Last Sunday, Linda P spoke on an article in the 2001 Ensign by Vaughn J. Featherstone titled Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament. Linda pointed out that the sacrament is for all of us to repent of our sins and to renew our covenants. We all come from different backgrounds, but we all need the sacrament.
Linda suggested that we should arrive early to church and maintain the reverence of the chapel. We should talk and fellowship each other in the foyer. The sacrament is the closet we can get to the atonement.
The Law of Sacrifice needs to be understood. There are 3 types of sacrifices: sin offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings. Sin offerings. Sacrifice started with Adam and Eve and sin offerings were needed for atonement before fellowship with Christ. Burnt offerings got it's name from the smoke of sacrifice ascending to heaven symbolizing our complete devotion to God. Peace offerings signify our peace with God and our further enjoyment of that peace.
When Christ visited the Nephities the Law of Sacrifice was fulfilled and replaced with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. 3 Ne 20:8 the Savior taught, "He that eateth this bread eateth of my body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled."
Linda ended by asking us to prepare spiritually for the partaking of the sacrament each week. We can read the scriptures, think of the past week and be in the correct mind to partake of the sacrament. The Atonement is the foundation of all things, including the sacrament. Our sacrifice is not a literal sacrifice of animals, but is a sacrifice of time, money, talents and a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
Dean D played a magnificent organ solo. We are so lucky that Dean is in our ward and that he shares his talent with us each week.
Kristin M spoke about their experience of adopting Gavin. She started out by pointing out lots of Disney stories that all have some adversary to overcome: Pinocchio, Aladdin, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast... Kristin had had the impression that someone was missing from their family. Nine years ago the Holy Ghost told her that she should approach Greg and tell him of her impressions. Greg wasn't sure, but went to the temple and then had to agree. They met with doctors and felt that was not the right way to go and realized that they should adopt again.
Kristin wanted a blessing, and she wanted an apostle to give her one. By interesting circumstances, she found herself in an elevator with Elder Maxwell and he told her that any righteous priesthood holder could give her a blessing. Kristin then wanted a particular bishop in Alpine to give her the blessing and she was going to be bold and brave enough to ask him, but the spirit told her to be still. That same Sunday morning the bishop called her parent's house looking for her father, who was in a meeting with the bishop at the church at that time, and she got her opportunity to ask him to give her a blessing and he said yes. She later learned that while in that meeting the spirit told him to call her parent's home, so he left the meeting and followed the prompting of the spirit.
Kristin told us that there is refuge in the temple and the scriptures. She gained faith and patience in the scriptures, reading about the stories of others who had to wait upon the Lord, stories of women who had had babies later in life. Kristin reminded us that the Savior will help our unbelief and make up the difference in our lives. She told us her story, but pointed out that the story is changeable to whatever our story is. Christ is there and wants to help each of us through our trials in this life.
Kristin said that all our of stories can end with a 'happily ever after.' Kristin has seen miracles, having Gavin sealed to them was one of them and she was grateful for the chance to express her gratitude to God for the many miracles in her life.
With much love,
Debbie
