2021
For Parents: Sacrament and Music
March 2021

“For Parents: Sacrament and Music,” Liahona, March 2021

For Parents

Sacrament and Music

Image
Jesus Christ instituting the sacrament among the people in the Americas

That Ye Do Always Remember Me, by Gary L. Kapp, may not be copied

Dear Parents,

Church magazines are made with you and your family in mind. This month, the magazines focus on themes such as the sacrament, inspiring music, the role of women in the Restoration, Easter, and preparation for general conference. See below for ideas on how you can make the most of this month’s issues to strengthen your family’s faith in Christ as well as your own faith.

Gospel Discussions

The Rise of the Church

Read Elder De Hoyos’s article on page 36 and discuss the blessings you receive by being a part of Christ’s Church, such as having living prophets, true doctrine, and priesthood ordinances.

The Importance of Music

Why is music special to the Lord? Listen to, sing, or play the new arrangement of the song “He Sent His Son” on page 34; then share your thoughts about the music or lyrics. For more about the importance and blessings of music, read the article on page 30.

The Role of Women in the Restoration

On page 25, read about how Emma Smith diligently safeguarded the Book of Mormon. How have women blessed the Church, and how do they continue to do so? You could also read President Ballard’s message on page 8, and thank the righteous women in your life with a written letter or kind deed.

Making the Sacrament Special

Read the story of a family in Vietnam on page 18 and consider how your family could make the sacrament more special. Ideas might include listening to or singing hymns on the way to church, remembering scriptures describing Christ’s character while you think of Him during the sacrament, or pondering the words of the sacramental prayers.

You can also use page 6 to teach your children about the sacrament.

Come, Follow Me Support

See page 26 for a family-friendly object lesson, scripture chain, and other material to support your weekly Come, Follow Me study.

Family Study Fun

Beautiful Creations of God

Doctrine and Covenants 20:17–19

Read Doctrine and Covenants 20:17–19 about how God created “heaven and earth, and all things which are in them.”

  1. Take a moment to look out a window or go on a walk.

  2. Point out the creations of God that you see.

  3. Verse 18 tells us that God “created man, male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness, created he them.” We are some of God’s creations too! Take a moment to admire all the things your body can do. What are your talents?

  4. In verse 19 we are commanded to “love and serve him, the only living and true God.” How can you use your talents to serve Him?

Discussion: How can we worship God?

Before and After

Doctrine and Covenants 20:11, 21–29

In Doctrine and Covenants 20, we read how God inspired Joseph Smith to organize the Church of Jesus Christ on earth. Doctrine and Covenants 20:11 tells us that “God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old.”

  1. Display a picture of Christ.

  2. Split the family into a “before” group and an “after” group.

  3. The family members in each group will find words of a prophet who testified of Christ either before His life on earth or after.

  4. Take turns sharing what you each found. Others will guess if it belongs to the “before” or “after” group.

  5. After sharing, people in the “before” group will stand to the left of Christ’s picture. The “after” people will stand to the right.

  6. Explain that both groups are important.

Discussion: Read Doctrine and Covenants 20:21–29. How does this modern testimony of Christ help us feel closer to Him? What other testimonies of Christ can be found in sections 20–29 of the Doctrine and Covenants?