"That They Do Always Remember Him"

Recently as part of my daily personal study I have been studying a lot about the Sacrament.  I have been told my entire life that every Sunday is like a new opportunity to be feel the cleansing power that occurs at Baptism.  To place my mistakes, missteps and weaknesses on the altar of the Atonement and face forward once again.  But I am not sure that I have ever really understood this concept.  Despite hearing messages like this my entire life I still hear people say occasionally; "Wouldn't be it great to be baptized again and have that clean slate, to know that you are starting over?"  And even though I should know that isn't necessary, there has always been a part of me that felt drawn to that concept. 

There are tons of great resources out there about the Sacrament.  A couple of the ones that really spoke to me were talks given at recent sessions of General Conference.  The first is titled; Blessings of the Sacrament by Elder Don R. Clarke and was given in October 2012.    He talks about how he first started to gain a testimony of the power of the Sacrament in his youth when one of his Young Men's leaders challenged him each Sunday to write down two things that he was thinking about during the administration of the Sacrament.  This opportunity for accountability led to him focusing more and more on the Savior and having a greater appreciation of the Sacrament.  This is a concept that we have implemented in our family.  Every Sunday after Church when we sit down to Sunday dinner, we go around the table and discuss the things we thought about.  We only recently started it but I think it has been good for all of us to really focus during that important period of Church.

The second talk that really spoke to me on this subject was given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks in October of 2008.  The title of his message is; Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament.  He said something in his talk that really jumped off the page at me.  Words that I have heard thousands of times in my life but never seemed to understand;

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.

Every single Sunday that we partake of the Sacrament, we covenant that we will always remember him.  It is right there in the prayer over the water that most of us have probably heard countless times;  that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them.  Yet as Elder Oaks pointedly explains, sometimes we don't even make it out of the meeting before it slips our mind.  That is not to say that perfection should be expected.  We aren't perfect, but I know for myself that I can do better.  

I think back to the many times in my life when I indulged in my addiction, succumbed to pride, let my character weaknesses run wild and selfishly put my own needs before those around me.  Would I have acted the same if I thought to remember the Savior?  If turning my attention to him had filled me with the Spirit as has been promised?

Now I know that I can't live life facing backwards.  The mistakes in my past are there to learn from, grow beyond and put behind me.  But I know that I can do better going forward.  I can focus more during the administration of the Sacrament, let my thoughts be filled with gratitude for my Savior instead of sports, friends or even Church calling responsibilities in the later meetings of the day.  Sometimes the things that get in the way are good things, but we only get one chance each week to truly access the Atonement and renew those covenants. 

Facing the Savior is the answer to any problem we can encounter in our lives.  No matter how great or trivial.  I am reminded of one of my all time favorite scriptures from the New Testament.  It is found in John chapter 14, verse 18; 

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

He will always come when I call.  When I face him, when I remember him.  If he is the focus of my life, I can never go astray.  

~~~ Tim