Elder Ulisses Soares, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke at Tuesday’s BYU Devotional about taking the sacrament and remembering Christ.
Elder Soares began by outlining the cycle of prosperity and pride that has affected God’s children throughout human history. When people have remembered the Lord, Elder Soares said, they have prospered. When they forget Him, they fall into a cycle of pride and reject Him. Eventually, the cycle comes to periods of chastening and repentance.
Elder Soares used King Uzziah – one of the kings of ancient Judah – as an example of this cycle. At first, Uzziah was known as someone who always remembered the Lord. During his reign, the kingdom of Judah experienced the greatest period of prosperity and influence since the reign of King Solomon. Ultimately, pride in his military triumphs and wealth caused him to forget the Lord and he was struck with leprosy. Uzziah prospered in every way in his life while he remembered the Lord, but when he forgot Him, Uzziah experienced heartbreak, disappointment and sorrow for his sin.
Like Uzziah, Elder Soares said that many of us experience similar prosperity. As a chosen generation, we have been given many promises. However, we are living in challenging times that have confused many about what is really important in life.
Elder Soares asked, “How can a special generation like your generation, who has received so many promises, avoid the cycle of prosperity and pride?”
He shared that one significant answer comes from the weekly renewal of covenants through the sacrament. The sacrament helps us remember. Both sacrament prayers ask partakers to “always remember Him” and embody a pattern of remembrance present in the scriptures. In the scriptures, Saints are called to remember the Lord but also to remember their covenants with the Lord.
According to Elder Soares, truly remembering involves appropriate feelings and actions. In the Hebrew context, the word “remember” involves a knowledge that is accompanied by appropriate action. Doing is an essential part of remembering.
“The more we remember the Lord, the more power we will have to keep on the path doing what the Lord expects from us,” said Elder Soares. “The covenant of ‘always remember Him’ should influence and inspire us in every decision and action in our lives.”
Elder Soares shared that the Lord expands on what it means to “always remember Him” in Doctrine and Covenants section 59. In this revelation, the Lord teaches Saints to remember Him by keeping themselves unspotted from the world and by keeping their vows in righteousness.
Elder Soares concluded with his promise that “life has eternal and divine possibilities for those who ‘always remember Him.’”
Next Devotional: Carrie Roberts, Head Women's Golf Coach
Carrie Roberts, head coach of the BYU women's golf team, will deliver the next BYU Devotional on Tuesday, February 12, at 11:05 a.m. in the Marriott Center.
Her remarks will also be broadcast live on BYUtv, BYUtv.org, KBYU-TV 11, Classical 89 FM and BYUradio.
