1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,080 Hey there everybody and welcome back to another podcast of Redeemed Through His Blood. Scott 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:36,920 or Monday. I didn't know you did that. I don't but I'd love to. It's kind of like, you know, 7 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,880 hunt for Easter eggs. Yeah. And I went to, there's a wonder stone. Did you know that 8 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:48,360 there's a rock called a wonder stone? And just the name kind of got my mind and imagination 9 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:56,640 going. And they have a quarry out by Vernon. And so I got on a map and found the dirt road 10 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:02,660 and went out and found a quarry and Chris and I were walking around picking up wonder 11 00:01:02,660 --> 00:01:07,280 stones. I have no idea what that even looks like. Well, everybody should Google and look 12 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:12,040 those up. I'll have to Google that. Yeah. If they want to buy some, I have a. You've 13 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:17,480 got some for sale. That's awesome. That's good to know. I've had a great week. I had 14 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,720 an experience this week, Dave, that really kind of relates to, you know, what we do 15 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:30,040 here. I was, you know, as my one of my responsibilities and my calling is to conduct interviews. And 16 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:35,440 I had an interview, I guess it was a little over a week ago. And this is a common theme. 17 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:40,200 I hear it with people quite frequently. I know you do too. People who have been in the 18 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:45,240 church a long time and and for whatever reason, they're at a season in their life when their 19 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:50,840 service is just not as intense serving and knowing callings and stuff like that. So as 20 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:55,080 it may be a once used to be and I mean lots of reasons for that. Yeah. And you know, these 21 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:59,840 are people who have been bishops and in state presidencies, you know, and all kinds of different 22 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:05,400 things like that. So I'm having this conversation and you know, we're just talking about how 23 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:11,880 we what are we doing to maintain a spiritual relationship and having the Holy Ghost present 24 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:18,040 in our life all the time. And anyway, it was just brought up that this person is just like, 25 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,320 you know, I used to study the scriptures all the time and I used to read and I but now 26 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:27,640 that I just I don't really have a reason to he says I'm not teaching any classes. I'm 27 00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:33,200 I'm just I just yeah, there's some truth just don't really have a don't feel needed. That's 28 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:37,160 right. You don't have a need to but there's a but there's a gap here and that here's the 29 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,800 gap. The gap is and this is you know, this is the conversation and this is the thing 30 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:47,320 we need to know. We're not necessarily at some points in our life, you know, obviously 31 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,960 we're studying the scripture so that we can teach them. Obviously at points in our life, 32 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:56,760 we're studying the conference talks so that we can give a lesson on it to you know, and 33 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:01,160 very or participate in a lesson and things like that. But the real reason we do that 34 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:05,480 that we've been talking about and we've really spent a lot of time about this over the last 35 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:10,800 several episodes, recent episodes, is so that we can have the administrator of the Atonement 36 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:16,440 of Jesus Christ in our lives. If at any point in our lives, we want the effects of the Atonement 37 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:20,560 of Jesus Christ to be working in our life, then we need the administrator to be present 38 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,880 in our life and those are some of the ways that we get those. And so you know, I think 39 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:31,720 we need to expand our vision on why we do certain things in the church. You know, I 40 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:38,120 think it's correct. I think it's the most important thing perhaps that we can do when 41 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:43,720 we do those things is to allow the Holy Ghost to be at work in our lives. Yeah, to be alive 42 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:50,200 in the spirit and to walk with the spirit to live in the spirit. Yeah, Paul, Paul was 43 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:57,200 so good at expressing the importance and glations about living in the spirit, walking in the 44 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:05,840 spirit and living with the fruits of the spirit. Yeah, that's that's really critical. And 45 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:11,000 we all need to be intentional about that, Scott. I know, we all need to be more intentional 46 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:17,080 and the question we should all be asking ourselves, whether we have a calling in the church or 47 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:27,240 not, whether we feel needed or not is what can I stop doing? Or what can I start doing 48 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:36,280 to enjoy as a constant companion, the gift of the Holy Ghost? Yeah. Honestly, that that's 49 00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:41,880 probably I think the most important question we can ask ourselves because the Holy Ghost 50 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:47,320 is the administrator of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our life. And in all that we've 51 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:56,280 been talking about for the last several weeks here in season two is how can we access the 52 00:04:56,280 --> 00:05:04,440 Atonement of Jesus Christ and draw closer to him? And the answer to that is to live 53 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:11,440 with the spirit of the Holy Ghost in our life to be worthy enough to have the spirit. And 54 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:17,400 you know, I used to think this, Scott, when I was on my mission, I used to think, wow, 55 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:23,000 it's really hard to get the spirit and it's so easy to lose the spirit. You know, if I 56 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:29,240 slept in one of the three mornings that I slept in on my mission, I would lose the spirit 57 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:34,520 and I would feel guilty and feel like I was going to hell. And I used to think, ah, it's 58 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:42,040 so easy to lose the spirit. And it really takes a lot of work to keep the spirit. I 59 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:47,640 thought that I remember distinctly thinking that if I didn't write it or say it out loud. 60 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:58,320 And and now 40, 50 years later, I am completely reversed on that. It is so hard for me to 61 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:05,000 lose the spirit. And it is really pretty simple to obtain the spirit by just simply 62 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:11,480 asking, desiring, striving. You know, it's so easy really to get the spirit. The spirit 63 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:17,920 I know wants to be with us. Right. The spirit's not. And if we