Daily Gems - 25 August 2009

Sacrament Administration Sacred

"This ordinance should always be performed with reverence and dignity."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament, Ensign," Nov. 2008, 19–20

Topics: Sacrament

Daily Gems - 10 August 2009

Reverence in Sacrament Meeting

"The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church. It is the only Sabbath meeting the entire family can attend together. Its content in addition to the sacrament should always be planned and presented to focus our attention on the Atonement and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament, Ensign," Nov. 2008, 17

Topics: Sacrament

Daily Gems - 10 July 2009

Dressing for Sacrament Meeting

"How we dress is an important indicator of our attitude and preparation for any activity in which we will engage."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 18

Topics: Sacrament

Daily Gems - 19 June 2009

Qualify for Guidance from the Spirit

"We need to qualify for the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ . . . by keeping His commandment to come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and in that wonderful weekly meeting partake of the emblems of the sacrament and make the covenants that qualify us for the precious promise that we will always have His Spirit to be with us."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 20

Topics: Spirituality, Sacrament

Daily Gems - 18 June 2009

The Greatest Gift

"By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of the sacrament we qualify for the promise that we will 'always have his Spirit to be with [us].' That Spirit is the foundation of our testimony. It testifies of the Father and the Son, brings all things to our remembrance, and leads us into truth."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 17

Topics: Sacrament, Testimony

Daily Gems - 11 June 2009

Activities That Interfere with the Sacrament

"During sacrament meeting—and especially during the sacrament service—we should concentrate on worship and refrain from all other activities, especially from behavior that could interfere with the worship of others."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament", Ensign, Nov. 2008, 18–19

Topics: Sacrament

Daily Gems - 1 June 2009

Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit

"When the Savior appeared to the Nephites following His Resurrection, He taught them that they should stop the practice of sacrifice by the shedding of blood. Instead, 'ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit' (3 Nephi 9:20)."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 18

Topics: Sacrament, Spirituality

Youth Gems - 21 May 2009

Sacrament

"Young men who officiate in the ordinance of the sacrament should be worthy. The Lord has said: 'Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord' (D&C 38:42). The scriptural warning about partaking of the sacrament unworthily (see 1 Corinthians 11:29; 3 Nephi 18:29) surely applies also to those who officiate in that ordinance. In administering discipline to Church members who have committed serious sins, a bishop can temporarily withdraw the privilege of partaking of the sacrament. That same authority is surely available to withdraw the privilege of officiating in that sacred ordinance."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 20

Topics: Sacrament, Worthiness

Youth Gems - 2 April 2009

Sacrament

"Young men, before going to church, will you please pause before a mirror one more time and ask yourself if every aspect of your appearance is in order? Better still, invite someone you love, such as a parent, to look at you one more time, and if something is amiss, don't resent their counsel.

"True servants of Jesus Christ are properly groomed and dressed, reflecting always His standards and not the worldly drift of casualness. Having every detail carefully attended to ensures that the Spirit of the Lord will be present. The dress or appearance of those administering the sacrament should not be a distraction for those who are earnestly seeking the blessings of the infinite Atonement."

Jay E. Jensen, "Arms of Safety," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 49

Topics: Sacrament

Youth Gems - 17 March 2009

Sacrament

"During sacrament meeting—and especially during the sacrament service—we should concentrate on worship and refrain from all other activities, especially from behavior that could interfere with the worship of others. Even a person who slips into quiet slumber does not interfere with others. Sacrament meeting is not a time for reading books or magazines. Young people, it is not a time for whispered conversations on cell phones or for texting persons at other locations. When we partake of the sacrament, we make a sacred covenant that we will always remember the Savior. How sad to see persons obviously violating that covenant in the very meeting where they are making it."

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 18–19

Topics: Reverence, Sacrament, Covenants

Young Single Adult Gems - 11 March 2009

Become a Disciple of Jesus Christ

"Now is the time to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, which means accepting His invitation to 'come, follow me' (Luke 18:22). This is the decision we made in our premortal lives. Now we must make it again here in mortality, every day, in every situation by taking the Savior's name upon us, remembering His atoning sacrifice, and keeping His commandments. This we covenanted to do when we were baptized, and we have the opportunity to renew those covenants each week as we partake of the sacrament."

Robert D. Hales, "To the Aaronic Priesthood: Preparing for the Decade of Decision," Ensign, May 2007, 49

Topics: Sacrament, Covenants

Daily Gems - 22 December 2008

Root Out the Last Vestiges of Impurity

"Let us not justify ourselves in a casual effort. Let us not be content to retain some disposition to do evil. Let us worthily partake of the sacrament each week and continue to draw upon the Holy Spirit to root out the last vestiges of impurity within us. I testify that as you continue in the path of spiritual rebirth, the atoning grace of Jesus Christ will take away your sins and the stain of those sins in you, temptations will lose their appeal, and through Christ you will become holy, as He and our Father are holy.

