Daily Thought

Living the Abundant Life

First Presidency Message 
By President Thomas S. Monson

Living the Abundant Life

At the advent of a new year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the abundant life—a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings. Just as we learned the ABCs in school, I offer my own ABCs to help us all gain the abundant life.

Have a Positive Attitude

A in my ABCs refers to attitude. William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher, wrote, “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”¹

So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.

Charles Swindoll—author, educator, and Christian pastor—said: “Attitude, to me, is more important than … the past, … than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.”²

We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude.

Believe in Yourself

B is for believe—in yourself, in those around you, and in eternal principles.

Be honest with yourself, with others, and with your Heavenly Father. One who was not honest with God until it was too late was Cardinal Wolsey who, according to Shakespeare, spent a long life in service to three sovereigns and enjoyed wealth and power. Finally, he was shorn of his power and possessions by an impatient king. Cardinal Wolsey cried:

Had I but served my God with half the zeal

I served my king, He would not in mine age

Have left me naked to mine enemies.³

Thomas Fuller, an English churchman and historian who lived in the 17th century, penned this truth: “He does not believe that does not live according to his belief.”⁴

Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities.

You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith.

Face Challenges with Courage

C is for courage. Courage becomes a worthwhile and meaningful virtue when it is regarded not so much as a willingness to die manfully but as a determination to live decently.

Said the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”⁵

There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember—David did win!

Courage is required to make an initial thrust toward one’s coveted goal, but even greater courage is called for when one stumbles and must make a second effort to achieve.

Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”

May we remember these ABCs as we begin our journey into the new year, cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can achieve our goals and resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way. Then the abundant life will be ours.

Daily Scripture

27. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

28. For the power is in them, where-in they are agents unto themselves.  And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.

D&C 58:27-28

Daily Thought

Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision of what we can accomplish.  Through goals and plans, our hopes are transformed into action.  Goal setting and planning are acts of faith.
Preach My Gospel, Chap 8. p146

"I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don't set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reach but a small part of our full potential.  When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life."

Elder M. Russell Ballard

Daily Scripture

      Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:3

Merry Christmas

The Christmas Spirit

What Shall We Give?

Daily Thought

Wise Men Still Seek Him

Daily Scripture

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1 John 3:23

Daily Thought

The Coat: A Story of Charity

A True Story from the Childhood of President Heber J. Grant

Daily Scripture

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.
2 Nephi 25:26

Christmas Devotional - Diane Adair

The DVD that was used in class is  - New Testament DVD Presentations - Luke II

Lifting Burdens: The Atonement of Jesus Christ

"The more we study, pray and ponder the awesome Atonement, the more we are willing to acknowledge that we are in His and the Father's hands.  Let us ponder therefore, these final things.  When the unimaginable burden began to weigh upon Christ, it confirmed his long-held and intellectually clear understanding as to what he must now do.  His working through began, and Jesus declared, "Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say?  Father save me from this hour".  Then whether in spiritual soliloquy or by way of instruction to those about him, he observed, "But for this cause came I unto this hour".

In Gethsemane with the suffering, Jesus began to be "sore amazed", or in the Greek "awestruck" and "astonished".  Imagine, Jehovah, the Creator of this and other worlds astonished.  Jesus knew cognitively what He must do, but not experientially.  He had never personally known the exquisite and exacting process of an atonement before.  Thus, when the agony came in its fullness, it was so much, much more worse than even He, with His unique intellect had ever imagined.  The cumulative weight of all mortal sins--past, present, and future--pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive soul!  All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow, too, a part of the awful arithmetic of the Atonement.  The anguished Jesus not only pled with the Father that the hour and cup might pass from him, but with this relevant citation, "He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me."  His suffering as it were, enormity multiplied by infinity, evoked his later soul cry on the cross, and it was a cry of forsakenness.  Even so, Jesus maintained this sublime submissiveness as he had in Gethsemane.  "Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."   While bearing our sins, our infirmities, our sicknesses, and bringing to pass the Atonement, Jesus became the perfect Shepherd, making these lines of Paul's especially relevant and reassuring"  "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or feminine or nakedness or peril or sword?"  Indeed, we are in His hands, and what hallowed hands! The wondrous and glorious Atonement was the central act in all of human history.  It was the hinge on which all else that finally matters, turned.  But it turned upon Jesus' spiritual submissiveness.  May we now, in our time and turn, be "willing to submit."     

Neal A. Maxwell


"As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice.


