This is the fifth of six posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. So far, I have written about what the Book of Mormon is, what it affirms, what it refutes, and what it fulfills. Today, I will write about what it clarifies. As I wrote yesterday, the Book of... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Why Are Some Prayers Fixed (the Sacrament Prayers, for Example) in Contrast to Our Normal Prayers?
We have significant latitude over the content of our prayers. For the most part, we can pray for the things we want to pray for, and our Heavenly Father wants us to share our genuine thoughts and feelings when we communicate with Him. However, the content of our prayers is constrained in some ways. A... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Differences Between the Sacrament Prayers?
Yesterday, I discussed the three-part structure of the sacrament prayers. Both prayers consist of a petition, a statement of purpose, and a list of promises. Today, I'd like to consider the differences between the prayers. Here is a side-by-side view of the two prayers with the differences highlighted: The Blessing on the Bread The Blessing... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Sacrament Prayers?
Moroni, the last prophet in the Book of Mormon, specified the words of the sacrament prayers (Moroni 4, Moroni 5). We use the same prayers today, with two modifications: The word "hath" has been replaced by the modern word "has" in the first prayer (as it appears in D&C 20:77). The word "wine" is replaced by... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Eat and Drink the Bread and Water to Our Souls?
When Jesus visited the American continent following His death and resurrection, He introduced the sacrament. Breaking and blessing bread, He told the people to eat in remembrance of His body. Passing a cup of wine, He told them to drink in remembrance of His blood. After the people ate the bread and drank the wine,... Continue Reading →
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,... Continue Reading →
Always Remember Him – Moroni 4:3, 5:2
3 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that... Continue Reading →
That They Do Always Remember Him – Moroni 5:2
2 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness... Continue Reading →
