FHE -- The Sacrament

Before I get to the FHE lesson I am going to share a few tips that I have used over the years to help with Sacrament meeting reverence, especially for younger kids, but we older kids can benefit from these too!  The first is pictured above.  This is a small photo book filled with pictures of the Savior.  I made this 20 years ago when my oldest daughter was about 6 months old.  I took it to church each week and during the Sacrament I would hold her on my lap and show her the pictures and tell her that they were of Jesus and what he was doing.  By about 12-18 months old she learned to recognize his picture and eventually to think of the Savior during this sacred ordinance.  I continued to use the book with each young baby and child and actually kept it in my church bag for years after they were toddlers. Every once in a while after the Sacrament prayer has been said one of the kids, now teenagers, will still ask if I have the book in my bag.  I have saved it for my future grandkids, but maybe I should put it back in my bag. :)               

The next tip... COOKIES! 
 
Recipes for the above cookies from my blog.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with secret ingredients: here
Dutch Butter Cookies (with cherries): here

   What do cookies have to do with reverence?  Here's how: Each child started Sacrament meeting with a promise of 4 cookies after church.  (We really like to bake them on Sunday afternoons, but sometimes we used prepackaged, like Oreos.)
   If at anytime during the meeting a child, or children, were goofing off or being irreverent I would look over at them and show them a finger count.  They started with 4 cookies, so the first offense they would be shown 3 fingers.  That meant they now had the potential for only 3 cookies after church, they had lost 1.  Only a few times did anyone lose all 4 cookies.  Usually most of them lost one each week, but after a while I had many weeks where everyone kept all 4 cookies.  I had to explain several times what I was doing when curious ward members would ask why I was showing my kids finger counts! Haha!  They were always impressed with how quickly a slouching child sat up and folded their arms when I showed them 3 fingers, or 2.  I used this method for about 12 years.  I only stopped it about 2 years ago because the kids were all old enough to sit through the whole meeting without any redirection.  We still occasionally show each other finger counts as an inside joke!  I have thought about bringing this tradition back just because it is such a fun memory for the kids. 


Okay!  Now the FHE lesson for tonight.


FHE -- The Sacrament

OPENING SONG: The Wiseman and the Foolish Man Children's Hymnbook #181

OPENING PRAYER: (to be assigned)

SCRIPTURE: 3 Nephi 18: 1-13
And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him. 
2And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth. 
3And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat. 
4And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude. 
5And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church , unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name. 
6And this shall ye always observe to do , even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you. 
7And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body , which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you. 
8And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it. 
9And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled. 
10And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you. 
11And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood , which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you. 
12And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock . 
13But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall , and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them. 
14Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you.

LESSON:
The Last Supper, LDS Bible video.  This is a powerful 6 minute video!  Have tissues ready. :)

How did you feel while watching this video?
Who did the Savior pass a cracker to and why did he tell him to "do what he was to do" quickly?
How do you think the apostles felt as they left the upper room?
How do you feel when you partake of the Sacrament each Sunday?
Does watching this video give you a greater appreciation for the Sacrament and what it represents?
The Savior died for all of us.  The Atonement has to be applied individually though.  Would the Savior have died for just you? or just me?

STORY:
The Last Sacrament Cup
(here is the original blog for this story.)
 Our five children ping-ponged between our laps, shuffled around for seats, as my husband and I pulled out books and crayons to settle our noisy crew for sacrament meeting.
It was just before the New Year and we were visiting a ward in St. George, Utah. A ward that had no primary or youth program because it was composed mostly of retired couples. No twelve-year-old Deacons bumped elbows on the front row; it was the High Priests who were preparing to bless and pass the sacrament.
Normally, the ward would have gently filled the padded seats of the chapel, but on this holiday weekend, the overflow divider was pushed wide and we, with a number of other families, were nestled onto metal folding chairs that stretched to the back of the gym.
The meeting progressed as usual and I watched as a dozen older gentlemen carried trays of bread, then water, through the bursting rows. They were making great effort to manage the unusually large crowd. Their faces were kind. Some had rounded shoulders and bent spines. They whispered directions to each other. One wore cowboy boots. One winked at the little girl in front of us.
My daughters and I took the last cups of water on our tray and handed it to my husband, Doug, who passed the empty tray to the brother standing at the end of our row.
The Bishop stood at the pulpit to assess the situation. When he asked who had not received the water, a few pockets of people, including Doug, raised their hands. So the brethren returned to the sacrament table, offered a second prayer on new water and delivered it to the waiting members.
Our row was last to receive the water this time and I noticed that Doug offered the couple next to him the two remaining cups. The tray was empty and it appeared to me that Doug was the only one who hadn’t had the water. I wondered what he would do. Would he let it go? Not worry about it this week?
But when the Bishop asked if anyone had not received the water, Doug raised his hand. He was, as I suspected, the only one. He looked at me and we smiled, conscious of the craned necks and curious eyes.
The brethren returned to the table for a third prayer on the water. And suddenly, as I heard that phrase, “to sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it…” (Doctrine & Covenants 20:79), a realization crept into my heart. An understanding so keen it pried me clear open and God’s spirit swept in. It was a reverence I hadn’t felt in too long.
They were praying over one cup. For one person. One soul.
The sacrament mattered. Even for one. Just as the Atonement mattered. For one.
For every one.
Hundreds of members waited for the Amen. Dozens watched as the last cup was delivered to my husband, and he put it to his lips, and drank.
I had to look away my eyes were so wet.
I looked up in time to see these sweet men in suits cover the trays with white linen. Just as Christ’s body, broken for us, was covered. Just as His Atonement covers us. All of us.

After this story would be a great time for each family member to share their testimony.

CLOSING SONG:  There Is a Green Hill Far Away  Hymnook #194

CLOSING PRAYER:  (to be assigned.)

REFRESHMENTS:  Oreo Marshmallow White Chocolate Popcorn
(or as Sarah likes to call it...Diabetes in a cup!)  :)
From the blog, located: here