Of Him the Prophet Joseph also declared:  "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him:  That he lives!


"For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father--


"That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God"


We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth.


We testify that He will someday return to earth.  "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together".  He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him.  Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts. 


We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles--that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God.  He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father.  He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world.  His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.  God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.  

The Living Christ:  The Testimony of the Apostles



Christmas Devotional - Diane Adair - December 13, 2011(Audio)

President Buie's Message

Dear Sisters of the Relief Society,


I feel a sense of urgency in addressing you.  I believe I received "mine errand from the Lord" to address you.  I am certain that there are many of you who need to hear this message.  Especially at this time of the year.  My intent is not to add more to the burdens you already bear, but to share a message of optimism and hope, to help you lighten your load and gladden your heart.  It is my desire to help you enjoy more of the good news of the Gospel.  I hope to bless your life and enrich your understanding of how Our Savior can come to greater aid in your life.  Rescue us from ourselves at times.  To get you to lighten up on yourselves, and effectively call upon Him for greater assistance in your daily walk.  I believe this message is especially important at this time of year where there is so much joy coupled with stress and sorrow. 


I am an eye witness to the great good that you do.  I know that your lives are not easy, but despite all that, you accomplish great good.


What are the forces in your life that actually distance you from Christ?  May I suggest that they may indeed be different than you think?  Satan has been around a long time.  If he can't get you to smoke, drink, take drugs or many outward obvious sins, then he will with subtlety, surprise attack you through some very clever ways.  We are told that we are to "watch and pray always" and that "even the very elect would be deceived".  As always, The Book of Mormon gives us a clue.  Amulek, taught us in Alma 10:17 that Satan and his servants were laying "traps and snares to catch the Holy Ones of God".  There are three traps and snares that distance us from our Savior. 


1.  Perfectionism or Self perfection which leads to discouragement and "growing tired and faint" in our hearts from never being able to measure up to the supposed "perfection" standard.   Please don't fall into Satan's snare of thinking you must perfect your self first so you can be worthy to "come unto Christ".  Accept His offer now "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."


Sheri Dew writes "Sometimes I fear that we know just enough about the Atonement of Jesus Christ to make us miserable, but not enough to understand how much sweet help, peace, kindness, sustaining power, encouragement, enlightenment and forgiving love He offers us on a frequent recurring basis."


2.  Needless guilt.  Guilt about anything, you name it! When you feel guilt come over you, when you have committed no transgression, ask this question.  Who is working on you?  Is it God or is it Satan who seeks that you be miserable?  I believe that needless guilt is a snare of the adversary who wants you to be unhappy.  


3. Excessive worry.  Do your best and then let Him do the rest.  He is in charge; you do your best, and let him take over.  There is a wonderful scripture in D&C 123:17, that has brought me great comfort, many times.  "Therefore, dearly beloved…let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power: and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed."


I testify that these things are true.  Let us ponder which one of these "snares and traps" we may have fallen into.  He lives, He beckons us to lose our pride and completely love Him and trust Him and know Him better.  He is the solution; I love Him and testify of Him.  

President Scott Buie




President Buie read from these articles during the class:

Nancy M. Christensen, "My Personal Parable for Peace," Ensign, July 2006

Anthony D. Perkins, "The Great and Wonderful Love," Ensign, November 2006

Daily Thought

"Men and women who turn their life over to God, will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can.  He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends and pour out peace." 

President Ezra Taft Benson

Daily Scripture

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1 John 3:24

Daily Thought

Look To The Light

3 Nephi 20 - 22 Nancy Baird - December 6, 2011

QUOTES FOR 3 NEPHI 20-22
NANCY BAIRD

"Sometimes I pray for compassion, but more often I pray for harmlessness, the great spiritual quality embodied in the Hippocratic oath...it is my hope I may be used to serve a holy purpose without ever knowing.  So sometimes, before I see a patient I offer up a little wordless prayer:  Understanding the suffering is beyond me.  Understanding the healing is, too.  But in this moment, I am here.  Use me."
                Rachel Naomi Remen M.D., Kitchen Table Wisdom, 272.


"Do we really comprehend, do we understand the ...significance of... what we have?...we...are the end harvest of all that has gone before."  
                Gorden B. Hinckley, Conference Report, Apr. 2004.


    "In the Book of Mormon, there is another version of the Exodus story.  In it, the Jaredites, forced from their homes by conditions that stifle their freedom, set out across great uncharted waters to reach the land of promise in boats sealed up tightly against the sea.  Jared speaks to God about the difficulty in steering these boats in total darkness.  He is told that if he brings stones with him, God will touch them and they will shine forth light.
 
