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The Sacrament—and the Sacrifice
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ipray foryourfaith andprayers that my utteranceswill be received and understood “by theSpirit oftruth” and that myexpressionswill be given “by theSpirit oftruth” so that we mightall be “edified and rejoicetogether.” (See D&C 50:21–22.)
As I standheretoday—a wellman—words of gratitudeand acknowledgment ofdivine intervention are so very inadequate inexpressingthe feelings in mysoul.
Six months agoat theApril general conference, Iwas excused from speakingas Iwas convalescing from a serious operation.My lifehas been spared, and Inow have the pleasant opportunity of acknowledging the blessings,comfort, and readyaid of my Brethren in the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, and other wonderfulassociates andfriends towhom I owe so much andwho surrounded mydear wife,Ruby, and my familywith theirtime,attention, andprayers. For the inspireddoctors and thoughtful nurses Iexpress my deepest gratitude, and for the thoughtful letters and messages offaith andhope received frommanyplaces inthe world,manyexpressing, “You have been in ourprayers” or “We have beenasking ourHeavenly Father to spareyourlife.”Yourprayers andmine, thankfully, have beenanswered.
One unusual card caused me to ponder upon themajesty ofitall.Itis anoriginalpaintingbyArta Romney Ballif of theheavensat night withits myriadgoldenstars.Her caption,taken fromPsalms, reads:
“He healeth the broken inheart, and bindeth up their wounds.
“He telleth thenumber ofthe stars; he calleth themallby theirnames.
“…His understandingisinfinite.” (Ps. 147:1, 3–5.)
As I lay in the hospitalbed,I meditatedonall that had happened to me and studied the contemplativepaintingbyPresident Marion G. Romney’ssister and the lines fromPsalms: “He telleth thenumber ofthe stars; he calleth themallby theirnames.” Iwas then—andcontinue to be—awedby the goodness andmajesty of theCreator,who knows notonly thenames ofthe stars but knowsyourname and myname—each of usasHis sons and daughters.
“When I consider thyheavens, the work of thy fingers, themoon andthe stars, which thouhast ordained;
“Whatisman, that thouart mindful ofhim? …
“For thouhastmadehim alittle lower than theangels, andhast crownedhim withglory and honour.” (Ps. 8:3–5.)
To be rememberedis a wonderful thing.
Theevening of my health crisis, I knewsomething very serious had happened to me.Events happened so swiftly—thepain striking with suchintensity, mydearRuby phoning the doctor and our family, and Ion myknees leaningover the bathtub for support and somecomfort andhoped relief from thepain. Iwas pleading to myHeavenly Father to sparemy life a while longer to give me alittlemoretime to doHis work, ifitwasHiswill.
Whilestillpraying, I began to lose consciousness. Thesiren of the paramedic truckwas thelast that I remembered before unconsciousnessovertook me, which wouldlast for thenext severaldays.
The terriblepain and commotion of people ceased. Iwasnow in acalm,peaceful setting;allwas serene and quiet. Iwas conscious oftwo persons in thedistanceon a hillside,one standingon a higherlevel than the other. Detailed features were not discernible. The personon the higherlevelwas pointing tosomething I could not see.
I heard no voices butwas conscious ofbeing in a holy presenceand atmosphere. During the hours anddays that followed, therewas impressedagainand again upon my mind theeternalmission and exalted position of the Son ofMan. I witness toyou that Heis Jesus the Christ, the Son ofGod,Savior toall, Redeemer ofallmankind, Bestower ofinfinitelove, mercy, and forgiveness, theLight andLife ofthe world. I knew thistruth before—I hadnever doubtednor wondered. Butnow I knew, because of the impressions of theSpirit upon myheart andsoul, these divinetruths in amost unusual way.
Iwas shown a panoramicview ofHisearthly ministry:His baptism,His teaching,His healing the sick andlame, the mocktrial,His crucifixion,His resurrectionand ascension. There followed scenes ofHisearthly ministry to my mind inimpressive detail, confirming scriptural eyewitness accounts. Iwasbeing taught, and theeyes of my understanding were openedby the HolySpirit ofGod soas to beholdmany things.
The first scenewas of theSavior andHis Apostles in the upper chamberon theeve ofHis betrayal. Following the Passover supper, He instructed and prepared the sacrament of theLord’s Supper forHisdearestfriendsas a remembrance ofHis coming sacrifice.Itwas soimpressively portrayed to me—theoverwhelminglove of theSavior for each. I witnessedHis thoughtfulconcern for significant details—thewashing of the dusty feet of each Apostle,His breaking and blessing of the loaf of dark bread and blessing of thewine, thenHis dreadful disclosure thatone would betrayHim.
He explainedJudas’s departure and told the others of theevents soon totake place.
Then followed theSavior’s solemn discourse when He said to theEleven: “These things I have spoken untoyou, that in me ye might havepeace. Inthe world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I haveovercomethe world.” (John 16:33.)
OurSaviorprayed toHis Fatherand acknowledgedthe Fatherasthe source ofHisauthority andpower—even tothe extending ofeternallife toallwho are worthy.
Heprayed, “And thisislifeeternal, that they might know thee theonlytrueGod, and Jesus Christ,whom thouhast sent.”
Jesus then reverently added:
“I have glorified theeon theearth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
“Andnow, O Father, glorify thou mewith thine own selfwith theglory which I hadwith thee beforethe worldwas.” (John17:3–5.)
He pled notonly for the disciples calledout fromthe worldwho had beentrue to their testimony ofHim, “but for them also which shallbelieveon me through theirword.” (John17:20.)