arbitrarily, if we make a mistake 64 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:25,920 or we sin, going to leave us. Yeah. If we're in the covenant and our desires are to do good, 65 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:30,800 then we may not be keeping all the commandments. But if we desire to do good, the spirit's 66 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:37,640 not going to leave us. It's really, it's really pretty easy, simple, maybe is a better word 67 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:45,480 to get the spirit. And it's pretty difficult for us to really lose the spirit and become 68 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:55,640 past feeling. So I am I'm really grateful for the willingness and the generosity of 69 00:06:55,640 --> 00:07:01,200 the Holy Ghost to be with us always. Yeah, me too. Me too. I you know, I've heard you 70 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:06,520 say that before, you know, and I think I heard have heard Elder Bednar say that, you know, 71 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:13,680 that it's kind of difficult to lose the spirit, you know, but I wonder how many of our listeners 72 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,120 have experienced that or have that experience in their own lives. And so, you know, maybe 73 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:22,840 we start with a super early invitation today. And I would just invite all of us to just 74 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:28,200 take a self assessment on what is our relationship with the spirit? What does it look like? Where 75 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:34,320 could it be better? But and and and maybe this is the most important part of that. What 76 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:39,560 am I doing? Or what do I need to stop doing? Or or what do I need to start doing better 77 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:45,080 to have it as a better to have the spirit more noticeable? I think to be more intentional 78 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:50,440 about it, to be more mindful about it. You know, Scott, I think that a lot of people 79 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:56,240 think that the spirit has left them when in fact, the spirit has not left them. They're 80 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:01,680 just not paying attention. Yeah, probably they're just not living an intentional life. 81 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:07,120 They're not being mindful and they're not paying attention because I really believe 82 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:14,160 the spirit almost has to be driven away. I don't think it's it's not the spirit is 83 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:23,280 not so delicate that he that he will leave us at every arbitrary sin or mistake or bad 84 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:34,400 thought that we think or acts that we commit, you know, I we have to almost leave him before 85 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:42,040 he will leave us. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Great perspective. We I take that pretty 86 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:47,200 seriously and we're going to talk about the covenant relationship that we have by partaking 87 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:52,520 of the sacrament, Scott, and when we always remember Christ, the spirit will always be 88 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:59,360 with us. Even if it's remembering him in our effort to repent of sin, the Holy Ghost will 89 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:04,520 be with us. The Holy Ghost, I think the Holy Ghost comforts us not just when we lose a 90 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:11,720 loved one or when we're mourning over some some loss or tragedy. The Holy Ghost comforts 91 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:22,120 us and strengthens us in our sins that he should give us encouragement if we're listening 92 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:29,640 and seeking for his companionship. The Holy Ghost will encourage us to he'll walk us through 93 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:37,240 the process of repentance. There will be grace at the beginning of the repentance process, 94 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:42,200 not just at the end. Yeah. And all throughout it. That would that would that's been my experience. 95 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:48,000 You know, when I I'm still constantly repenting, but when I went through a big repentance process, 96 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,360 you know, as I was working my way back into membership of the church, you know, and things 97 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:57,960 of that nature, I had the opposite mindset that you just described. I had the mindset 98 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:02,840 of what I described earlier, you know, that it is hard to to happen. And I had that mindset 99 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:08,040 and that belief. But somebody and I don't remember who or how or maybe I was maybe I talked to you 100 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:13,400 throughout. I don't remember how or where this took place. But at some point, there was kind 101 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:19,320 of a capitulation for me around all of that. And I began to feel that grace and I began to feel 102 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:26,120 I don't know that I had ever and it's hard to say because we don't know how to quantify and 103 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:31,960 measure, you know, and create metrics around feelings. But I don't know that I had ever felt 104 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:39,080 a more direct direction from the Spirit than I did during that process in my life, even before I 105 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:47,880 was rebaptized. Well, I think any loving parent would be the, you know, be the, you know, the first 106 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:54,120 to give us attention. Yeah, I agree. When he knows when we're when he knows we're in need, 107 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:59,960 if there's any desire on our part to receive that help and attention. Yeah. And he's going to send 108 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:07,800 us the Holy Ghost and give us all that he can give us and all that we need in order to come back and 109 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:15,880 to repair and to be healed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We'd all do well by modeling our 110 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:23,080 parenting after him. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Anyway, that was important. Run to our aid. He'll sucker 111 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:30,200 us. Run to our aid. That's right. Yeah. Well, last week, Scott, we were talking about covenants. 112 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:38,200 We spoke a lot about the covenant relationship we read from President Nelson's training to 113 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:47,160 General Authorities, excerpt of which was in the the Leona magazine and how he talks about 114 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:56,680 covenants and covenant making and how the covenant gives us a special endowment of love 115 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:04,840 and care from our loving Heavenly Father. And I want to continue, I guess, in kind of that vein 116 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:13,880 and talk about, I think we introduced the idea that the sacrament is the renewing of all 117 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:22,440 of all covenants that we make, not just our baptismal covenant, Scott, but all covenants that we make. 118 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:31,000 We've talked about on this podcast the difference of different degrees in which we 119 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:38,200 take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, the difference in our standing with him and 120 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:46,520 how when we're baptized, we are adopted by Jesus Christ and he becomes the