3 Nephi 18

If you've ever wondered what formed the basis for the sacrament prayers, they come from words selected in this chapter that the Savior spoke to the Nephites as he instituted the sacrament among them. In the Old World, the sacrament was introduced to the 12 apostles. Here in the New World, the sacrament is introduced to the 12 who then have it passed to the 2500 people. This is a pivotal moment. For four thousand years, the sacrifice of a lamb without blemish was done looking forward to the atonement. Now, the sacrament replaces sacrifice and this ritual looks back to the atonement. The sacrament is also symbolic of the need for spiritual nourishment. Eating the bread and drinking the water is symbolic nourishment to our souls. The key is to be hungry for the nourishment. If we were invited to a dinner where the finest food would be offered, but came without any hunger for food or desire to eat, the quality of the meal would be lost on us. The sacrament is key for weekly spiritual growth, and when accompanied with prayer and efforts to live righteously, the promise of spiritual growth is a sure thing.

The other thing that sticks out in my mind with this chapter are the words, "For Satan desireth to have you." In the pre-mortal life, Satan sought to take as many of the spirits with him as he could. He was successful in taking a third of them. No small feat and it gives us an example of his abilities. Once those spirits were cast down to earth, they have never died or ceased to exist because they do not have a body. They have had thousands of years to perfect their skills, millions of souls on which to experiment and develop their ability to influence and control. Satan hates us and to think that Satan and the spirits who followed him are not trying every minute of every day to influence us away from the Savior and what is right is a dangerous assumption. That is why the Savior says, "Ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desires to sift you as wheat. Therefore you must pray always unto the Father in my name... " In the figurative sense, to sift means to examine carefully and remove that which is most important and useful. To sift wheat is to separate the wheat from the useless husks. Satan's greatest conquests come when he can separate a righteous person from the truth, from the church and from the Savior. And the way he separates is through sin.