Sacrament

“I am the bread of life”

Jesus Christ and disciples sitting at table

Jesus Christ introduced the sacrament to help us remember His atoning sacrifice. When we take the sacrament, we can renew the promises (or covenants) that we make with Him and be forgiven of our sins as we repent. ¹ In the Church today, we use bread and water as symbols to remember the body and blood of Jesus. These symbols are blessed and passed to the congregation by the authority of the priesthood.

If you’d like to study the sacrament more deeply, consider the suggestions below.

Why should we take the sacrament?

Jesus taught, “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” ² Just as we need bread and water to sustain our bodies, we need Jesus and the blessings He offers to sustain our spirits.

When we take the sacrament, the Savior promises that His Spirit will be with us. ³ He can help us grow in faith, knowledge, and righteousness. When we falter, we can repent and begin again.

Think about

Watch “Always Remember Him” and consider your experiences with taking the sacrament. You might write down or share with a family member at least one way that Jesus has helped you change and grow as you have received the sacrament.

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Activity idea

Watch this video about the sacrament and then talk about Jesus and the covenants we make with Him.

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If you want to learn more

Doctrine and Covenants 20:75–79
D. Todd Christofferson, “The Living Bread Which Came Down from Heaven,” general conference, Oct. 2017

We can prepare to take the sacrament

We can make our experiences with the sacrament more sacred and personal when we prepare our hearts and minds before the worship service. We can think about blessings we’ve recently experienced or struggles that we’ve worked to overcome. We can listen to sacred hymns or meditate. We can reflect on the beauty of nature and all that God has created. We can seek forgiveness as we reconcile with others, with God, and with ourselves.

Try this

Before you attend your next sacrament meeting, listen to or read the lyrics to a sacrament hymn such as “There Is a Green Hill Far Away” or “In Humility, Our Savior.” How does this help your worship experience?

If you want to learn more

Zoe Campbell, “I’m Supposed to Prepare for the Sacrament?,” Ensign, Aug. 2020

We don’t have to be perfect

We all sin and make mistakes. The Savior knows our weaknesses, and He doesn’t expect us to carry our burdens alone. In fact, it is only through Him that we can become perfect. As Elder Gerrit W. Gong has taught, Jesus’s atoning love is freely given and can “free us from self-imposed, incorrect, and unrealistic expectations of what perfection is” and “allows us to let go of fears that we are imperfect.” ⁴

We will always find hope in Jesus Christ as we worthily participate in the sacrament and try to become like Him. He has given this invitation to everyone, saying, “Ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me.” ⁵

Think about

Watch “Perfectionism: Will I Ever Be Good Enough?” Following the example of the young woman in this video, you might think about some qualities you love about yourself, or some ways that Jesus has helped you learn and grow.

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If you want to learn more

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” general conference, Oct. 2017
RM Jennings, “Perfection Is Our Potential, Not Our Present,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org