father of our spiritual 121 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:53,400 life, not the father of our spirits, but the father of our spiritual lives. And he becomes 122 00:12:55,640 --> 00:13:01,720 to us like a father and we take upon ourselves his name when we're baptized. And then when we go to 123 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:09,560 the temple, we become joint heirs. We receive a new name there and we have standing and we become 124 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:18,760 joint heirs. I think that, you know, one of the great talks or not talks, it's actually a well 125 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:23,640 researched article, it's been in different sources. And I think our listeners could just 126 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:31,640 probably Google it and find it. But I've always loved it. It's called The Lord Will Redeem His 127 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:39,320 People, Adoptive Covenant and Redemption in the Old Testament in Book of Mormon. That's the name 128 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:49,320 of the article. And it's written by Jennifer Clark Lane. Jennifer is a professor and I think she's 129 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:55,880 been a vice president or different positions at BYU at Hawaii. That's actually available. 130 00:13:55,880 --> 00:14:01,880 If you'll just go to byu.edu. Actually, if you just do a Google search with all that, 131 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:06,120 it'll come up. It's under Religious Study Center from Brigham Young University. 132 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:12,680 I really recommend our listeners, if they want to really study more about this topic, 133 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:20,600 to go to this article and to read it carefully. I think it will really give them an increased 134 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:29,720 vision and an increased sense of gratitude for the covenants of the restored gospel of Jesus 135 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:36,280 Christ. And that they'll see the patterns that go all the way back into the Old Testament, 136 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:43,080 Adam and Eve and Abraham and Sarah. And she talks about the importance of a new name. 137 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:52,680 How important a new name was as a symbol of entering into a covenant, the higher covenant 138 00:14:52,680 --> 00:15:02,920 with God and how when we're baptized, we get a new name. We become known as the children of Christ, 139 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:11,720 Messiah 5-7. And in the temples, we receive a new name and we receive a new standing as joint 140 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:24,520 heirs with Jesus Christ. And anyway, she discusses some of the symbols and the doctrine of making 141 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:30,040 and keeping covenants. So I really recommend that to our listeners. That's been helpful to me over 142 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:36,760 the years. And I go back to it and probably reread it. I don't know, a couple times a year, 143 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:44,360 probably. I just think, Scott, we are a covenant people. The gospel of Jesus Christ has always 144 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:54,680 been that way. It hasn't just, it's never been Old Testament with Jehovah through, even through 145 00:15:54,680 --> 00:16:01,960 before the law of Moses and through the law of Moses and into the New Testament. Jesus has always 146 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:13,880 been a covenant God with us. Goel, he is our Redeemer. He's our Mediator. He's the Messiah. 147 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:21,240 He's the Christ. He's the anointed one and he wants us to be anointed and we make covenants 148 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:27,080 with him when we do that. You know, when we go to the temple, we're washed. There's so much symbolism 149 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:32,600 in that. And it's throughout the Bible, it's throughout the scriptures. We're anointed. 150 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:40,600 Messiah literally means anointed, the anointed one. We're anointed as his. I think we've talked 151 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:48,040 about that, you know, the horn of oil in the temple is one of the most sacred symbols and emblems 152 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:53,720 within the temple itself is the horn of oil, which is another symbol of Christ. And we're anointed 153 00:16:53,720 --> 00:17:01,880 with this horn of oil and we take upon ourselves Jesus Christ as we're washed clean and as we are 154 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:12,440 anointed become kings and queens and as we're clothed in the holy garment, which is symbolic of 155 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:20,120 the skins given to Adam and Eve with markings that are symbolic of, again, our relationship with 156 00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:29,160 Jesus Christ, which are also part of the the the bell ceremony. I mean, there's just so much in 157 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:36,680 that there's probably not more I can say, but everything about the temple, Scott, is about us 158 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:46,200 drawing closer to Jesus Christ in a more personal familial covenantal relationship. 159 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:58,920 We're family, we're joint heirs, we're in the covenant. I am grateful that all of that has been 160 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:06,520 restored in these in these latter days. I know there's been a lot of talk about 161 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:13,400 some of the changes that have been made in the temple. You know, recently, I've, I'm a little 162 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:19,160 older than you, Scott, but I remember, wow, there's been so many changes in my lifetime. 163 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:28,600 And there were changes before that. And the language, I mean, the ordinances themselves 164 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:37,080 haven't changed, but the language has changed over time. And a little bit the process of how we 165 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:41,400 do the ordinances, but the ordinances and the covenants are still there. 166 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,880 Yeah, it's just the presentation that's presentation. It's changed. Yeah, the language. 167 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:51,080 Yeah. Some of the language. Yeah, you're not that much older than me. I remember those 168 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:58,120 early days when I first took out my endowment, which is so kind of Heavenly Father. Oh, yeah. 169 00:18:58,120 --> 00:19:05,960 That he that he teaches us according to our language and our culture. In fact, when it went, 170 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:14,680 Scott turned to 2 Nephi 31 really quick, then I think it's verse three. And read verse three, 171 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:21,960 which I think for those who are interested in the changes of the ordinance of the temple, 172 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:26,760 not not the ordinance, but the language of the temple. This is maybe helpful. 173 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:33,960 2 Nephi 31 verse three. Yeah, for my soul delighteth in plainness. 174 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:41,080 Yeah. For after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God 175 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:47,080 giveth light unto the understanding, for he speaketh unto men according to their language, 176 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:52,200 unto their understanding. And we could say language and culture. Right. 177 00:19:52,200 --> 00:20:00,520 Right. The Lord, the Lord works with us according to our language of our time, 178 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:07,960 culture of our time, understanding our understanding. He he wants us to understand 179 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:17,000 and he'll change language and maybe a little bit the the process in order to help us to better 180 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:25,640 understand. So I'm grateful. I'm grateful for the changes. And I think that it just makes it 181 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:32,040 more plain and Nephi starts that verse out with how he glories, right, he glories in plainness. 