Jesus invites the multitude to sit, and He performs the ordinance of the sacrament, instructing them to do this in remembrance of Him. He encourages them to pray always: alone, in their families, and in church meetings. He instructs His disciples to allow everyone in to their meetings, even if they are not able to participate in the sacrament. He then gives His disciples power to give the gift of the Holy Ghost, and He ascends to heaven.
Chapter Outline
- Jesus institutes the sacrament (v. 1-14)
- He urges the people to pray (v. 15-25)
- He instructs His disciples about worship services (v. 26-35)
- He gives His disciples power to give the Holy Ghost (v. 36-39)
My Takeaways
- Our souls are filled as we eat bread and drink water regularly in rememberance of Jesus.
- Pray with your family, and strive to make it a unifying and spiritually uplifting experience.
- The Savior invited all to come unto Him and that He wants us to also welcome everyone.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ The sacrament – 3 Nephi 18:1-14
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Sacrament?
Shortly before His death and resurrection, Jesus shared a meal with His apostles in Jerusalem. The purpose of this meal, which is known as the Last Supper, was to celebrate Passover, a Jewish feast commemorating the deliverance of Israel from Egypt 1,500 years earlier. During the meal, Jesus blessed and broke bread, telling His disciples,…
If Ye Do Always Remember Me – 3 Nephi 18:7,11
7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you. 11 And this shall ye always do…
Accomplishing the Purposes of the Sacrament
The sacrament blesses us in many ways including: 1. Allowing us time to ponder quietly while surrounded by a supportive community 2. Helping us see what we can do better and what we are doing well 3. Remembering the Savior’s suffering and His victory.
❖ Pray always – 3 Nephi 18:15-25
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Family Prayer?
During the Savior’s visit to the American continent, after healing the sick, He invited the people to bring their children forward. The children sat around the Savior, and the adults knelt behind the children. Jesus also knelt and prayed. After the prayer, He said, “My joy is full,” and He wept. Then, “he took their…
Hold Up Your Light – 3 Nephi 18:22-25
22 And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not; 23 But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be…
❖ Worship services – 3 Nephi 18:26-35
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Inclusiveness?
Nephi taught that God invites all people “to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him” (2 Nephi 26:33). When the Savior visited the American continent, He demonstrated this inclusiveness by His actions. Immediately after descending from heaven and announcing who He was, He said: Arise and…
Old Testament Foundations
Building a Wall
Walls are useful. I spend most days in a room surrounded by four walls and a ceiling, which shields me from adverse weather while eliminating (I think) a lot of distractions. Walls and fences can delineate land that is intended for a specific use. Walls can also serve a decorative function, allowing us to hang…
My Cruse of Oil
When Elijah requested “a morsel of bread” from the widow of Zarephath, she responded, “I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse.” She explained that she was about to prepare a final meal for herself and for her son. Elijah told her not…
“The Lord Looketh on the Heart”
As we grow closer to God, we learn to see other people differently. When Samuel met with Jesse in the small town of Bethlehem, he brought his own preconceptions and biases to the task of selecting a new king. The current king, which he had also selected, was tall and strong. He stood out in…
Shewbread
In the ancient tabernacle, there was a gold-plated table with twelve cakes (or loaves) of bread on it. God commanded that the bread always be there, and He called it lehem panim (לֶ֥חֶם פָּנִ֖ים), or “bread of the face,” signifying that it was continually in His presence. In the King James Version of the Bible,…
Shine Forth
The Hebrew word or (אוֹר) means light. When used as a verb, it means to be light or to become light. Speaking to a future generation of Israelites who would be gathered home, Isaiah said: Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1 They could share light…
“I Know My Sheep, and They Are Numbered” – 3 Nephi 18:31
The Hebrew word paqad (פְקַד) has multiple meanings. It means “to count” or “to number,” and the word appears many times in conjunction with the Israelite census recorded in the Book of Numbers. It also means “to visit” or “to attend to.” After promising Abraham that his wife Sarah would bear a son, “the Lord…
New Testament Parallels
Hold Up Your Light
Jesus invited us to let our light shine. Paul counseled Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel. We all have reasons to be self-conscious, but if we let our fears silence us, we will miss out on glorious opportunities to share the light of Jesus Christ.
Praying Always
What does praying always look like in your life? For me, it means that I have a prayer in my heart throughout the day. It also means pausing to pray before a daunting task. God is always available to hear us, and we should frequently talk with Him.
“That He May Sift You”
Satan, our adversary, tries to separate us. Jesus called it “sifting us as wheat.” He urged all of us to thwart Satan’s efforts by remaining faithful to God, strengthening one another, and being patient and kind to one another.
To Give Light
Eight days after John the Baptist was born, his parents brought him to be circumcised. At that time, they named him, and his father Zacharias gave him a blessing, known commonly as the Benedictus. (See Bible Dictionary: “Hymns,” “Zacharias.”) The first part of that blessing speaks of the mission of Jesus Christ as a fulfillment…
What Does It Mean to “Watch and Pray?”
Just after participating in the Last Supper, the Savior walked with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Telling His disciples, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation,” He walked a little further, and knelt to pray (Luke 22:40-41, Mark 14:32-36, Matthew 26:36-39). Returning a little later, He…
What Does It Mean to Minister?
In the Book of Mormon, the word “minister” is often a synonym for “teach.” It also refers to other forms of service. A person who ministers is eager to serve “in an active practical way.”
How Do I Know If I’m Worthy to Take the Sacrament?