"I know Jesus Christ as the living, resurrected Son of God."

D. Todd Christofferson, "Born Again," Ensign, May 2008, 78

Topics: Holy Ghost, Sacrament

Daily Gems - 17 October 2008

Attending Meetings to Qualify for Guidance

"How can attending your meetings--particularly sacrament meeting--bless you and your family? Regularly partaking of the sacrament will help you keep your baptismal covenant. As you live worthily and renew this covenant weekly, you will qualify for the guidance of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost will guide you and will teach you what you should do to bless your family."

Mary N. Cook, "Strengthen Home and Family," Ensign, Nov. 2007, 12

Topics: Holy Ghost, Sacrament

Daily Gems - 18 September 2008

The Need to Remember

"There is much . . . to say abut memory and remembering in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We often speak of remembering our sacred covenants and God's commandments and of remembering and performing saving ordinances for our deceased ancestors. Most importantly, we speak of the need to remember our Savior Jesus Christ and not just when convenient, but always, as He asks (see 3 Nephi 18:7, 11). We witness always to remember Him as we partake of the sacrament. In return, we are promised His Spirit will always be with us."

Marlin K. Jensen, "Remember and Perish Not," Ensign, May 2007, 38

Topics: Jesus Christ, Sacrament, Faith

Youth Gems - 11 March 2008

Magnifying Our Callings

"We magnify our callings by following the direction of our quorum presidency, the bishop, and our quorum adviser. It means preparing, administering, and passing the sacrament as we are asked to do so."

James E. Faust, "A Royal Priesthood," Ensign, May 2006, 52

Topics: Church Callings, Sacrament

Daily Gems - 27 February 2008

The Importance of the Sacrament

"When we partake of the sacrament worthily, we remember the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, that He gave up His life and took upon Himself the sins of the world that we may have the blessing of immortality. We take upon ourselves the name of our Savior and promise to always remember Him and to keep His commandments--that is, to 'live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God' (D&C 84:44)."

L. Tom Perry, "As Now We Take the Sacrament," Ensign, May 2006, 41

Topics: Sacrament

Young Single Adult Gems - 4 February 2008

We Need the Help of the Savior

"It is not possible to make real change all by ourselves. Our own willpower and our own good intentions are not enough. When we make mistakes or choose poorly, we must have the help of our Savior to get back on track. We partake of the sacrament week after week to show our faith in His power to change us. We confess our sins and promise to forsake them (see D&C 58:43)."

Julie B. Beck, "Remembering, Repenting, and Changing," Ensign, May 2007, 111

Topics: Sacrament

Youth Gems - 15 January 2008

The Importance of the Sacrament

"As you Aaronic Priesthood holders assist in preparing, blessing, administering, and passing the sacrament, you help all members who partake thereof to recommit themselves to the Lord and to renew their faith in the Savior's atoning sacrifice. Members who take the sacrament are reminded to take upon themselves the name of the Son, always remember Him, keep His commandments, and seek to have His Spirit to be with them. I hope that you will value the priesthood you hold and always honor your priesthood duties."

James E. Faust, "A Royal Priesthood," Ensign, May 2006, 50

Topics: Sacrament

Church History Gems - 19 September 2007

Imagine a Meeting.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith had received some instruction regarding the organization of the Church, which we have by way of revelation as set forth in section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Imagine—on April the 6th, 1830, in Fayette, New York, in the Peter Whitmer farmhouse—a meeting in that little log cabin, maybe 20 by 30 feet, where the Church was organized. Just imagine in that little setting, where he blessed Oliver and Oliver blessed him, as they followed the direction that they had received and the Church organization was presented to that little assembly.

"Joseph and Oliver and Hyrum and Samuel Smith and the two Whitmers had been baptized and acted in order to be 'agreeable to the laws' of New York (D&C 20:1). But just imagine as you run through your mind the spiritual setting in that assembly and the feeling that they must have had as the proposition was presented to them to sustain . . . the Prophet and Oliver as the first elders, to set the Church in motion. Some of the diaries and the accounts of that occasion indicate they had the feeling of heavenly beings in that meeting.

"Some were rebaptized. Some were baptized on that occasion for the first time, including the Prophet's father and mother—just imagine! The sacrament was served for the first time in this dispensation in an official meeting of the Church, now organized. Imagine the feeling of the passing of the bread and the water, emblems of the torn flesh and the spilt blood of the Savior."

David B. Haight, "Sustaining the Prophets," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 36

Topics: Melchizedek Priesthood, Sacrament

Youth Gems - 5 July 2007

Magnifying Our Callings

"We magnify our callings by following the direction of our quorum presidency, the bishop, and our quorum adviser. It means preparing, administering, and passing the sacrament as we are asked to do so."

James E. Faust, "A Royal Priesthood," Ensign, May 2006, 52

Topics: Church Callings, Sacrament