182 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:41,880 Well, Scott, one of the more significant chapters in Elder Anderson's book on the divine called 183 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:52,360 the divine gift of forgiveness, which was we both knew in working together on the book that 184 00:20:52,360 --> 00:21:01,000 this would be the last chapter. It really is to understand the significance of the 185 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:08,600 doctrine of Christ and the gift of repentance and forgiveness, 186 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:17,880 the importance of the role of the sacrament. The sacrament really is the holiest ordinance 187 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:24,440 in the restored gospel. By the way, Scott, it's been so sweet last week I 188 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:36,440 participated in live ceilings, did my first live ceilings and sealed a couple together for time 189 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:49,880 and for all eternity. And oh, Scott, it's it just amazes me. I know I'm just I'm nothing in that 190 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:59,800 process or in that event. It just amazes me the authority and the power that you feel 191 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:09,960 when you perform that ordinance. Really, it overwhelmed me, completely overwhelmed me to think 192 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:19,640 who am I? I am nobody, I'm nothing. But I have been given the authority by President Nelson 193 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:34,600 to seal this couple by the power and priesthood of God for time and for all eternity with a covenant 194 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:48,040 and promise. I'm going, oh, man, the power, the priesthood, the keys under which that power is 195 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:55,400 bestowed. Anyway, it was overwhelming for me. It was just so sweet. I'll never forget it. 196 00:22:56,120 --> 00:23:02,840 And look forward to hopefully enjoying that experience weekly now as the Saratoga Springs 197 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:09,800 Temple is now open and operating to anyone who wants to come. And we hope that everyone will 198 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:18,520 want to come. And I'm a functioning patriarch. Hi. Yeah, we were talking about our stake president 199 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:27,640 again and our new stake president to is now informed me that I he wants me to continue 200 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:35,320 to give patriarchal blessings. So little less some important events in my life. But the point of all 201 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:44,440 of that is Scott, the power of the of the priesthood and the importance of ordinances and the 202 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:53,080 Holy Spirit of promise that seals these ordinances. And then to think about every time we partake of 203 00:23:53,080 --> 00:24:03,080 the sacrament, yeah, we renew every covenant we have made. I told the couple that I married, 204 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:08,920 I guess that's why I was thinking of this. I told the couple that that we're married the 205 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:17,720 during Celeste last Friday that when they partake of the sacrament, they should think about kneeling 206 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:26,280 at this altar. You're renewing this covenant of celestial marriage. When you partake of the 207 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:31,720 sacrament, now you should think of Jesus. And you think you should think that because of him, 208 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:38,120 all of these blessings and all these powers and gifts are available to us because of the atonement 209 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:45,320 of Jesus Christ. And you should think of his torn flesh as you take a piece of that torn bread. 210 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:52,520 And you should think of his blood as you take that little cup that came from every poor. 211 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:59,400 And you should think about all of that. But you should also think about this altar. 212 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:04,360 As you kneel here at the altar, every time you partake of the sacrament, I hope you'll think of 213 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:11,640 this covenant and that you're making with each other and with God all possible because of Jesus 214 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:21,800 Christ. Anyway, when we partake of the sacrament, we are not only repenting of our sins and again 215 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:29,720 and again receiving all the application and the accessing the power of the atonement of Jesus 216 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:38,520 Christ in our life by participating in a holy ordinance. But we are renewing all the covenants 217 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:46,280 of washing and nointing all of the temple ordinances and covenants in our life. 218 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:53,000 You know, the sacrament points us to the temple. Well, as we do that, Scott, I hope that our 219 00:25:53,640 --> 00:26:02,360 listeners can use the sacrament to be the culmination in some ways of all the covenants that 220 00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:11,080 they participate in. And I think Elder Holland and other brethren have said that it should be 221 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:19,320 the most important hour in our week. Yeah. I've taken that pretty seriously. I know Deb has too. 222 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:28,760 From Sunday to Sunday, sacrament to sacrament, I'm thinking of the next opportunity I'll have to 223 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:34,520 partake of the sacrament and to continue to receive a remission of my sins to retain that 224 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:43,400 forgiveness. Right. Right. The most important hour of our week is to participate in a sacrament 225 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:51,400 meeting and the most important few minutes or moments of our life is to sit there and ponder 226 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:57,640 the sacrament. I was grateful for our bishop who last Sunday stood up before the sacrament, 227 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:07,400 before we sang the sacrament hymn and began the ordinance. I think that for me, it almost begins 228 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:14,440 the ordinance the minute we begin to sing the sacrament hymn. I hope that everyone really 229 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:19,880 sings and thinks about the words of those sacrament hymns would have been carefully chosen by the 230 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:28,040 brethren in that one little section of about 20 or 30 hymns in our hymn book that all point us to 231 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:33,240 Jesus Christ and we begin to think about him. I really believe it begins with that hymn. 232 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,880 I know that when Jesus right before he went to Gethsemane, what did he do? They sang a hymn. 233 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:46,440 That was kind of the beginning. Yeah. And so we, before we sang the hymn, 234 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:54,760 our sweet bishop got up and asked us, just said, I felt impressed to ask you to put your phones 235 00:27:55,720 --> 00:28:03,240 on the airplane mode or turn them off. He said, I've used my phone during the sacrament to read 236 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:09,720 scriptures. Sure. And I've done that myself, Scott. So have I. But he said, I'm asking you to turn it 237 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:16,040 off. And I've also opened my phone to read scriptures and get a text in the middle of that 238 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:23,080 because I haven't put it on exactly. And that distracts me. Yeah. Exactly. And I've seen members 239 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:30,120 and I'm not I'm not judging or condemning, but I've seen members, you know, who are looking at 240 00:28:30,120 --> 00:28:36,200 different things on their phone during the sacrament. And I just think it's inappropriate. 