April T Giauque
Emily Belle Freeman Oct 2024
“Live Up To Your Privilege
Sacrament Story
“Amen,” my husband said, pressing on the small table to help himself stand after kneeling. The table had a white tablecloth, a small plate with torn bread, and nine cups. He took the plate and passed the bread to our family of nine.
“Home Church.” COVID. We were in a whole new world. The bishop had authorized worthy priesthood holders of each family in the ward to have our sacrament meetings. That placed the responsibility on Scott and my second oldest son, Garrett, to carry out the ordinance.
In our Texas home, our front living/dining room became our chapel of a sort. I felt and imagined a world of chaos and battle raging outside our very windows, but angels protected us. The bread and water in a small, intimate setting held my focus on Jesus. Preparing for the Sabbath took on a deep-rooted meaning to have order and the week’s work completed by Saturday so that we would be reminded of the gentle reverence that should accompany the Sacrament Ordinance. We were prepared to understand the joy of and privilege it was.
Sister Freeman shared a similar sacrament story:
“One torn piece of bread and one cup of water. Not the procedure of passing it to the full congregation, but just to one, to me in that hospital room. Partaking of the sacrament would increase my companionship with the Spirit of the Lord, allowing me to draw upon the gift of God’s power, including the ministering of angels and the Savior’s enabling strength to overcome.”
What I find interesting is that in the obedience of taking the sacrament, I eventually understand the power of it. “Priesthood ordinances and covenant promises allow God to sanctify us and then work wonders in our lives.”
Sacrament Ordinance
Think about this: the sacrament is one of the only ordinances we do for the living. What I mean is that it’s not one-and-done, and then you return to help and give your service to help others receive it. We need it every week because we need Jesus that much. What an amazing God that gives us time to repent and return each and every week. Here are a few more key points that Sister Freeman talked about.
An ordinance for the living
Done with God’s authority
The Sacrament is the conduit that allows us to access God’s power.
We must keep our covenant with God (not perfectly, but with a broken heart and contrite spirit).
Partaking of the sacrament would increase my companionship with the Spirit of the Lord.
God’s Power
Do we realize that the combination of priesthood ordinances and keeping covenant promises allows us to draw upon God’s power? Sister Freeman said, “In 2019 a prophetic invitation was extended to the women of the Church, teaching us how to draw the Savior’s power into our lives. President Russell M. Nelson invited us to study Doctrine and Covenants 25.”
Did we study it? I reviewed it a few times but didn’t apply it. Maybe I did and just didn’t realize it. What I know is that my dive into the scriptures has been better. My willingness to share gospel music has improved, and so I think now, with conscious awareness, I can only improve from here.
Sister Freeman points this out, “Emma wondered about this gift of God’s priesthood that could unlock the power from Him that she so desperately needed. Emma would learn about the inward sanctification and covenant connection that would increase the ability of those priesthood ordinances to work in her life.”
Doctrine and Covenants 25
This is what we can learn from this section of scripture:
Lord told Emma she was a daughter in His kingdom.
She was invited to “walk in the paths of virtue,” Keep covenants
Her purpose was to be an essential participant in the work taking place.
She would “expound scriptures and exhort the church.”
“Be given to writing and to learning much.”
Emma prepared the Saints to worship through hymns.
Lord outlined a process of inward sanctification that would prepare Emma for exaltation.
That helps me to focus in bite-sized ways to apply this to my life. Sister Freeman said, “And through the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, ‘the power of godliness [would be] manifest’ in her life, and the Lord would part the veil so she could receive understanding from Him. This is what it looks like for God’s power to work within us.”
Let’s think about this privilege for a minute:
The Sacrament is a weekly reminder of His power working for you to help you overcome. It is offered to the world. We just need people to come and partake of it.
Wearing the garment of the holy priesthood is a daily reminder of the gift of His power working in you to help you become more and more like our Savior. It’s all about relationships and connections, and it is very private. If we need to start in obedience and work our way into breaking down our walls and understanding the Celestial meaning of it, we will stand vigilant in wanting to “put on Christ” in our lives.
We all have access to the gift of God’s Power through partaking of the sacrament and adding the temple. Sister Freeman closes it up with this. “In the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. This is living up to our privileges.”
May we all connect with Christ each week and take the steps toward Him, no matter where we are.
Forever Shining,
April
Comments