    The voyage is long and difficult in the extreme; there are mighty storms, and the boats are plunged deep beneath the water over and over again.  But their seal holds, and the stones, touched by God, continue to shine.  According to Jung, the stone is one of the two archetypal symbols for the soul.  This image of a people sailing through heavy seas in search of freedom, steering only by the light that the touch of God kindles in their souls, is a particularly beautiful one for me.

    The journey to freedom and the promised land may take many forms.  Years ago, a friend in England sent me a card with a quote from King George V's Christmas message to the British people.  Shortly before I received this card, my mother, old and very ill, had come from New York City to live the last years of her life with me.  She had loved this card and kept it in her purse.  Throughout her final illness it stood on her bedside table.  It was there on the day that she died.  I have framed it now and keep it in my kitchen.  It reads as follows:

    I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year,
    Give me a light that I might go safely out into the darkness.
    And he replied, Go out into the darkness and put your hand into
    the hand of God.
    That shall be more to you than a light and safer than a known
    way.

    In the course of any lifetime there are times when one has to sail into the unknown without map or compass. These can be times of despair and terror; they can also be times of discovery.  Having accompanied many people as they deal with the unknown, I find that the most moving part of the Mormon exodus story is a single line.  Despite the challenges and great difficulties of this sea journey, "the wind always blows in the direction of the promised land."  I have seen many people spread their sails and catch this wind.

    There is a grace in life that can be trusted.  In our struggle toward freedom we are neither abandoned nor alone."
                Rachel Naomi Remen, My Grandfather's Blessings, 375-376.


"We have two great challenges, you and I, and they never end as long as breath lasts; to choose     God and to love each other."
                        Marion D. Hanks

SCRIPTURES

Matthew 17:2     "And [Jesus] was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun,         and his raiment was white as the light."

John 10:16    "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall     hear my voice."

Alma 34:27    "Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer     unto him continually..."

2 Nephi 32:3, 5    "...feast upon the words of Christ; for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do...it [the Holy Ghost] will show unto you all things what ye should do."

1 Corinthians 2:16    "...But we have the mind of Christ."

Alma 37:37    "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou     liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when     thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God..."

Rev 10:9-10      "I took the little book...and ate it up."

Jeremiah 15:16   "Thy words were found, and I did eat them..."

Ezekiel 3:1-3    "...Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll...then I did eat it; and it was in my      mouth as honey for sweetness."

Luke 24:36-45    "...Then opened he their understanding."

D&C 45:66,69      "And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of     safety for the saints of the Most High God...and it shall be the only people that shall not be at     war one with another."

Revelation 21:1-22    (Stones in the New Jerusalem)

Exodus 28:17-20    (12 stones on the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel)

D&C 130:10-11,  Revelation 2:17    (white stone with a new name written in it)

Exodus 24:10    "And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of     a sapphire stone..."

Revelation 22:1-2    (River of the water of life)

Ezekiel 47:1-12        (Water from under the threshold of the house.)

1 Nephi 19:23        "...liken all scriptures unto us..."

Matthew 25:31-46    "unto one of the least of these..."

D&C 38:7    "But behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you.  I am in your midst     and ye cannot see me."

1 Peter 3:12      "...the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their     prayers..."

2 Sam 6:14-16    "And David danced before the Lord with all his might...So David and all the house of     Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet...king     David leaping and dancing before the Lord."

Moses 7:28-33    (Why God weeps.)

Mark 12:30-31  (Shema)    "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
    And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:  this is the first commandment.
    And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."



3 Nephi 20-22 -Nancy Baird - December 6, 2011(Audio)

Daily Scripture

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Hebrews 2:18

Daily Thought

"Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to him who loves us best.  Sometimes a healing cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are healed by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us."  

  Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Daily Scripture

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18

Daily Thought

Taken from Ensign, 2011 December First Presidency Message

Take a Gratitude Challenge

By John Hilton III and Anthony Sweat


Let’s not just talk about counting our blessings—let’s do it! Write a list of 100 things you are thankful for. If that sounds like it is too many, try this:

1. Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for.
2. Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for.
3. Write 10 living people you are grateful for.
4. Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for.
5. Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for.
6. Write 10 things about today you are grateful for.
7. Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for.
8. Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for.
9. Write 10 foods you are grateful for.
10. Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for.

