Come, Follow Me
How can I help others have a meaningful experience as I administer sacred ordinances?

How can I help others have a meaningful experience as I administer sacred ordinances?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

As bearers of the Aaronic Priesthood, we have a sacred duty to help others access the atoning power of Jesus Christ. As we administer sacred ordinances such as baptism and the sacrament, we help those with repentant hearts receive a remission of sins. So as we prepare for and administer these ordinances, we should live worthily and do nothing that would distract from the sacredness of the ordinance. This is how we help others access the power of Jesus Christ in their lives.

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

Think about a meaningful experience you have had administering a priesthood ordinance. What made it meaningful for you? How can you help the young men have more meaningful experiences when they administer sacred ordinances?

What have you seen the young men in the quorum do when administering the sacrament or performing baptisms—for the living or dead—that invites a feeling of sacredness? Do the young men do anything that might distract others from the sacredness of these ordinances?

What can the young men do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

The Savior gave His disciples opportunities to ask questions and share insights, and He responded to their questions and listened to their experiences. How will you invite and respond to the young men’s questions regarding their role in administering the sacrament to others?

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

  • Our quorum: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?

  • Our duties: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?

  • Our lives: Remind the quorum of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a quorum presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the quorum; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help quorum members understand the doctrine.

  • Ask the young men what they would say to help a friend or a sibling understand why it is important to partake of the sacrament every week. As part of this discussion, read the section titled “Experience and Testimony” from Elder Taniela B. Wakolo’s message “Saving Ordinances Will Bring Us Marvelous Light.” How could they use Elder Wakolo’s example to help someone understand the importance of the sacrament?

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 38:42 and discuss how this verse could apply to us as we administer the sacrament or perform a baptism. What are the consequences for us if we administer an ordinance unworthily? (see Doctrine and Covenants 121:36–37). How can our personal worthiness affect the experience others have as we administer ordinances, such as baptism and the sacrament?

  • Invite someone who was recently baptized to visit the quorum and share his or her feelings about this sacred ordinance. How has it blessed his or her life? Or invite someone (possibly a quorum member) who has performed a baptism to share his experience—including baptisms for the dead in the temple. What advice would he give to someone who is invited to perform a baptism? For example, how would he suggest that a person prepare spiritually for this ordinance?

  • Assign half of the quorum to read 3 Nephi 18:1–11 and the other half to read selected portions of Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s message “The Living Bread Which Came Down from Heaven.” Ask them to look for something in these resources that makes them feel more reverence toward the sacrament. Let them share what they found, and discuss how the young men’s attitude toward the sacrament can affect the spiritual experience they and the rest of the congregation have with this ordinance. Encourage the young men to follow the example of the pioneer Saints and write the phrase Holiness to the Lord on a small card. Ask them to put the card where it will remind them throughout the week to keep their focus on the Savior as they prepare to administer the sacrament.

  • As a quorum, read sections III and V from President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament.” Make two columns on the board labeled remember and distract, and ask the young men to identify things President Oaks mentions that either help us remember the Savior or distract us from Him. They could add their own ideas. How can we apply President Oaks’s counsel to our duty to administer the sacrament? As they share their ideas, invite the young men to make a goal to improve upon at least one of these ideas as they prepare for the sacrament this week.

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

  • Ask the young men to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a quorum to apply what they have learned?

  • Give the young men a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.

  • Remind the young men that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.

Related Youth Activities

Plan a Mutual activity that will help the young men apply what they learned in this lesson.