When they had sung a hymn, Jesus and theEleven wentout to the Mount of Olives. There, in thegarden, in somemannerbeyond our comprehension, theSavior took uponHimself the burden of thesins ofmankind from Adam to the end ofthe world.His agony in thegarden,Luke tells us,was so intense “his sweatwasas … greatdrops ofbloodfalling … to the ground.” (Luke 22:44.) He suffered an agonyand a burdenthe like of which nohuman person would be able to bear. In that hour of anguish ourSaviorovercameallthe power of Satan.
The glorifiedLord revealed toJoseph Smith this admonition toallmankind:
“Therefore Icommandyou to repent …
“For … I,God, … suffered … forall, that they might not suffer if they would repent; …
“Which suffering caused myself,evenGod,the greatest ofall, to tremble because ofpain, and to bleedatevery pore, …
“Wherefore, Icommandyouagain to repent, lest I humbleyou with my almightypower; and thatyou confessyoursins, lestyou suffer these punishments.” (D&C 19:15–16, 18,20.)
During thosedays of unconsciousness Iwas given,by thegift andpower of the HolyGhost, amore perfect knowledge ofHismission. Iwas also given amore complete understanding of whatit means to exercise, inHisname, theauthority to unlock the mysteries of the kingdom ofheaven for the salvation ofallwho arefaithful. Mysoulwas taughtover andoveragain theevents of the betrayal, the mocktrial, the scourging of the flesh ofevenone of theGodhead. I witnessedHis struggling up the hill inHis weakened condition carrying thecross andHisbeing stretched uponitasit layon the ground, that the crude spikes could be driven with a mallet intoHis hands and wrists and feet to secureHisbodyasit hungon thecross for public display.
Crucifixion—the horrible andpainfuldeath which He suffered—was chosen from thebeginning.By that excruciatingdeath, He descended belowall things,asis recorded, that throughHis resurrection He wouldascend aboveall things. (See D&C 88:6.)
Jesus Christ died in the literalsense in which wewillall die.Hisbody lay in the tomb. The immortalspirit of Jesus, chosenas theSavior ofmankind, went to those myriads ofspiritswho had departed mortallife with varying degrees of righteousness toGod’slaws. He taught them the “glorious tidings of redemption from the bondage ofdeath, and of possible salvation, … [whichwas] part of [our]Savior’s foreappointed and unique service to thehuman family.” (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ,Salt Lake City: DeseretBook Co., 1977, p. 671.)
I cannotbegin to convey toyou thedeep impact that these scenes have confirmed upon mysoul. Isense theireternal meaning andrealize that “nothing in the entire plan of salvation compares inany way in importancewith thatmost transcendent ofallevents, theatoning sacrifice of ourLord.Itisthe most importantsingle thing thathasever occurred in the entirehistory of created things;itis therock foundation upon which the gospeland all other thingsrest,”ashas been declared. (Bruce R. McConkie, MormonDoctrine,Salt Lake City:Bookcraft, 1966, p. 60.)
Father Lehi taughthis son Jacob and ustoday:
“Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for heis full ofgrace andtruth.
“Behold, he offerethhimself a sacrifice forsin, toanswer theends of the law, untoall thosewho have a brokenheartand a contritespirit; and unto none else can theends of the law beanswered.
“Wherefore, how great the importance tomake these things known unto the inhabitants of theearth, that theymay know that thereis no flesh that can dwell in the presence ofGod, saveit be through the merits, and mercy, andgrace of the Holy Messiah,who layeth downhislife according to the flesh, andtakethitagainbythe power of theSpirit, that hemay bring to pass the resurrection of the dead,being the first that shouldrise.
“Wherefore, heis the firstfruits untoGod, inasmuchas he shallmake intercession forall the children of men; and they thatbelieve inhim shall be saved.” (2Ne. 2:6–9.)
Ourmost valuable worship experience in the sacrament meetingis the sacred ordinance of the sacrament, forit provides the opportunity tofocus our minds andhearts upon theSavior andHis sacrifice.
The ApostlePaul warned the earlySaintsagainst eating this bread and drinking thiscup of theLord unworthily. (See 1 Cor.11:27–30.)
OurSaviorHimself instructed theNephites, “Whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh andblood unworthily [brings] damnation tohissoul.” (3Ne. 18:29.)
Worthy partakers of the sacrament are inharmonywith theLord and put themselves under covenant withHim toalways rememberHis sacrifice for thesins ofthe world, totake upon them thename of Christ and toalways rememberHim, and to keepHiscommandments. TheSavior covenants that wewho do so shall haveHisspirit to be with us and that, iffaithful to the end, wemay inheriteternallife.
OurLord revealed toJoseph Smith that “thereis nogift greater than thegift of salvation,” which plan includes the ordinance of the sacramentas a continuous reminder of theSavior’satoning sacrifice. He gave instructions that “itis expedient that the church meettogether often to partake of bread andwine in the remembrance of theLord Jesus.” (D&C 6:13; D&C20:75.)
Immortality comes to usallas a freegiftby thegrace ofGodalone, without works of righteousness.Eternallife, however,is the reward for obedience to thelaws and ordinances ofHis gospel.
I testify toall ofyou that ourHeavenly Fatherdoesanswer our righteous pleadings. The added knowledge whichhas come to mehasmade a greatimpact uponmy life. Thegift of the HolyGhostis a priceless possession and opens the door to ourongoing knowledge ofGod andeternaljoy. Of this I bear witness, in the holyname of Jesus Christ, amen.
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