Lesson for October 26, 2014

Today our lesson was given by Kristine Hanson on “The Sacrament: A Renewal for the Soul.” Our lesson goes with our Sunday School lesson. Sister Esplin was asked by some young women what she wished she had known at their age. She said if she were to answer that she should know about the Atonement and the Savior. Kristine said she had to think about that and wished she had been assigned this lesson thirty years ago. She went on lds.org to see about ordinances. There are two kinds: Saving ordinances (baptism, confirmation, ordination, endowment, sealing) and non-saving ordinances (blessing babies, sacrament, father’s blessings, patriarchal blessings, dedication of graves). She realized the sacrament are such all-encompassing ordinances. In a lifetime we would take it about 3,360 times in 70 years. We first have faith, repent, get baptized and then we take the sacrament and the promise of having the Holy Ghost with us always. It is a renewing ordinance. Sometimes we think of the sacrament as a preliminary thing, because it is before the talks. She had a bishop have the sacrament at the end and had a speaker come in and speak about the Atonement first. The Savior chose two universal symbols: bread and water. If we had enough bread and water it would sustain us for a long time. Just as we need basic food every day, we need to remember weekly. Katie Smith read a quote by Elder Holland, every human will be resurrected, but our exaltation, through repentance. Meagan also read about the water and its symbolism as the water washes away our sins. We were bought with a price, just as every ordinance focuses on Christ’s Atonement and sacrifice. The sacrament focuses on the symbolism of Christ’s Atonement. Sister Esplin said to listen to the prayers.. Kristine said the priests in our ward are saying the prayers with more feeling than they used to. In the scriptures, the prayers are in two places. In the prayer on the bread, it mentions in the name of Christ first and to sanctify us. So the bread is holy and by eating it we become sanctified. It is to our souls, not just our spirits. We are supposed to witness and remember that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ. We demonstrate that we are willing through our actions. Missionaries wear name tags with the name of Jesus Christ on them and are representatives, but we can also be representatives of Christ by how we live. One sister said her cousin is on a mission in Korea and someone said she looked like Jesus. Alma said have you taken his image in our countenances. In the prayers we witness of our obedience. In the blessing on the water, the water represents His blood and we are to remember and witness that we will always have the Holy Ghost to be with us. Sister Ransom’s sister said that in comparing the two prayers that in the second prayer there is no willingness any more, but doing. Sister Esplin said we should recommit to our convenants. Jessica Lewis read a quote that the Spirit of the Lord does not dwell in unclean vessels. How grateful we are that we can be periodically cleansed of our sins by taking the sacrament. When we renew our covenants in this way, the Lord can renew the cleansing effect of the baptism. If we sin, it is not all over. Elder Melving J. Ballard said who is there among us who does not wound our spirits. We do things for which we are sorry and we must repent, put ourselves in proper condition and then take the sacrament to heal the wounds of our spirits. Rachel Hickman remembers going to the temple for the first time and remembers being clean as an adult and knowing what a precious gift. She went on a mission and thinking she were as clean. She was sitting in church and realized she could be that clean every week. She wondered why she hadn’t realized that before, but there is a time when things connect. She knows she can be clean every week if we sincerely repent. We can also be strengthened by the sacrament. A young woman focused on her repentance and the sacrament prayers each week and started feeling sad that she kept making the same mistakes. She realized that she wasn’t taking advantage of the Atonement. She felt strengthened and was able to feel joy. Sometimes we may wonder if we are worthy to take the sacrament. When we desire to improve and have no restrictions, we are worthy to take the sacrament. The part in the prayer about always remembering the Savior. Meagan said that she includes the Savior in all her busyness and feels strengthened. Amy Young said that life is a bunch of choices and what choices we make define us. Dana Smith said she always listens to hymns on her days off. Vira Bahr said she works with people all day and she notices that how she treats others is affected by how well she remembers the Savior. She tries to behave to others like the Savior would. Kristine said we can view others as how they represent the Lord to us. Aaronic holders represent the Savior as they perform their duties. Through them we have gifts of repentance and hope. Margaret said that when the young men perform their duties carefully and with the Spirit. A man asked his disabled father why he went to Church and the father said it was the sacrament. Let us all think of the sacrament that way.