Saturday, March 12, 2016

3 Nephi 18 – As Jesus Christ concluded the first day of His ministry among the Nephites, He administered the sacrament. He commanded them to partake of the sacrament, pray to the Father always, and extend fellowship to all people. The Savior promised great blessings to those who obeyed. He then gave the twelve Nephite disciples instructions pertaining to their ministry in the Church. Prior to ascending into heaven, He gave them power to give the gift of the Holy Ghost. I truly have been trying to make the sacrament portion of church more meaningful and of more purpose. In a talk given last week they said to imagine as the Savior was passing the sacrament personally to you. I took this to heart and am truly excited to implement this into my weekly sacrament routine. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described several appropriate ways to remember the Lord while renewing our covenants through the sacrament: “We could remember the Savior’s premortal life and all that we know Him to have done. … “We could remember the simple grandeur of His mortal birth to just a young woman. … “We could remember Christ’s miracles and His teachings, His healings and His help. … “… We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them. … “We could remember that Christ called His disciples friends. … “We could—and should—remember the wonderful things that have come to us in our lives and that ‘all things which are good cometh of Christ’ (Moroni 7:24). … “On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment He received, the rejection He experienced, and the injustice … He endured. … “… We can remember that Jesus had to descend below all things before He could ascend above them, and that He suffered pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind that He might be filled with mercy and know how to succor His people in their infirmities” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 90–91; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 68–69).