Take, eat; this is in remembrance of my body which I give a ransom for you (Matt. 26:26, including footnote b).
When you want to remember something important, you might write yourself a note or tie a string on your finger. To remember someone who has been gone for a long time, you might look at his picture or read something he wrote. To remember a song or poem you’ve learned, you might sing or recite it often.
Jesus gave us the sacrament to help us remember the sacrifice He made for us in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. He suffered for our sins so that we could be forgiven if we repent. He gave His life and took it up again so that we could be resurrected and live again. The sacrament bread represents Jesus’ body, and the water represents His blood, which was shed for us.
When we take the sacrament, we renew the covenants made at baptism: We are willing to take His name upon us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we will always remember Him, and we will keep His commandments.
There are many ways we can reverently remember Jesus, especially while the sacrament is being passed. We can remember how He suffered for our sins and how He died and was resurrected. We can remember His life and teachings and think about how we can become more like Him. We can remember the things we have done wrong, repent, and ask for forgiveness. We can remember the many blessings He has given us. Jesus said, “And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you” (3 Ne. 18:11). The sacrament is a great blessing in our lives.
To help you remember Jesus during the sacrament, make this picture wheel. Cut out the two circles, and put the one with the wedge cut out of it on top of the one with the pictures. Fasten the two circles in the center with a brass fastener. During the sacrament, look at each picture and think about what it represents.
Sharing Time Ideas
Divide children into groups and have them list stories of Jesus that they could think about during the sacrament. Draw pictures of favorites.
Ask two children to read the sacrament prayers. (See Moro. 4:3, Moro 5:2.) Make a fill-in-the-blank handout listing the promises we make at baptism and the promises the Lord makes to us. (See CTR B manual, lesson 32.)
Show video Bible Stories for Children, volume 3, chapters 39–41, VHS VVVH2765. Discuss the purpose of the sacrament, what a sacrifice is, and what Heavenly Father and Jesus sacrificed for us.
Tell the story “A Great Blessing Comes with the Sacrament” (Merrie Miss/Blazer B/Course 11 manual, page 162). Have younger children pantomime proper ways to behave during the sacrament.
Sing songs about the sacrament as listed in the “Topics” section of the Children’ Songbook.