" The fundamental question facing all of us, is not whether we will live, but with whom we will live after we die. Everyone of us will return to the presence of God, however, not every person will remain with Him. " Elder James J. Hamula of the Seventy
The answer to that fundamental question lies in our choice to use His atonement in our lives daily, and to what degree we will keep our commitments that we make each week as we partake in the holy sacrament.
In my life it has been a struggle for me to be prompt. For whatever reason it seems like my internal clock is missing? I have a hard time determining how long it will take to travel to and from place to place, and as well, how long preparations to get there will take me?
The result of this weakness in my life has included me being anywhere from 5 min. to 20 min. late to church every single week for the entirety of my life- that is up until I fully recognized what exactly that first part of church was all about. As a child I partook of the sacrament with the sacrifices that my Savior made in mind; but it wasn't until I fully recognized how much I needed this sacrifice that He made; that I realized how disrespectful my actions for the entirety of my life had been, since I would take the sacrament in the hall at church most of the time. When you arrive early and on time to church it allows for your mind to be at peace without being a hurry. It is part of the necessary respect that allows for the spirit to be with us. For if I can be on time to work, for a date with a friend, or to see a movie, then why was I was I not giving that same respect to the most holy of all gifts that my God has given me in my life?
There was time in my life when I did not attend church, and times that I was not keeping the commitments I had promised to make as I partook of the sacrament. As I was not worthy to take the sacrament, my understanding of the sacredness of it was enhanced through my repentance process.
I witness to you that partaking of the sacrament worthily affects every single cell, organ, blood vessel, and system of the human body, besides the most important part of our body; our spirits. As I partook of the sacrament worthily for the first time, after a time of not having this sacred blessing in my life: I will never forget receiving a physical jolt throughout my body. I physically felt the cleansing agent- The Holy Ghost, enter back into my body. It was a sacred experience that I wish to witness of in order to enhance your testimony of the sacrament; and in order to remind us all how serious that the commitments that we make in partaking of the sacrament on Sunday are. For those whom may have never felt the physicality of not having the Holy Ghost; I tell you, there is even a physical difference that the Holy Ghost makes in our bodies.
I do not allow myself to partake of the sacrament if I am late anymore, and I am not late to church with out a very valid reason anymore in my life.
With great diligence I have learned that so much of the Atonement working in our lives has to do with what we did to prepare to partake of the sacrament during the week; and before Sunday morning. The Holy Ghost is the agent that allows the Atonement to cleanse us from our sins ( Romans 16:16 , 1 Corinthians 6:11 , 2 Nephi 31:17 , Alma 5:54 , Alma 13:12 , 3 Nephi 27:20 , Moroni 6:4 ) , thus our actions in our daily lives, or keeping the commitments that we promise that we promised to keep or being worthy to have the Holy Ghost, allows the Atonement to work in our lives on a daily basis, not just when we attend church and partake of the Sacrament, but always- Thus the partaking of the sacrament is essentially a renewal of the promises we made at baptism.
So what are those covenants that we renew each time we partake of the sacrament?
1. We witness our willingness to remember Him
A. Exercise faith in Jesus Christ and His Redemptive power
I. Faith = Show faith by attending church meetings, pray daily, search, ponder and pray about His words in the scriptures showing faith that we believe in His prophets, apostles and words that He left us.
2. We witness that we are willing to take upon us His name
A. Submit ourselves to His authority
I. Submit = Seek counsel from Him through prayer about choices that we are making in our lives, and what we spend our time on. Follow the counsel of the prophets and apostles as they are His mouth piece on earth today.
b. Promise to do His work
I. His Work= Share the gospel with everyone. Mourn with those that morn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, care and provide for the poor and the needy, serve in His church through our callings and various opportunities. Work for the salvation of others by doing temple work and baptisms for the dead. Keep the commandments and our temple covenants.
c. Promise to receive every saving ordinance and covenant
I. Go to the temple as often as possible to renew covenants, or go to the temple for the first time to make covenants with God.
We are so blessed to have the sacred privilege of being in holy communion with God. As we prepare weekly to partake of the Sacrament on Sunday, and as we renew our covenants with Him at the time of the sacrament, we can feel the help of ministering angels as Edler Dallin H. Oaks stated,
" I believe the promise of His spirit to always be with us not only refers to the Holy Ghost, but to the ministering of angels, for angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost ( 2 Nephi 32:3 ) So it is that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels. " ( Conference report , Oct. 1998, 50-51)
I am eternally grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I love Him and His Father more than anything I have ever known. They have been so merciful to me, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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