At the beginning of the meeting, recite together the Aaronic Priesthood’s guiding principle or the Young Ladies’ guiding principle. In addition to discussing matters of the college or class, you may also want to share your impressions and issues from General Conference. The following questions can start a conversation:
Did a particular theme or message particularly resonate with us?
Did we feel we should change something in our lives?
Is there anything we can do as a college or as a class to follow a piece of advice we received at General Conference?
At the end of the lesson, you might do the following:
Bear witness to the principles that were discussed.
Remind the young people what plans have been made today and what they have been asked to do.
Discuss the teaching
Led by an adult leader or youth; approximately 25-35 minutes
Prepare spiritually
In each communion meeting, we take of the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and renew our covenants with God. What you do often can also become a routine. However, the Lord’s Supper should be meaningful and spiritually enriching every time. When we read about how the Savior distributed the Lord’s Supper among the Nephites (see 3 Nephi 18:1-12), we can see through the Holy Spirit the spiritual power that rests in this holy action. When the Nephites had eaten of the bread and drunk of the wine, they were, as it says in Scripture, "filled" (see verse 4,5,8,9).
When have you experienced the Lord’s Supper "filling" you up? What can you do to make communion a meaningful experience for young people? In addition to 3 Nephi 18:1-12, you may also want to read about the "Lord’s Supper" in the Gospel topics ( topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org ) after.
If we take from the Lord’s Supper week after week, we grow closer to Jesus Christ
Learning together
Let the young people tell what they learned this week in studying 3 Nephi 17 to 19. To do this, you could write this question on the board: What would it have been like if I had been there when the Savior distributed the Lord’s Supper to the Nephites?? The youth could review 3 Nephi 18:1-12 and answer the question in writing. They can then read out their answer. The following suggestions might inspire young people to think about what each person can do personally to make the Lord’s Supper even more meaningful to them.
The young people have already heard the communion prayers many times. However, they can gain insight if you go over the prayers together again. Divide the youth into groups of two. Have each group read through Doctrine and Covenants 20:77,79 together. The two can then ask each other questions like this: What do the communion prayers say about the Savior? What do we promise, and what is promised to us? By what do we show that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ? Why it is important that His Spirit be with us always? How to manage? The youth can then list what they want to do to make communion a deeper experience each week.
The conference addresses under "Useful Resources" can also give young people ideas for making the Lord’s Supper a meaningful experience for them. The young people could go through a discourse and note what they would say from it to another in order to make him understand what the Lord’s Supper can do for him. The youth then read aloud what they wrote down. What have we identified that helps us better prepare for the weekly Lord’s Supper? You could also sing some communion songs together and talk about how they deepen our understanding of the Lord’s Supper.
To help young people become aware of how the Lord’s Supper brings us closer to Jesus Christ, you can ask them how they would explain to a friend or someone in the family why we take from the Lord’s Supper each week. It is precisely on this question that Elder Taniela B. Wakolo voiced. The youth can read through the section titled "Experience and Testimony" in his address "Saving Ordinances Bring Us Wonderful Light" ( Liahona , May 2018, page 40f.). How can Elder Wakolo’s address help us draw closer to Jesus Christ each time we take from the Lord’s Supper??
In order for the Lord’s Supper to have greater meaning for us, we must first understand what it is all about. In chapter 3 of the Proclaim My Gospel manual! Is discussed in the section "Baptism, Our First Covenant" (page 73f.) Explain what covenant we renew at the Lord’s Supper. The youth could read through this section and role play how they would explain this to a friend.
Acting with faith
Ask the youth to think about and write down what they want to do to put into action an impression or thought that came to them today. How does today’s lesson relate to the goals they set for themselves? Those who wish can tell the others about their thoughts and plans.
Useful resources
Jeffrey R. Holland, "Behold the Lamb of God," Liahona , May 2019, pp. 44ff.
D. Todd Christofferson, "The Living Bread that Came Down from Heaven," Liahona , November 2017, pages 36-39