Lesson 17 Class Preparation Material

Belonging to the Lord’s Church

two men shaking hands

An essential part of Jesus Christ’s ministry among the Nephites and Lamanites was the organization of His Church. The Savior said that the Church should be called after His name and be built on His gospel (see 3 Nephi 27:7–9). As you prepare for class, ponder the blessings the Lord provides to those who participate in His Church. As you think about those blessings, consider what you can do to help make the Church a welcoming place for all of God’s children.

Section 1

What blessings can I receive only through the Lord’s Church?

During the Savior’s visit to the Nephites at the temple in Bountiful, He gave priesthood authority to His twelve disciples and authorized them to baptize, give the gift of the Holy Ghost, and lead His Church (see 3 Nephi 11:18–22; 12:1; 18:5, 37). The Savior also taught the Nephites that to enter God’s kingdom, we must repent, believe in Him, and receive the ordinances of salvation and exaltation that are offered only in His Church, such as baptism and confirmation (see 3 Nephi 11:32–41).

Christ with Three Nephite Disciples, by Gary L. Kapp

Discussing the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ in both ancient and modern times, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

The ancient purpose remains: that is, to preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and administer the ordinances of salvation—in other words, to bring people to Christ. (“Why the Church,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 108)

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Ponder in Preparation for Class

In what ways has participating in the Church helped you to come to Jesus Christ?

Section 2

How can partaking of the sacrament help me in my efforts to be more like Jesus Christ?

As the Savior concluded the first day of His ministry in the land Bountiful, He administered the sacrament to His twelve disciples and the people. He repeated this ordinance the next day after miraculously providing the bread and wine. (See 3 Nephi 18:1–9; 20:3–8.)

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Study in Preparation for Class

Study 3 Nephi 18:3–12 and 3 Nephi 20:8–9, and consider what Jesus taught about the sacred purposes of the sacrament.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how this ordinance allows us to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion:

Elder David A. Bednar

The ordinance of the sacrament is a holy and repeated invitation to repent sincerely and to be renewed spiritually. … As we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins. (“Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 61–62)

person taking the sacrament

Elder Christofferson taught that partaking of the sacrament can also help us focus on becoming more like the Savior:

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

The bread and water represent the flesh and blood of Him who is the Bread of Life and the Living Water [see John 4:10], poignantly reminding us of the price He paid to redeem us. …

… Figuratively eating His flesh and drinking His blood has a further meaning, and that is to internalize the qualities and character of Christ, putting off the natural man and becoming Saints “through the atonement of Christ the Lord” [Mosiah 3:19]. As we partake of the sacramental bread and water each week, we would do well to consider how fully and completely we must incorporate His character and the pattern of His sinless life into our life and being. …

Partaking of the Savior’s flesh and drinking His blood means to put out of our lives anything inconsistent with a Christlike character and to make His attributes our own. (“The Living Bread Which Came Down from Heaven,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 37, 39)

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Record Your Thoughts

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught, “The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church” (“Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 17). Consider writing down a few actions you could take to make the sacrament and sacrament meeting the most sacred part of your Sabbath-day worship.

Section 3

What can I do to help everyone feel there is a place for them in the Church of Jesus Christ?

After instituting the sacrament among the Nephites and Lamanites, Jesus taught the importance of making church meetings welcoming and inclusive.

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Study in Preparation for Class

Study 3 Nephi 18:22–25, and consider marking words or phrases that capture the Lord’s teachings about who we should include in His Church.

people greeting each other at church

Watch the video “Lifting Others” (2:49), or read the following transcript of it. In the video, Sister Carol F. McConkie, a former counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, shares what we can do to ensure all people feel welcome in the Lord’s Church.

Sister Carol F. McConkie

I know people who come to church every Sunday so that they can be inspired and uplifted and who just simply walk away feeling judged and unloved, unneeded. …

We need to be deeply aware of what the purpose of coming to church on Sunday is and make sure that everyone who comes feels loved, needed, accepted, and lifted.

Everybody has struggles that we don’t even know about, and it’s so important that we be aware that everyone around us is loved of God and that we need to see them through Christlike eyes. And we cannot allow judgment to dictate the way we interact with people. …

The gospel of Jesus Christ does not marginalize people. People marginalize people, and we have to fix that. We need to be sensitive and love them and allow them the opportunity to grow and to blossom and to be their best selves. They have talents and abilities and personality that is needed in the kingdom of God. And if we are going to build the kingdom of God on the earth, we need everyone to come. (“Lifting Others” [video], ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

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Ponder in Preparation for Class

What can I do to be more inviting and inclusive to help God’s children feel they have a place in the Lord’s Church?

Want More? (Optional)

What can I do to have a more spiritual experience when I partake of the sacrament?

In the video “Always Remember Him” (5:27), Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed what we can do to make the sacrament a more holy and personal experience (from the talk “This Do in Remembrance of Me,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 67–69). Elder Holland also taught about the sacred significance of the sacrament in the talk “Behold the Lamb of God” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 44–46).

What can I do if I don’t feel welcome at church or if I know someone who does not feel welcome?

In the video “To Love Them All” (3:22), Elder Patrick Kearon of the Presidency of the Seventy provided counsel for what we can do when we feel left out at church.

The article “We Can Do Better: Welcoming Others into the Fold” (Ensign, Sept. 2017, 38–43) provides several ideas for ways you can help people feel like they belong at church.

What does the Book of Mormon teach about race and ethnicity?

To learn more about the Book of Mormon’s unifying message on race and ethnicity, read 2 Nephi 26:23–28, 33; Alma 5:33–34; Alma 19:36; and 4 Nephi 1:2, 15–17. You could also read the article “He Denieth None That Come unto Him” (Oct. 13, 2014, history.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) by Brother Ahmad S. Corbitt, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, or watch the video “Till We All Come in the Unity of the Faith” (2:22).

Why is it important to use the correct name of the Lord’s Church?

To learn more about the importance of using the correct name of the Lord’s Church, study 3 Nephi 27:1–10 and read President Russell M. Nelson’s talk “The Correct Name of the Church” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 87–90).