During the sacrament, we remember the Atonement of our Savior, witnessing that we willingly take the name of Christ upon us, that we will always remember Him, and that we will keep the commandments—thus renewing our baptismal covenants (see D&C 20:37; Mosiah 18:8–9; Moroni 6:1–4). We not only renew our commitment to the Lord, but we are reminded of His promise to us: if we do these things, we will always have His Spirit with us. The process of partaking is sacred and holy and should be done in utmost reverence. When partaking of the sacrament, we must be worthy. This implies that we have honored the Lord’s Atonement: we have repented of our sins, resolving them with the Lord and, when necessary, with our priesthood leaders. Let us not think, “I am just not generally feeling well about things, so I had better not partake of the sacrament.” The bishop is responsible for ensuring that only worthy Church members partake of the sacrament, so if there is a question in your mind, see the bishop (see 3 Nephi 18:28–29). Let us be cautious about refusing the Lord’s atoning sacrifice unless we are moved by godly sorrow to refrain, biding the time when repentance is complete or unless we have been so instructed by the bishop. Elder David B. Haight reminds us:
As we partake of the sacrament and reflect upon his sacrifice for each of us, we make a solemn commitment to keep the commandments he has given us; by so doing, we might always have his spirit to be with us. By partaking of the sacrament each Sunday, we receive the encouragement and strength to keep the commandments of God, to live uprightly, virtuously, and honestly. He himself summed those commandments up as follows: “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (Luke 10:27).
This is what every person who partakes of the sacrament is committed to do. Living God’s commandments obligates each of us to a life of goodness and to exclude from our lives hatred, enmity, immorality, selfishness, drunkenness, jealousy, and dishonesty… .
The sacrament is one ordinance that allows us to experience a personal relationship with God and enlarges our knowledge and understanding of him and his Only Begotten Son.
Our personal reward for compliance with the covenants and obligations in the ordinance of the sacrament is companionship of God’s Holy Spirit. This is the light that leads to eternal life. (A Light unto the World [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997], 176–77)
President George Albert Smith counsels the following in regard to worthiness in partaking of the sacrament:
The prayers of the sacrament should be considered carefully. How sacred, how profoundly sacred, are the thoughts expressed in the sacrament prayer. I admonish you, my brethren, that when we officiate in administering the sacrament … that we do so with the Spirit of the Lord. When we repeat these prayers, we should feel the sentiments expressed by the words that we speak. Then I say also to those who partake of the sacrament, we should consider seriously the covenants we make with our Father. Let us pay strict attention to those covenants, and let us see to it that we eat and drink worthily, for the blessings of our souls and for the increase of our spiritual strength. These blessings are for you, my brethren and sisters, who are of the household of faith. Let us appreciate them, and live worthy of them, that by our lives we may exemplify our belief. Let none of us be under condemnation by partaking of the sacrament unworthily, thereby being deprived of the companionship of the Spirit of our Father. (CR, April 1908, 37)