Immediately after introducing the sacrament during His visit to the American continent, the Savior gave a warning to the twelve disciples whom He had chosen: they should be careful not to allow people to participate in this sacred ordinance unworthily. Ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily,…
Church History Connections
Establish a House
In 1832, the Lord gave church members the following counsel: Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God; Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 I’ve been thinking today…
“Ye Shall Not Cast Him Out” – 3 Nephi 18:22-32
Our Heavenly Father loves all of His children, and His Church is meant to be a welcoming place for all people. On the first day of the Savior’s ministry on the American continent, He taught this principle clearly to the people gathered at the temple in the land of Bountiful: Ye shall meet together oft; and ye…
Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From?
The prayers offered over the sacramental bread and water were given by revelation to Joseph Smith in 1820 (Doctrine & Covenants 20:75-79). They are nearly (but not precisely) identical to the prayers offered in the ancient American church as recorded by Moroni (Moroni 4, 5). Moroni recorded those prayers in about 421 A.D. But much…
All Posts Referencing 3 Nephi 18
- Speak Often One with Another (11/21/2025)
- Cast Not Any Out (5/15/2025)
- Gathering → Unity (4/1/2025)
- Preface to Four Revelations, April-May 1829 (2/19/2025)
- Meeting Together Oft (12/8/2024)
- Laying On of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost (12/4/2024)
- No Contention, No Disputations (10/26/2024)
- “They That Feared the Lord Spake Often” (10/19/2024)
- Pray On! (10/11/2024)
- Accomplishing the Purposes of the Sacrament (10/10/2024)
- Ask Not Amiss (11/14/2023)
- Hold Up Your Light (10/24/2023)
- Praying Always (10/8/2023)
- Earthen Vessels (9/15/2023)
- “Mark Them Which Cause Divisions” (8/20/2023)
- Flesh and Bones (7/2/2023)
- “That He May Sift You” (6/13/2023)
- “This is My Body” (6/4/2023)
- Abuse (4/20/2023)
- A House Divided (3/15/2023)
- Salt (2/16/2023)
- My Father’s Business (1/14/2023)
- To Give Light (1/4/2023)
- “Thy Words Were Heard” (11/5/2022)
- Building a Wall (7/23/2022)
- “I Will Heal Thee” (7/15/2022)
- My Cruse of Oil (6/29/2022)
- “The Lord Looketh on the Heart” (6/16/2022)
- Shewbread (5/6/2022)
- The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon (12/26/2021)
- The Healer (12/22/2021)
- Spirit (11/10/2021)
- “Especial Care” (11/2/2021)
- Shine Forth (10/12/2021)
- How to Worship (8/29/2021)
- Establish a House (8/15/2021)
- Willing (6/17/2021)
- “They Separated Themselves” – Alma 17:13, 17 (5/19/2021)
- “Ye Shall Not Cast Him Out” – 3 Nephi 18:22-32 (5/5/2021)
- “Pray Always” – 2 Nephi 32:9 (3/2/2021)
- The Work, the Sword, the Sickle, and the Prayer (1/28/2021)
- “Ask in Faith” – Enos 1:15 (1/16/2021)
- “Cut Off from Among the People” (1/2/2021)
- Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6 (12/5/2020)
- “Meet Together Oft” – Moroni 6:5 (12/4/2020)
- “He Called Them by Name” – Moroni 2:2 (12/2/2020)
- “I Know My Sheep, and They Are Numbered” – 3 Nephi 18:31 (10/11/2020)
- “Watch and Pray Always” – 3 Nephi 18:18-24 (10/7/2020)
- “Shine Forth” – Alma 5:50 (6/5/2020)
- “Come Unto Me” – 2 Nephi 26:25 (2/28/2020)
- What Can We Learn about Children from the Savior? (12/17/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Cast Out Devils?” (10/24/2019)
- How Much Power Does the Devil Have? (10/22/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? (10/12/2019)
- How Can I Follow the Savior with “Full Purpose of Heart?” (9/29/2019)
- How Are We “All Alike Unto God?” (9/24/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between the Family and the Church? (9/18/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus Christ? (8/22/2019)
- How Can I Recognize the Temptations of the Devil? (8/18/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Minister? (8/3/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Inclusiveness? (7/21/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Teaching the Gospel in Families? (7/16/2019)
- Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From? (7/15/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Fulfill” God’s Commandments? (7/6/2019)
- What Does It Mean to “Watch and Pray?” (6/28/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Family Prayer? (6/27/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Forgiving Others? (4/27/2019)
- How Do I Know If I’m Worthy to Take the Sacrament? (3/24/2019)
- What Can We Learn from the Differences Between the Sacrament Prayers? (3/23/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Sacrament? (3/20/2019)
- How Does the Savior Invite Us to Come Unto Him? (2/12/2019)
- If Ye Do Always Remember Me – 3 Nephi 28:7-10 (12/15/2018)
- Hold Up Your Light – 3 Nephi 18:22-25 (11/26/2018)
- I Am the Light Which Ye Shall Hold Up – 3 Nephi 18:24-25 (12/25/2017)
- Pray in Your Families – 3 Nephi 18:21 (11/13/2016)
- A Testimony unto the Father – 3 Nephi 18:5-7 (10/23/2016)
- Pray in Your Families – 3 Nephi 18:21 (5/11/2016)
- Pray in Your Families – 3 Nephi 18:21 (10/27/2015)
- If Ye Do Always Remember Me – 3 Nephi 18:7,11 (10/25/2015)