What is the LDS perspective on sacrament, and is it necessary that one in good standing, receives it every Sunday? Is it a "closed-communion"? Are you to abstain from partaking in certain instances? I would love a little in-depth info on it. Thanks!
Isolde
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One of my most memorable days was the day I was baptized. I remember it each time I partake of the sacrament. I renew the covenants I made. If I have a feeling of being unrepentant I refrain from partaking. So if I have had an argument that has not been resolved, I should settle that before I go to sacrament. When someone stops to consider their worthiness, and repents the ordinance does not become a routine.
It is not a closed communion. Children and non-members may take the emblems. It just hasn't got the same meaning unless you are baptized.
Anonymous
Unless otherwise stated, LdS think of the Lord's Supper when we encounter the word sacrament. We have other ordinances similar to the different sacraments of other faiths, but generally don't call them sacraments.
Under normal circumstances LdS in good standing will partake of the sacrament every Sunday, although a list is not kept on who partakes and who does not. We view the sacrament as an opportunity to reaffirm our baptismal covenant and desire to follow Jesus.
In some circumstances, a bishop will ask an individual to abstain from partaking of the sacrament during the repentance process. This is because we are taught to partake unworthily is akin to mocking the Lord's Atonement. The bishop will either set up a timeline or give conditions which must be set before the individual may partake of the sacrament.
Also note that we miss an average of four Sacrament Meetings per year: 2 for General Conference, and 2 for Stake Conference.
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The sacrament represents the sacrifice that Christ made for us, naturally. The substances used are merely symbols and are not transubtantiated. If we partake of the sacrament worthily, our covenants that we made at baptism will be renewed, and we will have the Spirit of God "to be with us."
One is considered unworthy to partake of the sacrament when they fulfil both of the following:
1)They have been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and
2) When they have commited a sin that would need to be confessed to a priesthood leader.
These include:
Sexual Impropriety
Use of tobacco, alcohol, harmful drugs, etc..
There may be others, but these are all I've heard about.
I hope this answered your question. Let us know if you need any more information.
Love Yahoo!!! wannabe a princess
We do take the water and the bread in sacraments to remember the convents we did with the Lord when we baptized and the water is especially like more opportunities to repent from our sins. Water means purity and cleanness so we can be cleaned of our sins.
After breaking one of the standards of the gospel (it depends what happened) and you had an interview with the bishop, depending of how "big" the thing was, you could be asked to not take the water and the bread for a certain amount of time; it's kinda like a punishment... in that moment you have to do reflections of what you did wrong and try to fix it by repenting and try not doing it again
mormon_4_jesus
The Sacrament is supposed to be when you renew the covenants you made at baptism. You odn't have to fast or anything, but you do have to have good thoughts, and have repented of your sins, if any. The only people who absolutely cannot take sacrament are those who have been ex'd or disfellowshipped, as far as I know.