241 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:44,040 I don't know if we understand really, Scott, how sacred the sacrament is in our worship. 242 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:51,880 Joseph Fielding Smith. I almost looked this up and brought the book with me today. It's in his 243 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:58,360 volume of five books called the answers to gospel questions. But there's a part in there where somebody 244 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:04,360 asked a question about the sacrament and the significance of the sacrament in our worship. 245 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:15,320 And he he says, quote, whispering during the sacrament is a sin. 246 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:22,440 That was Joseph Fielding Smith. Yeah. I think there's an exclamation mark at the end of that sentence. 247 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:29,160 Knowing him there probably is. Whispering during the sacrament is a sin. Yeah. Now, 248 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:36,440 I'm glad he felt that way. And I've no doubt whispered and all of us have during the sacrament. 249 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:42,280 And we've sinned and hopefully we're forgiven right after we take the bread and water. Right. 250 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:49,560 Yeah. But I do notice that there are sometimes communication going on that doesn't really need 251 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:58,520 to be taking place. I do notice with some small children that that maybe maybe instead of doing 252 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:04,760 certain activities, maybe maybe they could be taught, you know, when they're when they're as 253 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:10,440 young as two or three or four years old, maybe they can be taught that, hey, this is a time when 254 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:17,560 we don't read just any book. This is when we focus on the book that you have for them to read about 255 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:24,280 Jesus. This is when we just focus on Jesus for 15, 20 minutes here. We're going to focus on 256 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:32,520 Jesus and we're not going to be able to whisper or talk. I remember trying to teach that to my 257 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:39,960 children and I'm sure I wasn't as successful as I wanted to be. But I had a desire to try to get 258 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:44,280 them to understand that. And if they asked me a question or something, I would say, I'll tell you 259 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:52,120 after the sacrament. We'll talk about it after the sacrament. We can't. We're, let's not talk 260 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:59,080 during the sacrament. I just think that's really important that we just really focus, laser focus 261 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:10,200 on the Savior, His suffering and Scott, our covenants. Right. Yeah. Our covenants are our name 262 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:20,280 that we are called after Christ, that we have faith in the name of Jesus Christ, that we have 263 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:31,720 received a standing, that we have this covenantal familial relationship with Jesus and we're renewing 264 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:40,440 that covenant relationship every time we partake of the sacrament. So in Elder Anderson's book, 265 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:47,320 he, he quotes some things here by Elder Oaks. And I wanted to share that with our listeners 266 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:55,160 this morning, Scott. He's talking about always having His Spirit to be with us, the promise, 267 00:31:55,720 --> 00:32:00,760 the great promise of the sacrament is to always have His Spirit, which we've been talking about, 268 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:09,560 the importance of having the Holy Ghost in our life. And I'm on page 269 in Elder Anderson's 269 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:17,800 book, The Divine Gift of Forgiveness. Always have His Spirit to be with us. President Dalene 270 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:25,880 Oaks said, I believe that the promise to always have His Spirit to be with us, not only refers 271 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:34,840 to the Holy Ghost, but also to the ministering of angels. Those who worthily partake of the 272 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:42,360 sacrament enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels. 273 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:51,160 I'm sure that he bases that on, I remember that talk, he bases that upon what the keys of the 274 00:32:51,160 --> 00:33:00,040 Aaronic priesthood, who have the keys of administering the sacrament, and that they have the keys of 275 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:08,200 the ministering of angels. So when the sacrament is passed, we not only are signifying that we 276 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:13,640 desire to have the Holy Spirit to always be with us, but we also receive the blessing of the ministering 277 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:20,600 of angels, which is also such sweet as part of my temple assignment, Scott, because I know that 278 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:29,480 there are angels who come into those. I mentioned that in the live ceiling that there were others 279 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:35,880 there from the other side of the veil who were interested in this ordinance and who were participating 280 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:45,160 in it, observing it. On page 269, continuing, as we partake of the sacrament, we reflect on our 281 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:53,960 own personal needs and concerns, because it is broken and torn. President Dallin H. Oakes explains, 282 00:33:54,920 --> 00:34:02,120 each piece of bread is unique, just as the individuals who partake of it are unique. 283 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:09,000 We all have different sins to repent of. We all have different needs to be strengthened 284 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:16,120 through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we remember. I think that's one of the 285 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:23,160 powerful symbols that individuals can focus on as they partake of that little piece of bread. 286 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:35,720 They could focus on the torn, how it's been torn, the uneven. It's not perfectly symmetrical. 287 00:34:35,720 --> 00:34:44,280 It's broken. It's been broken. We're all broken, in a sense, Scott, when we sin. 288 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:51,960 To partake of that little piece of bread, they should think about that important symbol and how 289 00:34:51,960 --> 00:35:02,440 Jesus allowed himself to be broken and torn and his heart ruptured, all of that for the pains and 290 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:09,080 sicknesses and sins of his people. So there are just so many symbols in the sacrament. 291 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:21,000 I don't know that there's anything more important than we can be discussing than our experience 292 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:28,040 of partaking of the sacrament. Here's why. We began this entire podcast with who we are and 293 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:33,000 whose we are and our identity. We talked about gratitude as the beginning of desire. 