LDS Place

Bishoprics and branch presidencies have many responsibilities that can be delegated. But they cannot delegate responsibility for sacrament meetings. Generally, they preside and are thus responsible for both the spirit and the content of these meetings. My teaching on sacrament meetings will therefore be of particular interest to bishops and branch presidents and their counselors—as well as to members of the Church participating in these weekly services.

Doctrinal Foundation

Sacrament meeting is the one ward or branch meeting that we attend as a family—the basic unit of the Church. Families and members need to arrive well before sacrament meeting begins. We attend, as the Lord commanded, to receive the sacrament and renew our covenants.

(continue reading…)

We live in the perilous times prophesied by the Apostle Paul (see 2 Timothy 3:1). Those who try to walk the straight and narrow path see inviting detours on every hand. We can be distracted, degraded, downhearted, or depressed. How can we have the Spirit of the Lord to guide our choices and keep us on the path?

In modern revelation the Lord gave the answer in this commandment:

“And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

“For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High” (D&C 59:9–10).

(continue reading…)