Young Men, Teach about the Sacrament, Brother Beck Says
Contributed By Jason Swensen, Church News staff writer
Brother David L. Beck, Young Men general president, encourages all Aaronic Priesthood holders to help teach members about the importance of the sacrament and always remembering the Savior.
Article Highlights
- Brother Beck calls on all Aaronic Priesthood holders “to diligently teach and testify to as many people as possible about the sacrament.”
“The Lord expects the Aaronic Priesthood of this Church to rise up and to engage in this work in ways that have never been done before.” —Brother David L. Beck, Young Men general president
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OGDEN, UTAH
In his November 13 training at the Ogden Tabernacle, Brother David L. Beck, Young Men general president, taught an essential truism of priesthood service: “Procrastination paralyzes priesthood power.”
The interactive, 90-minute training November 13—which was broadcast to an audience of young men and their adult advisers from more than 80 stakes in northern Utah—doubled as a call to action.
Brother Beck declared that learning something of value is, in fact, of little value if it is not followed by action. He classified the evening’s training as “a roll up your sleeves and let’s get some work done” event. His message was anchored to a familiar priesthood “call to duty” scripture found in D&C 107:99:
“Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.”
The Lord’s work is hastening, he said, and it’s moving at an accelerated pace. “The Lord expects the Aaronic Priesthood of this Church to rise up and to engage in this work in ways that have never been done before.”
Brother Beck said the objective of the training session was to help prepare and motivate Aaronic Priesthood holders “to diligently teach and testify to as many people as possible about the sacrament.”
He asked his audience to write down the names of 30 people they could teach about the sacrament. Several young men were asked to come to the podium and discuss the names on their list. Most on the lists were names of friends and family members. Some were Church members. Others were not.
Young Men general president Brother David L. Beck asks a young man to share his experiences teaching others about the sacrament.
Brother Beck reminded the young men about the sacred priesthood pattern found in the Duty to God program: Learn, Act, and Share.
He also asked the young men to write down their own definition of diligence. Preach My Gospel teaches that diligence is a Christlike attribute. It’s defined as being steady, consistent, and energetic in doing the work of the Lord.
“Diligence is an expression of our love to the Lord,” he said. “When He gives us precious priesthood power, He is saying, ‘Learn your duty and act in all diligence.’”
Counted among an Aaronic Priesthood holder’s most sacred duties is to teach and invite all to come unto Christ.
“One of the best ways to do that is to teach and testify about the sacrament,” he said. “What a great invitation to ‘come unto Christ’—to help someone understand the importance of every week partaking of the sacrament.”
Many people who have been baptized are not remembering the Savior. It’s vital that they understand the importance of coming to Church each Sunday and partaking of the sacrament.
The Aaronic Priesthood is, of course, charged with administering the sacrament. Deacons, teachers, and priests should then be the ideal instructors of the importance of that sacred ordinance, he said.
The sacrament ordinance is of great importance to Christ. It represents His atoning sacrifice. The Lord taught that partaking of the sacrament allows His Spirit to be with us.
Brother Beck shared a Church-produced video about the sacrament that includes excerpts from a general conference talk delivered by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The video concludes with a direct question: “How will you always remember Him?”
Brother David L. Beck, Young Men general president, shared a Church-produced video about the sacrament that includes excerpts from a general conference talk delivered by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The video concludes with a direct question: “How will you always remember Him?”
All who teach and learn of the sacrament must answer that question, said Brother Beck. He invited several young people to come forward and practice asking and answering, “How will you always remember Him?”
Their wide responses were evidence of the depth of that sacred query.
In teaching the importance of sharing, Brother Beck asked several young men who had been selected earlier to teach others about the sacrament to share their experiences.
Some young men taught home teaching families. Others instructed youth classes. In each case, the Lord’s Spirit was present as folks were asked, “How will you always remember Him?”
