Good Bye and Hello

As we end the summer sessions of school and begin the fall semester, we have many students moving out of the apartments and MANY moving in.  We probably have about 105 new members coming into our ward.  Which means there will be about 50 that are either coming back after being away all summer or who are staying.  I have really grown to love all of these kids.  It's amazing how that works.  As I see so many leave, I am sad and hate the thought of never hearing from them again.  Although I really hope that isn't the case, reality tells me that it will be the case with some.  As they leave I tell them to not forget us.  As I thought about this recently, I had an amazing and better understanding of Jesus Christ and how he has asked us to "always remember Him."  He called his disciples to meet with Him when He knew that His time on this mortal earth was about to come to an end.  He instituted the sacrament as an ordinance where we could physically do something that would help us to never forget the things He did for us, to help us remember his atoning sacrifice.

Matthew 26: 17 ¶Now the first day of the feast of ^aunleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the ^bpassover?

 18 And he said, Go into the city ^ato such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My ^btime is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the ^apassover.

 20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

26 ¶And as they were eating, Jesus took ^abread, ^band blessed it,and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my ^cbody.

 27 And he took the ^acup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ^bDrink ye all of it;

 28 ^aFor this is my ^bblood of the new ^ctestament, which is shed for many for the ^dremission of sins

Luke 22:19 ¶And he took ^abread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my ^bbody which is ^cgiven for you: this do in ^dremembrance of me.

 20 Likewise also the ^acup after supper, saying, This cup is the new ^btestament in my blood, which is shed for you.

1 Corinthians 11: 23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took ^abread:

 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in^aremembrance of me.

 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Jesus Christ gave His life for us!  He atoned for our sins and took on all our sorrows and pains so that we wouldn't have to bear them on our own.  The pain was so great that He bled from every pore.  What a great and incomprehensible sacrifice.  And so He asks from us is to "always remember Him."  Don't forget what He did for every living soul.  

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we partake of the sacrament every Sunday.  It is a sacred time where we renew our baptismal covenants and promise to not only remember what Jesus did for us but we promise to take His name upon us and to keep His commandments.

So next Sunday, when I sing the sacrament hymn and I listen to the sacrament prayers, I will remember Jesus Christ.  I will strive to take His name upon me and keep His commandments.  Is that really so much to ask?  Not after what He did for us.

To my dear friends in the 251st ward, I will also try to remember them and hope they will remember me.  And as they remember me, I hope they will ALWAYS REMEMBER that I have a testimony of Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice.  He loves each of us.  That is so evident by what He did for us.  We are members of His church.  What a great honor that is and what a great responsibility.  Good bye my dear friends.  Best of Luck and God be with you.  Hello my new friends.  I can't wait to get to know you!