294 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:41,320 Eventually, as we learn more about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how the effects of the Atonement 295 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:48,600 of Jesus Christ in our lives take away the effects of the fall, the spiritual and the physical death. 296 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:54,040 We all have things that as we approach the sacrament table each week, we all have things 297 00:35:54,040 --> 00:36:00,680 in our lives, regardless of our level of worthiness or unworthiness. We all have things in our lives 298 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:08,280 that we need to have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost with us. And among them, probably top among them, 299 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:14,280 is to retain that remission of our sins. When we talk about retaining a remission of sins, 300 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:21,640 we are obviously talking about the whole purpose or one of the main purposes of putting on the 301 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:25,400 Atonement of Jesus Christ so that we can have that. We've also talked about over the last 302 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:32,520 several weeks the importance of having the Holy Ghost with us as a companion. Well, in a talk 303 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:40,440 given in April of 2016 by Elder Bednar, where he talks about the name of the talk is always retain 304 00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:49,320 a remission of your sins. We have one of the most amazing Relief Society presidents in our 305 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:54,360 ward. And a couple of weeks ago, she gave a talk in sacrament meeting about the sacrament, 306 00:36:54,360 --> 00:37:02,040 and she referenced this talk quite a bit. And I tell you, this is one time when I really felt 307 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:07,880 the administration of the Holy Ghost, even as somebody was talking in sacrament meeting, 308 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:12,120 is when she was talking about this, and I was talking to her about it afterwards, 309 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:17,080 she happens to be my next door neighbor. So we have an opportunity to converse her husband and I 310 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:21,880 are really close friends as well. And anyway, this is one of the things that he says to 311 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:26,760 comprehend in referencing the talk from Elder Bednar always retain a remission of your sins 312 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:32,440 from April 2016. And this is under the heading obtaining and retaining a remission of sins 313 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:37,720 through ordinances to comprehend. This is what he says to comprehend more fully the process 314 00:37:37,720 --> 00:37:43,640 whereby we may obtain and always retain a remission of our sins. We need first to understand the 315 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:49,400 inseparable relationship among three sacred ordinances that provide access to the powers 316 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:54,280 of heaven. Those powers of heaven specifically are the effects of the Atonement of Jesus Christ 317 00:37:54,280 --> 00:38:01,560 in our lives. And they are this baptism by immersion, the lane on of hands for the gift of 318 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:09,640 the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament. He puts that right there with the baptism by immersion and 319 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:13,880 the lane on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. He puts that right next to those for 320 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:21,960 taking of the sacrament in in some of the most important to more fully he says again to more 321 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:28,200 fully comprehend the process whereby we may obtain and always retain a remission of our sins 322 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:32,680 is to first understand the inseparable relationship among these three ordinances. 323 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:39,880 So they're important, you know, and this is a time when we don't necessarily as we 324 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:46,200 partake of the sacrament do that to receive a remission of our sins. We receive the remission 325 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:50,920 of our sins as we're putting on the Atonement of Jesus Christ on an everyday effort by effort 326 00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:58,920 minute by minute approach. But this is where we can receive a deeper remission. And definitely 327 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:04,840 this is where the retention or that retaining power is in our lives. And again, of what of 328 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:08,360 having his spirit to always be with us as we take his name upon us. 329 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:12,840 It's really significant that the first thing Jesus wanted to do 330 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:24,200 when he appeared to the people in the Americas in 35 chapter 11. And then he teaches them in 331 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:33,160 12 13 and 14. And then in 15 was he, you know, 16 17 18 19. The very first things he wants to 332 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:39,560 accomplish Scott is to make sure the people are baptized, that they receive the Holy Ghost, 333 00:39:40,200 --> 00:39:47,960 and they partake of the Holy Sacrament. And in speaking of the sacrament in 3rd Nephi chapter 334 00:39:47,960 --> 00:40:01,160 18, he talks about he compares it to a rock. And I just want to maybe in chapter 18, Scott, 335 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:09,080 30 if I 18, I just want to read a few verses here. He's talking about partaking of the bread, 336 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:18,360 break and break the bread and blessed it. And he had taken the water and blessed it. And this 337 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:26,520 shall ye always observe to do this is verse six, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread, 338 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:34,840 it's got to be broken. It's got I think maybe even crackers for whatever. But when people, 339 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:40,840 it should be broken. It probably shouldn't be a whole wafer. It probably should be a broken wafer. 340 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:48,360 I don't know that that's a handbook item, that that's official. But I think the broken part of 341 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:55,560 this is really important. I think leaders in in ward councils should talk about this. Shouldn't 342 00:40:55,560 --> 00:41:02,120 just be a little wafer given for somebody who is what are the needs gluten intolerant. Yeah, 343 00:41:02,120 --> 00:41:06,280 yeah, right. Yeah, yeah. But that it should be a broken crack, right? Yeah, or it should be a 344 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:12,200 broken wafer. Yeah, or whatever it is, it should be broken. Yeah. I think that's really important. 345 00:41:12,200 --> 00:41:19,720 He said it even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given unto you. And this she shall do in 346 00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:27,480 remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. Because then it was right. It had been broken. 347 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:33,320 Which I have shown unto you and it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always 348 00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:40,840 remember me. And if you do always remember me, ye shall have my spirit to be with you. 349 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:50,200 Notice the connection there. If you remember me, I'll remember you. You will always have his spirit. 350 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:58,200 And then he goes on and he says over in verse 11, and this she shall always do to those who 351 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:04,120 repent and are baptized in my name. And ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, 352 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:11,720 which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. 