When we make a list like this, we discover that a list of 100 doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of all the things God has given us.

Daily Scripture

Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.
2 Nephi 10:23

3 Nephi 18 - 19 Diane Adair - November 29, 2011

Quotes

3 Nephi 18 - 19

In that most burdensome moment in all human history with blood appearing at every pore, and an anguished cry upon His lips, Christ sought Him whom He had always sought - His Father.  "Abba" He cried, "Papa" or from the lips of a younger child, "Daddy".  This is such a personal moment it almost seems a sacrilege to cite it.  A Son in unrelieved pain, a Father, His only source of strength, both of them staying the course, making it through the night together.
                                                                          
                                                                                            Jeffrey R. Holland


"I am a father, inadequate to be sure, but I cannot comprehend the burden it must have been for God in His Heaven to witness the deep suffering and Crucifixion of His Beloved Son in such a manner.  His every impulse and instinct must have been to stop it, to send angels to intervene - but He did not intervene.  He endured what He saw because it was the only way that a saving, vicarious payment could be made for the sins of all His other children from Adam and Eve to the end of the world.  I am eternally grateful for a perfect Father and His perfect Son, neither of whom shrank from the bitter cup nor forsook the rest of us who are imperfect, who fall short and stumble, who too often miss the mark.

In considering such beauty of the "at-one-ment" in that first Easter season, we are reminded that this relationship between Christ and His Father is one of the sweetest and most moving themes running through the Savior's ministry.  Jesus' entire being, His complete purpose and delight, were centered in pleasing His Father and obeying His will.  Of Him He seemed always to be thinking; to Him He seemed always to be praying.  Unlike us, He needed no crisis, no discouraging shift in events to direct His hopes heavenward.  He was already instinctively, longingly looking that way."

                                                                                           Jeffrey R. Holland
                                                                                           The Hands of the Father, Oct Conf. 1999


"In His Sermon on the Mount the Master has given us somewhat of a revelation of His own character every syllable He had written down in deeds."
                   
                                                                                           Harold B. Lee

"I feel satisfied that there is no adequate substitute for the morning and evening practice of kneeling together father, mother and children.  This, more than soft carpets, more than lovely drapes, more than cleverly balanced color schemes, is the thing that will make for better and more beautiful homes."

                                                                                          Gordon B. Hinckley  
                                                                                          Conf. Report, April 1963 p.127


"The sacrament is one ordinance that allows us to experience a personal relationship with God and enlarges our knowledge and understanding of Him and His Beloved Son..."

                                                                                         David B. Haight
                                                                                         A Light Unto the World p. 176-177

"What does the Master mean when He wants us to pray always?... It is because He knows perfectly the powerful forces that influence us and also what it means to be human... He knows what it is like to have the cares of life press in upon us... And He knows how human powers to cope are not constant... As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual was once sufficient will not be enough... Start with remembering Him The Lord hears the prayers of your heart.  The feelings of your heart, of love for our Heavenly Father and for His Beloved Son, can be so constant that your prayers will ascend always."

                                                                                         Henry B. Eyring
                                                                                         Ensign, October 1999 p. 8- 10, 12

You can invite the Holy Ghost's companionship in your life.  And you can know when he is there, and when he withdraws.  And when he is your companion, you can have confidence that the Atonement is working in your life.  Reception of the Holy Ghost is the cleansing agent as the Atonement purifies      you - - strengthens and gives power.

                                                                                         Henry B. Eyring
                                                                                         BYU October 29, 1989

  

"This Do In Remembrance of Me"

October 1995 Conf. Address

Jeffrey R. Holland

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The hours that lay immediately ahead would change the meaning of all human history. It would be the crowning moment of eternity, the most miraculous of all the miracles. It would be the supreme contribution to a plan designed from before the foundation of the world for the happiness of every man, woman, and child who would ever live in it. The hour of atoning sacrifice had come. God’s own Son, his Only Begotten Son in the flesh, was about to become the Savior of the world.

The setting was Jerusalem. The season was that of the Passover, a celebration rich in symbolism for what was about to come. Long ago the troubled and enslaved Israelites had been “passed over,” spared, finally made free by the blood of a lamb sprinkled on the lintel and doorposts of their Egyptian homes (see Ex. 12:21–24). That, in turn, had been only a symbolic reiteration of what Adam and all succeeding prophets were taught from the beginning—that the pure and unblemished lambs offered from the firstlings of Israel’s flocks were a similitude, a token, a prefiguration of the great and last sacrifice of Christ which was to come (see Moses 5:5–8).

