Importance of Sacrament LDS Ministering Printable
The past few weeks I have been thinking a lot about the Sacrament and its role in our journey back to our Heavenly Father. So often in the gospel, the most important things come in the smallest packages. The act of eating bread and drinking water every week seems so small. How in the world can that impact our lives? So I decided to do a little research and put together this Sacrament LDS Ministering Printable for the month of September.
Sacrament LDS Ministering Printable (Download)
It was neat to see how everything came together with this message. I had made the printable beforehand but was worried about finding socks that matched. I was shocked when I went to Target and the only cute pairs of socks they had left were these. The colors were spot on! It has been a rough week, so it may not seem like a big deal, but the time I saved on shopping around or changing the printable was priceless to me.
I have also made it a goal to listen to one General Conference talk a day. So imagine my surprise that on the very day I planned to write this, I happened to listen to Elder Wakolo’s talk. I have been so stressed that it has been hard to calm my mind enough to feel the spirit, so it was a tender mercy to have the Lord point me in the right direction. It was a testimony that He is there for the small things like socks and the big things like finding guidance when you need it.
So why is the Sacrament so important and why is it important to take it every week? There are so many reasons, but these two really jumped out at me.
A Reference Point
In General Conference a few years ago, Dean M. Davies, then Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, shared, “One of the most important steps we can take to strengthen our lives and remain firmly attached to the foundation of the Savior is to worthily partake of the sacrament each week.”
It reminded me of a night on my mission that we got stuck out in the countryside without any lights. I was serving in Chacabuco, Argentina, a town out in the middle of nowhere in Buenos Aires. We decided to visit someone outside of town, but weren’t paying attention to how quickly it was getting dark. It was still dusk when we left, but soon became pitch dark. We quickly realized that there were no street lights, no moon, no cell phones, and no flashlights to help us find our way home. Having always lived next to major cities, I had never experienced that kind of darkness outside. We literally couldn’t see the road at our feet.
So we started the slow process of taking small steps forward, carefully feeling to make sure we were still on the dirt road. If we tried to speed up or stopped paying attention, we would soon find ourselves in the brush. For a terrifying moment, we would quickly feel our way back to the road again before we got too lost. Slowly but surely we made it safely back to town.
The Sacrament is like that path. In the most recent General Conference, Elder Taniela B. Wakolo said, “The sacrament is an ordinance that helps us stay on the path, and worthily partaking is evidence that we are keeping the covenants associated with all the other ordinances.”
By constantly referring to and realigning ourselves to the path through repentance, we can be sure we are heading in the right direction. But if we become too distracted or neglect to check for the path, we are likely to get further and further off into the brush. The longer we go between referencing the path, the harder it gets to find our way back.
The Sacrament plays such an important role in helping us realign our lives to where they need to be. It is a time to reflect on the Savior and His plan, and to reflect on our own lives in relation to the Savior. Often as I repent and look for ways to come closer to Christ, I feel like that same missionary carefully feeling her way forward.
Spiritual Strength
Not only does the Sacrament provide a reference point for us, but it also empowers us. In his talk, “A Sure Foundation,” Dean M. Davies said:
“The sacrament ordinance affords every Church member the opportunity to ponder his or her life in advance, to consider the actions or nonactions that may need to be repented of, and then to partake of the bread and water as sacred emblems in remembrance of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, a witness of His Atonement. If we partake with sincerity and in humility, we renew eternal covenants, are cleansed and sanctified, and receive the promise that we will have His Spirit to be with us always. The Spirit acts as a type of mortar, a welding link that not only sanctifies but also brings all things to our remembrance and testifies again and again of Jesus Christ. Worthily partaking of the sacrament strengthens our personal connection to the foundation rock, even to Jesus Christ.
In like manner, if we do not provide for an appropriate balance in our lives of daily personal prayer and feasting from the scriptures, weekly strengthening from partaking of the sacrament, and frequent participation in priesthood ordinances such as temple ordinances, we too are at risk of being weakened in our spiritual structural strength.”
What an amazing gift the Sacrament is. Packed with meaning and power, it is incredible that so much can be accomplished by one simple act.
I loved the promise that Elder Wakolo gave at the end of his talk, “I invite each of us to ask ourselves, ‘What ordinances, including the sacrament, do I need to receive, and what covenants do I need to make, keep, and honor?’ I promise that participating in ordinances and honoring the associated covenants will bring you marvelous light and protection in this ever-darkening world.”
I don’t recommend wearing these socks to church, but maybe they can serve as a reminder to always check in on the path. I know that by prayerfully taking the Sacrament every Sunday, it can be an important safety check to make sure we are squarely on the right road. I also know that it is through these sacred ordinances that our Heavenly Father is able to bless us with peace and strength in our lives.
