Why I partake of the sacrament

Each week I have the opportunity to partake bread and water to remind me of the sacrifice that Christ went through.  The bread is a reminder of his body, that was broken and the water is a reminder of his blood that was shed in the garden of gethsemane.   He sacrificed himself so that each of us, including myself, might again return to our heavenly father.  Without the atonement, this blessing wouldn’t be possible. 

Each week as I partake the sacrament I am reminded of the covenants I’ve make and the blessing I’ve received.  We all promise to take upon us the name of Christ, to always remember him and to keep the commandments.  In exchange, the Lord promises us to have his spirit with us.  This blessing is important to me.  I know I need his spirit with me to get through the week.  I need the gift of the holy ghost to lead me and guide me.

Before Christ was crucified he showed the apostles how to bless the bread and wine, and partake of the sacrament.  When Christ came to the Americas, he also instituted the sacrament (3 Nephi 18:1-11) because he felt it was important for all to have these blessing.

This is because of the importance of the having his spirit with us.  None of us, including myself, are still clean from our baptism, and we all need a way to be continually cleansed or else we would be ineligible to enter the kingdom of God. 

Dallin H Oaks has said “Not one of you young men and not one of your leaders has lived without sin since his baptism. Without some provision for further cleansing after our baptism, each of us is lost to things spiritual. We cannot have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and at the final judgment we would be bound to be "cast off forever."

How grateful we are that the Lord has provided a process for each baptized member of His Church to be periodically cleansed from the soil of sin. The sacrament is an essential part of that process.

We are commanded to repent of our sins and to come to the Lord with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and partake of the sacrament in compliance with its covenants.

When we renew our baptismal covenants in this way, the Lord renews the cleansing effect of our baptism. In this way we are made clean and can always have His Spirit to be with us. The importance of this is evident in the Lord's commandment that we partake of the sacrament each week.”

I am grateful for the cleansing power of the sacrament, and the strength is gives me to keep going.  I’m grateful for a special time each week to think of the atonement and how much it has changed my life for the better.  I’m grateful for the power of the holy ghost to bring peace, understanding and love into my heart when I need them most.

Each week, attending the sacrament is my greatest purpose of attending church on Sundays.  It has strengthened me and helped me get through the week.  I am grateful the Lord saw fit to organize such an amazing ordnance that can be taken each week, and allow us to ponder and become better people.