Now, after all those years and all those prophecies and all those symbolic offerings, the type and shadow was to become reality. On this night when Jesus’ mortal ministry was concluding, the declaration made by John the Baptist when that ministry had begun now meant more than ever—“Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:29).

As a final and specially prepared Passover supper was ending, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to his Apostles, saying, “Take, eat” (Matt. 26:26). “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). In a similar manner he took the cup of wine, traditionally diluted with water, said a blessing of thanks for it, and passed it to those gathered about him, saying: “This cup is the new testament in my blood,” “which is shed … for the remission of sins.” “This do in remembrance of me.” “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (Luke 22:20; Matt. 26:28; Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:26).

The Sacrament - Our Passover

Since that upper room experience on the eve of Gethsemane and Golgotha, children of the promise have been under covenant to remember Christ’s sacrifice in this newer, higher, more holy and personal way.

With a crust of bread, always broken, blessed, and offered first, we remember his bruised body and broken heart, his physical suffering on the cross where he cried, “I thirst,” and finally, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (John 19:28; Matt. 27:46.)

The Savior’s physical suffering guarantees that through his mercy and grace (see 2 Ne. 2:8) every member of the human family shall be freed from the bonds of death and be resurrected triumphantly from the grave. Of course the time of that resurrection and the degree of exaltation it leads to are based upon our faithfulness.

With a small cup of water we remember the shedding of Christ’s blood and the depth of his spiritual suffering, anguish which began in the Garden of Gethsemane. There he said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death” (Matt. 26:38). He was in agony and “prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44).

The Savior’s spiritual suffering and the shedding of his innocent blood, so lovingly and freely given, paid the debt for what the scriptures call the “original guilt” of Adam’s transgression (Moses 6:54). Furthermore, Christ suffered for the sins and sorrows and pains of all the rest of the human family, providing remission for all of our sins as well, upon conditions of obedience to the principles and ordinances of the gospel he taught (see 2 Ne. 9:21–23). As the Apostle Paul wrote, we were “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). What an expensive price and what a merciful purchase!

That is why every ordinance of the gospel focuses in one way or another on the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, and surely that is why this particular ordinance with all its symbolism and imagery comes to us more readily and more repeatedly than any other in our life. It comes in what has been called “the mostsacred, the most holy, of all the meetings of the Church” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56, 2:340).

Perhaps we do not always attach that kind of meaning to our weekly sacramental service. How “sacred” and how “holy” is it? Do we see it as our passover, remembrance of our safety and deliverance and redemption?

With so very much at stake, this ordinance commemorating our escape from the angel of darkness should be taken more seriously than it sometimes is. It should be a powerful, reverent, reflective moment. It should encourage spiritual feelings and impressions. As such it should not be rushed. It is not something to “get over” so that the real purpose of a sacrament meeting can be pursued. This is the real purpose of the meeting. And everything that is said or sung or prayed in those services should be consistent with the grandeur of this sacred ordinance.

Privilege of Aaronic Priesthood Holders

The administration and passing of the sacrament is preceded by a hymn which all of us should sing. It doesn’t matter what kind of musical voice we have. Sacramental hymns are more like prayers anyway—and everyone can give voice to a prayer!

We may not know, we cannot tell,

What pains he had to bear,

But we believe it was for us

He hung and suffered there.

"There is a Green Hill Far Away", Hymns. no. 194

It is an important element of our worship to unite in such lyrical and moving expressions of gratitude.

In that sacred setting we ask you young men of the Aaronic Priesthood to prepare and bless and pass these emblems of the Savior’s sacrifice worthily and reverently. What a stunning privilege and sacred trust given at such a remarkably young age! I can think of no higher compliment heaven could pay you. We do love you. Live your best and look your best when you participate in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

May I suggest that wherever possible a white shirt be worn by the deacons, teachers, and priests who handle the sacrament. For sacred ordinances in the Church we often use ceremonial clothing, and a white shirt could be seen as a gentle reminder of the white clothing you wore in the baptismal font and an anticipation of the white shirt you will soon wear into the temple and onto your missions.

That simple suggestion is not intended to be pharisaic or formalistic. We do not want deacons or priests in uniforms or unduly concerned about anything but the purity of their lives. But how our young people dress can teach a holy principle to us all, and it certainly can convey sanctity. As President David O. McKay taught, a white shirt contributes to the sacredness of the holy sacrament (see Conference Report, Oct. 1956, p. 89).