353 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:16,840 And if ye do always remember me, ye shall have my spirit to be with you. 354 00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:24,840 He repeats that. Now that would seem pretty significant to me. If you're there in the 355 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:31,160 Savior repeats the same thing twice. And that it's recorded here in the Nephite record. 356 00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:38,280 And then verse 12, this is always impressed me, Scott. I give unto you a commandment, 357 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:49,000 that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things, blessed are ye, for ye 358 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:56,360 are built upon my rock. You know, a lot of favorite to a lot of people have is a favorite 359 00:42:56,360 --> 00:43:01,720 scripture, Helaman 512, right? Or is it, I'm sorry? No, it's 512. I just turned to it. 360 00:43:01,720 --> 00:43:06,200 Yeah, okay. Yeah. About the rock, right? That you're built upon my rock. Yep. Well, 361 00:43:06,200 --> 00:43:16,760 how are we built upon the rock? By partaking of his sacrament, by receiving the tokens of his 362 00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:24,840 atoning sacrifice. Again, he says, if ye always do these things, partake of the sacrament, 363 00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:35,720 blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock. So I don't know, everybody should cross reference. 364 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:47,480 Helaman 512 with the third Nephi 1812. That's the rock, Scott. If we want to build upon the 365 00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:56,600 rock of Jesus Christ, we need to be partaking of the holy sacrament weekly. And if we will always 366 00:43:56,600 --> 00:44:06,040 strive to remember him, we will always have his spirit to be with us. I don't know the process, 367 00:44:06,040 --> 00:44:14,120 maybe we can talk about the actual sacrament experience for just a minute for folks. But 368 00:44:14,120 --> 00:44:26,280 when I partake of the sacrament, and I think we should all try to arrive early, I know that's 369 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:31,480 not easy or always possible, especially for those who have small children, 370 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:40,760 or sometimes even harder with teenagers. But we should try to go early. We shouldn't be rushed. 371 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:48,680 We should go with a repentant heart, broken heart, contrite spirit, Scott. We should try to repent 372 00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:54,600 before we go to this meeting. We should maybe kneel down in the morning before sacrament meeting 373 00:44:55,160 --> 00:45:01,960 on the Sabbath, and we should review our week with the Lord and ask for his forgiveness. 374 00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:09,800 And so we go repenting. And then we participate with all our heart and mind as we sing the 375 00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:19,320 hymn. And we think about Jesus singing a hymn, right, before he went to Gethsemane. And then we 376 00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:24,920 listen to the words of the prayer. We recite those words in our mind. Maybe we even try to 377 00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:35,640 memorize those words that are in the scriptures. And then as maybe even before the priests uncover 378 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:45,160 the sacred linen, we look at that table and the linen, and we think about Jesus' body being covered 379 00:45:45,160 --> 00:45:50,760 by linen. We look at that sacrament table, and if you look at it, you could almost picture someone 380 00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:58,840 laying underneath that linen. And we think of that sacred experience. I think about that. 381 00:45:58,840 --> 00:46:09,080 And then as soon as they finish the prayer on the bread and begin to pass it, I begin to pray in 382 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:17,160 however manner I can pray. That may be with my eyes closed or my eyes open. But I begin with a prayer 383 00:46:17,160 --> 00:46:25,720 in my heart to try to remember our Savior. When the bread is broken, I think I got this idea from 384 00:46:25,720 --> 00:46:33,080 Elder Holland again that I think about his physical suffering. I think about his body, his torn flesh 385 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:42,840 and the nails and all of that. And I ponder that. And then after they finish passing the bread and 386 00:46:42,840 --> 00:46:49,960 they bless the water and they pass the water, I think of his blood. And I think of Gethsemane 387 00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:56,440 bleeding from every pore and the effects of Gethsemane and the suffering of Gethsemane 388 00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:09,800 reoccurring on the cross at 12 noon to 3 p.m. And I just think of his spiritual death, suffering 389 00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:19,640 and turmoil that he suffered in Gethsemane and especially on the cross. And all of that time 390 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:26,360 Scott, I'm praying. And then I like to think about the covenants I've made. I like to think about my 391 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:33,640 eternal marriage. I like to think about the personal covenants. I like to kind of review those, 392 00:47:33,640 --> 00:47:41,160 my baptism and the Alpine Tabernacle and all that experience I had. And the first time I went to 393 00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:49,240 the temple and some of the symbolism of the temple may go through my mind. And often Scott, 394 00:47:49,240 --> 00:47:57,960 I think of something that J Jensen, Elder J Jensen told me when he partakes of the sacrament, 395 00:47:58,840 --> 00:48:06,680 he said that he would always recite a verse of Scripture found in Dr. and Covenants section 110. 396 00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:14,520 And I've I've tried to adopt this as a practice in my life. Whenever he partakes of the sacrament, 397 00:48:14,520 --> 00:48:23,160 he recites the Scripture to himself. This is section 110 verse five. Behold. And this is the 398 00:48:23,160 --> 00:48:28,120 voice of the Lord. This is Jesus speaking to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland 399 00:48:28,120 --> 00:48:37,080 Temple. Behold, your sins are forgiven you. You are clean before me. Therefore, lift up your heads 400 00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:45,800 and rejoice. I really recommend that to our listeners to maybe just memorize those few lines. 401 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:52,920 And every time they take the sacrament to recite it and hear the voice of the Lord when they when 402 00:48:52,920 --> 00:49:02,520 they recited it in their mind that you are clean before me. Right. Rejoice. Lift up your head and 403 00:49:02,520 --> 00:49:10,760 rejoice. The sacrament should be a time of of great repenting and great rejoicing. Scott. 404 00:49:10,760 --> 00:49:21,320 Yeah, I when we did this episode or whatever in last season, you brought that up about what Elder 405 00:49:21,320 --> 00:49:28,600 Jensen, Dr. and Covenants 110 five. And ever since then, I don't know that I've missed a Sunday, 406 00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:35,480 when that is actually has been part of my sacrament experience, for sure. In addition to that, 407 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:40,520 there's a couple of things to I love everything. What difference does that make when you do it? 408 00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:45,800 It reminds me. It helps me to remember. And then during the week when the accuser gets loud, 409 00:49:46,680 --> 00:49:53,080 I can remember, go back to that experience and remember that I can lift my head up. My sins 410 00:49:53,080 --> 00:50:00,040 have been forgiven. Yeah. And and and I get to feel the administration of the Holy Ghost to remind 411 00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:05,480 me of that because that's also the promise that is given to me that his spirit will always, 412 00:50:06,040 --> 00:50:12,840 always be with me. Dave, that's become so important to me and and to Deb that we begin our sacrament 413 00:50:12,840 --> 00:50:21,720 pro preparation Saturday night. Awesome. We kneel together. And each Saturday night, we pray 414 00:50:21,720 --> 00:50:26,840 that Heavenly Father spirit will begin to prepare us even in our sleep. Yeah. For the 415 00:50:26,840 --> 00:50:31,880 preparation for the partaking of the sacrament the next day. And as we do so, to help us to 416 00:50:31,880 --> 00:50:37,640 remember the importance of the covenants that we have made to remember the importance of the 417 00:50:37,640 --> 00:50:42,520 saving ordinance is how they bind us, not just to him, but how they bind him to us as well. 418 00:50:42,520 --> 00:50:47,560 Yeah, important. So important. The covenant. So important. And that's the whole purpose 419 00:50:47,560 --> 00:50:53,640 behind the partaking of the sacrament is the renewal of our covenants. Yeah. And and and then 420 00:50:54,520 --> 00:51:00,680 as I do that, I love I look over often. Deb sits to my left. She's the primary president so soon 421 00:51:00,680 --> 00:51:05,560 as before the closing prayer, she's got to go get the primary room ready. So she sits by the aisle. 