Meaning of LDS communion

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I know the LDS serve communion during their Sunday sacrament meeting. What does communion mean to the LDS? What does the bread and water signify? If they believe Jesus Christ to merely be a man who was exalted as all men are capable of then why communion?

Even in many Protestant churches the bread & wine (grape juice) signify the body & blood of Christ as they partake of it in a symbolic manner, but if Jesus Christ was just a man exalted, why his body & blood?
 
The Image of bread and wine is a common symbol or image for christians across the globe to represent the body and blood of Christ, same as how the fish symbol at one point was a common sign of christianity, and how some christian demoninations only use a cross, or methodists use a cross and a fire flame i guess representing the Holy Spirit. And then Catholics have the Crucifix to signify they are Catholic.

So the image and symbolism is just that across the board.

Where things differ in regards to bread and wine becoming the Authentic Body and Blood of Christ is very limited to the Catholic Church, and what the Catholic Church will consider to be on good terms with the Church and allow Catholics to recieve communion in those institutions when a Catholic Church is not near by.

So while other religious institutions that have broken off from the Catholic Church and are no longer in good standing with the Church, like Protestants… Their bread and wine is just that, nothing more than symbolism which is bread and wine.

So just because one goes out , gets a theology degree, puts on religious garments, buys some property and gets established as some kind of religious institution, and just because they have some form of communion, doesn’t make it real.

Like medicine, if you will, or scientific studies, where one group is given real medication to test the pros n cons of said medication, and the other is given a placebo. The ones given the placebo dont know they have been given one, and may or may not exhibit haven been given the real thing, while the group with the real medication, will display real pro or con symptoms and etc etc.
 
Mormons take the bread “in remembrance” of the body of Jesus and the water “in remembrance” of the blood of Jesus which was shed for them. The purpose of the sacrament is to witness to God that you will strive to remember Jesus and to endeavor to keep His commandments. And by doing so, you will have His Spirit with you. Mormons often refer to this as a weekly renewal of their covenants with God.
 
76 And the elder or priest shall administer it; and after this manner shall he administer it—he shall kneel with the church and call upon the Father in solemn prayer, saying:

77 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

78 The manner of administering the wine—he shall take the cup also, and say:

79 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.
 
But they normally use water and not wine. They also say it doesn’t really matter what you eat or drink. I’ve seen bread, crackers, bagels, donuts and cinnamon rolls before.
 
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Lemuel said:
But they normally use water and not wine. They also say it doesn’t really matter what you eat or drink. I’ve seen bread, crackers, bagels, donuts and cinnamon rolls before.
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What?! I never belonged to a cinnamon roll ward.

One Sunday, apparently the person in charge of bringing the loaf of Wonder Bread, didn’t. So my dad, who was the Bishop at the time, made an emergency run to the grocery store to buy a loaf of bread. If anyone showed up with cinnamon rolls, that would have had my dad making an emergency run for a loaf of bread,
 
Horton said:
If they believe Jesus Christ to merely be a man who was exalted as all men are capable of then why communion?
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For one things, it’s a commandment to do so. Luke 22:19 states “this do in remembrance of me”. A believer shouldn’t wait for every last theological loose end to be resolved before keeping a commandment. When a doctrine isn’t fully understood the faithful will keep the corresponding commandment anyway.

Christ was given a divine role to take upon Him our sins. He bought us with His sacrifice. Without his atonement we could not return to the presence of God our Father. I hope this helps…
 
RebeccaJ said:
One Sunday, apparently the person in charge of bringing the loaf of Wonder Bread, didn’t. So my dad, who was the Bishop at the time, made an emergency run to the grocery store to buy a loaf of bread. If anyone showed up with cinnamon rolls, that would have had my dad making an emergency run for a loaf of bread,
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When my dad was Bishop he would have used Oreo cookies in a bind.
 
May I ask how your fellow believers reacted to this? While technically a Catholic priest could consecrate a loaf of bread this would inspire intense outrage alongside charges of blasphemy and desecration.

Do Mormons not find it demeaning to have Jesus represented by an Oreo cookie?
 
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Verdanty said:
May I ask how your fellow believers reacted to this? While technically a Catholic priest could consecrate a loaf of bread this would inspire intense outrage alongside charges of blasphemy and desecration.

Do Mormons not find it demeaning to have Jesus represented by an Oreo cookie?
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Not really. Here’s what their scripture says on the subject.

2 For, behold, I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins.
 
Thank you, and I apologize for not checking your religion tab.

I rather like the idea with the imagery there, that the intent matters more than the material used for reverence. Part of me can’t help but see using a cookie as somewhat comical, but I can likely ascribe that to be merely expectation from previous experience.
 
Verdanty said:
Thank you, and I apologize for not checking your religion tab.

I rather like the idea with the imagery there, that the intent matters more than the material used for reverence. Part of me can’t help but see using a cookie as somewhat comical, but I can likely ascribe that to be merely expectation from previous experience.
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My mom, who is old school ultra conservative Mormon, would not be on board with Oreos, or Cinnamon Rolls. She would view it as irreverent and inappropriate.

A loaf of bread is the norm for Mormons. Sixteen year old boys break the bread into small pieces with their hands and 12 year old boys serve the bread to the congregation. Breaking cinnamon rolls or Oreos by hand into small pieces seems to me it has messy prep issues.
 
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In my 40 years as a Mormon I have never seen cookies, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, or anything like it. We do not make a mockery of the emblems of the sacrament. On the other hand, we do not believe the bread itself becomes holy. It is bread. It is people themselves who become holy by honoring the covenants they make when the partake.
 
Janderich said:
In my 40 years as a Mormon I have never seen cookies, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, or anything like it. We do not make a mockery of the emblems of the sacrament.
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That’s what I thought. But it’s been a long time since I was LDS and things have changed, significantly, and I don’t know all that has become acceptable that used to be unacceptable.
Janderich said:
On the other hand, we do not believe the bread itself becomes holy. It is bread. It is people themselves who become holy by honoring the covenants they make when the partake.
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I have to wonder if you are exaggerating.
 
Janderich said:
In my 40 years as a Mormon I have never seen cookies, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, or anything like it.
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It’s not uncommon in remote areas around the world. They just work with what they have. Been there, done that.
 
RebeccaJ said:
Do you carry a vial of blessed oil?
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LDS bookstores carry vials that hook to your key rings. It’s common for priesthood holders to carry them around. The contents are consecrated virgin olive oil.
 
Lemuel said:
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RebeccaJ:
Do you carry a vial of blessed oil?
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LDS bookstores carry vials that hook to your key rings. It’s common for priesthood holders to carry them around. The contents are consecrated virgin olive oil.
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Consecrated=holy?
 
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