of its importance.

    I testify that........