422 00:51:06,440 --> 00:51:11,240 I think that's maybe an effort to keep me in my seat throughout as well. But 423 00:51:11,240 --> 00:51:19,160 I'll look over at her often to my left during the sacrament and she always does this. She always has 424 00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:24,440 the hymn book. She's very musical as you well know. Right. She always has the hymn book and she'll 425 00:51:24,440 --> 00:51:29,640 be reading sacramental hymns or hymns that are important to it. And it's not uncommon that I'll 426 00:51:29,640 --> 00:51:36,840 see a little tear grip down her face. You know, she's communing. And I and I've learned also to 427 00:51:36,840 --> 00:51:41,480 gain gain a lot of comfort from doing that. There's a few hymns that 428 00:51:42,520 --> 00:51:48,520 for sure. They just absolutely take me to that spot. You know, one of the ones that have become 429 00:51:48,520 --> 00:51:54,280 really important to me as of late is as now we take the sacrament. I never thought that's a 430 00:51:54,280 --> 00:52:00,040 as a wonderful hymn, but I never really paid that close of attention. You know, they I know that my 431 00:52:00,040 --> 00:52:04,280 Redeemer lives and that there's a few that have been very popular and been very important to me. 432 00:52:04,280 --> 00:52:10,360 And I don't be their popularity does not diminish their importance. You know, I'm not saying that 433 00:52:10,360 --> 00:52:17,720 at all. But there's just this one verse as verse three of as now we take the sacrament and I'll try 434 00:52:17,720 --> 00:52:25,400 to say it without incorporating the tune. But as now we praise thy name was song the blessings 435 00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:30,760 of this day, you know, think of the blessings of this day, the blessings of this day, the blessings 436 00:52:30,760 --> 00:52:39,080 of this day will linger in our thankful hearts and silently we pray for courage to accept thy will. 437 00:52:39,080 --> 00:52:44,840 And it does sometimes require courage to accept his will. You know, and I love that we're 438 00:52:44,840 --> 00:52:51,080 acknowledging that here for courage to accept thy will to listen and obey. We love thee, Lord, 439 00:52:51,080 --> 00:52:58,280 our hearts are full. And then we make a promise will walk thy chosen way. Yeah, that that is just 440 00:52:58,280 --> 00:53:05,880 so it is that a powerful experience for a powerful, quiet, peaceful experience for me every Sunday, 441 00:53:05,880 --> 00:53:10,680 if I will do that. And I've been pretty good at it. Yeah, I mean, I'm not perfect at it. But there 442 00:53:10,680 --> 00:53:17,400 are but but there are more Sundays than not more sacramental experiences in my life over the last 443 00:53:17,400 --> 00:53:25,240 several years, more than not that I have literally felt the redeeming love of my Savior as I've prepared 444 00:53:25,240 --> 00:53:29,960 for and partaken the sacrament. But I think that preparation, David, is extremely important. You 445 00:53:29,960 --> 00:53:34,280 know, you talk about going early, we have a lot of people I have a sister in our word sister, 446 00:53:34,280 --> 00:53:39,080 Ridge sits on the back row the minute I walk in and I get there 15 minutes early, I feel like I 447 00:53:40,280 --> 00:53:46,600 want to to go around and shake people's hands in my quorum and you know, welcome and and fellowship 448 00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:53,320 and sister Ridge there every week before I am and she's quiet and it's quiet for her. It's 449 00:53:53,320 --> 00:53:59,160 time for preparation if we'll all accept that that attitude of preparation or experience will 450 00:53:59,160 --> 00:54:09,640 be enhanced greatly. Well, all of these things got covenants ordinances should give us a greater 451 00:54:09,640 --> 00:54:19,240 sense of peace, security and confidence in our relationship with our Heavenly Father 452 00:54:19,240 --> 00:54:25,800 with Jesus Christ and with the Holy Ghost. I mean, that's that's really the purpose of 453 00:54:25,800 --> 00:54:32,280 covenants and ordinances and it has been the pattern since Adam and Eve. There was an altar, 454 00:54:33,320 --> 00:54:41,320 they nailed it the altar, then they made covenants and it was to it was to assure them. 455 00:54:41,320 --> 00:54:50,120 It you know, so many times we think of of covenants as a burden. Covenants are not a burden. 456 00:54:51,000 --> 00:55:00,360 Covenants are a blessing. They they connect us to God and he and he will not break his word. 457 00:55:00,360 --> 00:55:11,800 Oh, unless we just totally leave him and walk away and go after other gods and love others 458 00:55:11,800 --> 00:55:20,520 more than we love him. A covenant is something that all of us can really hold on to and it 459 00:55:20,520 --> 00:55:31,000 should give us such a peace of mind knowing that we are in a covenantal familial relationship with 460 00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:38,840 God. We all know that we're sons and daughters of God, spirit sons and daughters of God that we were 461 00:55:39,400 --> 00:55:47,080 created as sons and daughters as spirits before we were ever born that that through the creation 462 00:55:47,080 --> 00:55:53,560 of Adam and Eve that we become his sons and daughters in a physical sense really. But 463 00:55:54,840 --> 00:55:59,000 when it's all said and done, Scott, after the resurrection in the final judgment, 464 00:56:01,720 --> 00:56:08,680 the sons and daughters or the children of God will be the ones who have made and kept covenants 465 00:56:08,680 --> 00:56:20,520 with him. And everything about a covenant is to have a sweeter relationship with God to receive 466 00:56:20,520 --> 00:56:32,360 a special endowment of grace, mercy, of peace, of joy, than to be able to in the end enter into his 467 00:56:32,360 --> 00:56:42,520 rest. That's what covenants are all about. So I hope that all of us can appreciate more 468 00:56:43,320 --> 00:56:48,600 the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the ordinances and the covenants have been restored. You know, 469 00:56:48,600 --> 00:56:53,080 one of the first things Jesus said to the prophet Joseph Smith in the sacred grove is 470 00:56:53,720 --> 00:57:00,840 they've broken my ordinances. They haven't kept the ordinances. The new and everlasting covenant, 471 00:57:00,840 --> 00:57:10,440 Scott, I testify has been restored new and everlasting. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, 472 00:57:11,320 --> 00:57:19,160 those all those blessings have been restored. And we made covenants before we came to this life 473 00:57:19,880 --> 00:57:25,560 in the premoral existence. I know we made covenants and that we understood there that that 474 00:57:25,560 --> 00:57:31,720 would be the pattern here. And it will continue to be so that we are going to be in a covenant 475 00:57:31,720 --> 00:57:41,400 relationship with God, new and everlasting forever and ever. And I'm grateful for that knowledge. 476 00:57:43,960 --> 00:57:50,680 Great day. I love this topic. I love what it provides and the opportunity to fill of our 477 00:57:50,680 --> 00:57:56,600 Heavenly Father's love to be cleansed, to be purified, to be justified and to more fully put 478 00:57:56,600 --> 00:58:04,280 on the Atonement of Jesus Christ as we participate in these most holy, sacred ordinances and renewing 479 00:58:04,280 --> 00:58:10,040 our covenants and considering the importance of all of those. Thanks for being with us this week. 480 00:58:10,040 --> 00:58:18,760 Remember that you can reach out to us via email at redeemed. No, he redeems us at gmail.com. That's 481 00:58:18,760 --> 00:58:23,640 he redeems us at gmail.com. Thanks for being with us, everybody. We look forward to being with you 482 00:58:23,640 --> 00:58:49,640 again next week. Until then, be well.