Follow-up to training on Sabbath Observance in the Church

The following two emails were sent to bishops several days after conducting a mandatory Bishopric Training on June 16, 2015 on Sabbath Observance in the Church:

Bishops,

As you’ll remember, we discussed at length how to enhance the sacrament experience for members. We would like to expound on this more.

We feel there was a greater desire that came out of our last meeting to give even more emphasis to treating the sacrament as the sacred ordinance that it is. 

Thank you for wanting to…

1. Give emphasis to training Aaronic Priesthood leaders so the sacrament is prepared in a more timely fashion;

2. Have deacons (and other holders of the AP) assigned in advance to pass the sacrament so it’s a “serious duty" and not just for "whoever shows up on time”;

3. Use more adult Aaronic Priesthood holders.

As to this last item, please consider these recommendations:

1. Do not use full-time missionaries. It’s easy to call on them, but they get ample opportunity in their day-to-day service to use their priesthood. Please give this opportunity to adult AP holders (especially prospective elders), who may not get the opportunity to use their priesthood often.

2. You may want to consider delegating to the EQ president or HP group leader the authority to assign one prospective elder maybe one Sunday per month, or more often, to participate in the administration of the sacrament. Candidates should be cleared by the bishop in advance.

While we feel strongly the above could be a wonderful blessing for prospective elders, this should be tempered by what the Handbook says on page 173 of book 2 (20.4.1):

“Generally, teachers and priests in the Aaronic Priesthood should be invited to pass the sacrament before Melchizedek Priesthood holders are invited to do so. Where there are enough Aaronic Priesthood holders, Melchizedek Priesthood holders should not be invited to bless and pass the sacrament on a regular schedule.”

So, bishops, use your discretion in how to use the sacrament administration to bless prospective elders, especially if you have a limited number of AP holders.

Thank you for giving this your consideration,

The Stake Presidency

Brethren,

The training you received last Tuesday, was the same training we received as stake presidents in our CCM (Coordinating Council Meeting) conducted by Elder Stapleton, our Area Seventy.

We thought you might like to see some of the ideas that came from other stakes for enhancing both sacrament meeting and the sacrament ordinance itself.

We hope this is helpful.

1. Plan the sacrament meeting speaker topics a full year in advance. One ward planned the entire year of talks around the Atonement, selecting the many dimensions to the Atonement as a theme for each meeting.

2. Another ward also assigned talks six months in advance, and brought the assigned speakers together on a regular basis and taught them the expectations for sacrament meeting talks with intent of helping members consistently have a spiritual experience. Giving members more time to prepare helps them receive inspiration far in advance as they ponder and mentally prepare.

3. Some wards do not try to give every member an opportunity to speak, but assign those who are more adept at teaching. (I don’t personally subscribe to this, but found it interesting. That’s why there are pastors in other churches…they’re professionals.)

4. Bishoprics were trained on proper testimony bearing, especially at the beginning of the monthly Testimony Meeting. Focus: brief, concise, pure testimony of the Savior.

5. Make sure those disabled AP holders have an opportunity to participate in the administration of the sacrament (it’s appropriate to have another quorum members “shadow” them as they go about their assigned part).

6. Bishopric members regularly teach the ward about the sacrament, how to prepare before coming to meeting, and why this ordinance is so important. This is an excellent time to teach “sacrament etiquette” i.e. teach children to be reverent at home, no technology, how to experience the sacrament as a partaker, etc.

7. Bishopric members teach ward members the appropriate way to bear testimony.

8. The Bishop teaches what it means to partake worthily and what to do when feeling unworthy.

9. Be careful not to over program sacrament meeting so that it runs over time. Keep the emphasis on the ordinance.

10. Find a way to teach parents on how to counsel together and teach their children about the sacrament and sacrament meeting.