Sacramental Prayers

In the simple and beautiful language of the sacramental prayers those young priests offer, the principal word we hear seems to be remember. In the first and slightly longer prayer offered over the bread, mention is made of a willingness to take upon us the name of the Son of God and to keep the commandments he has given us.

Neither of those phrases is repeated in the blessing on the water, though surely both are assumed and expected. What is stressed in both prayers is that all of this is done in remembrance of Christ. In so participating we witness that we will always remember him, that we may always have his Spirit to be with us (see D&C 20:77, 79).

Remember His Premortal Life and Birth

If remembering is the principal task before us, what might come to our memory when those plain and precious emblems are offered to us?

We could remember the Savior’s premortal life and all that we know him to have done as the great Jehovah, creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. We could remember that even in the Grand Council of Heaven he loved us and was wonderfully strong, that we triumphed even there by the power of Christ and our faith in the blood of the Lamb (see Rev. 12:10–11).

We could remember the simple grandeur of his mortal birth to just a young woman, one probably in the age range of those in our Young Women organization, who spoke for every faithful woman in every dispensation of time when she said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).

We could remember his magnificent but virtually unknown foster father, a humble carpenter by trade who taught us, among other things, that quiet, plain, unpretentious people have moved this majestic work forward from the very beginning, and still do so today. If you are serving almost anonymously, please know that so, too, did one of the best men who has ever lived on this earth.

Remember His Example and Teachings

We could remember Christ’s miracles and his teachings, his healings and his help. We could remember that he gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and motion to the lame and the maimed and the withered. Then, on those days when we feel our progress has halted or our joys and views have grown dim, we can press forward steadfastly in Christ, with unshaken faith in him and a perfect brightness of hope (see 2 Ne. 31:19–20).

We could remember that even with such a solemn mission given to him, the Savior found delight in living; he enjoyed people and told his disciples to be of good cheer. He said we should be as thrilled with the gospel as one who had found a great treasure, a veritable pearl of great price, right on our own doorstep. We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them—guileless and pure, quick to laugh and to love and to forgive, slow to remember any offense.

We could remember that Christ called his disciples friends, and that friends are those who stand by us in times of loneliness or potential despair. We could remember a friend we need to contact or, better yet, a friend we need to make. In doing so we could remember that God often provides his blessings through the compassionate and timely response of another. For someone nearby we may be the means of heaven’s answer to a very urgent prayer.

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” (Moro. 7:24). Those of us who are so blessed could remember the courage of those around us who face more difficulty than we, but who remain cheerful, who do the best they can, and trust that the Bright and Morning Star will rise again for them—as surely he will do (see Rev. 22:16).

Remember His Response to Adversity

On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment he received, the rejection he experienced, and the injustice—oh, the injustice—he endured. When we, too, then face some of that in life, we can remember that Christ was also troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9).

When those difficult times come to us, 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 (see D&C 88:6; Alma 7:11–12).

Remember What His Wounds Signify

To those who stagger or stumble, he is there to steady and strengthen us. In the end he is there to save us, and for all this he gave his life. However dim our days may seem they have been darker for the Savior of the world.

In fact, in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has chosen to retain for the benefit of his disciples the wounds in his hands and his feet and his side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you. It is the wounded Christ who is the captain of our soul—he who yet bears the scars of sacrifice, the lesions of love and humility and forgiveness.

Those wounds are what he invites young and old, then and now, to step forward and see and feel (see 3 Ne. 11:15; 3 Ne. 18:25). Then we remember with Isaiah that it was for each of us that our Master was “despised and rejected … ; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). All this we could remember when we are invited by a kneeling young priest to remember Christ always.

We no longer include a supper with this ordinance, but it is a feast nevertheless. We can be fortified by it for whatever life requires of us, and in so doing we will be more compassionate to others along the way.

One request Christ made of his disciples on that night of deep anguish and grief was that they stand by him, stay with him in his hour of sorrow and pain. “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” he asked longingly (Matt. 26:40). I think he asks that again of us, every Sabbath day when the emblems of his life are broken and blessed and passed.

How great the wisdom and the love

That filled the courts on high

And sent the Savior from above

To suffer, bleed, and die!

“Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!” (Hymns, 1985, no. 193). I bear witness of him who is the Wonder of it all, and I do so in his own name, even Jesus Christ, amen.

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3 Nephi 18-19 -Diane Adair - November 29, 2011(Audio)

Daily Thought