We Talk of Christ

Taking His Name upon Me

By Jacob F. Frandsen

“There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ” (Mosiah 5:8).

A few weeks into my mission, I began to feel lonely and a bit homesick. I loved being a missionary, but the work was much harder than I had anticipated. I missed my friends, my family, and all the familiar things I’d left back home. During my personal study one morning, I sat quietly, turning my missionary name tag over and over in my hands, thinking about how I longed for familiarity. I wished I could just hear somebody call me by my first name.

As I looked at my name tag, I noticed that although my first name was absent from the tag, I saw my family name, the name of the Church, and the name of the Savior printed on it. Suddenly I recognized something that changed both my outlook and my attitude. I realized that as a missionary I wasn’t there to represent myself. Instead I was serving to represent my family back home and, most important, I was representing my Savior and His Church. I put the name tag on my shirt pocket, right over my heart. As I did so, I promised my Savior that I would more fully give Him a place in my heart and mind.

I didn’t miss hearing my first name after that morning. From then on I worked and served the best I could, proudly wearing my name tag every day. During the times I began to feel discouraged, I looked at my name tag, and it reminded me of my responsibility to follow Jesus Christ’s example.

I made an effort to take His name upon myself more fully and to become more like Him. As I did, I felt more love for my companions and those I served, my testimony was strengthened, and I found joy in missionary work. I began to forget myself and to focus on serving the Lord.

I’ve been home from my mission for several years now, but I still have the opportunity to take the Savior’s name upon myself. In fact, as members of the Church, all of us commit to take upon ourselves the name of Christ each Sabbath day when we take the sacrament. As we do so, we promise to represent our Savior the best we can and to strive to become more like Him. As King Benjamin taught: “I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ. … Whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ” (Mosiah 5:8–9). By taking His name upon us, we can each find more purpose and joy in our earthly missions.

Putting the Lord First

As we take the sacrament, we promise to take the Savior’s name upon us (see D&C 20:77). President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, explains: “That means we must see ourselves as His. We will put Him first in our lives. We will want what He wants rather than what we want or what the world teaches us to want” (“Be One,” Liahona, Sept. 2008, 5; Ensign, Sept. 2008, 7).

What does it mean to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ?

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles helps answer this question in his general conference talk “Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ” (Ensign, May 1985, 80).

1. As we take the sacrament, we can willingly renew the covenant we made at baptism—to remember the Lord and keep His commandments.

2. We can proclaim our belief in Him to others (see D&C 18:21).

3. We can serve Him by doing the work of His kingdom (see Hebrews 6:10).

Consider sharing your testimony of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, in family home evening, in testimony meeting, or with someone of another faith.

We welcome your personal gospel experiences relating to the Savior’s ministry and mission. Please limit submissions to 500 words, label them We Talk of Christ, and e-mail them to [e-mail].

The Savior instituted the sacrament with His Apostles. He broke bread and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:19–20).

In Remembrance of Me, by Walter Rane, courtesy of Church History Museum