The word remember appears hundreds
of times in the scriptures. In ancient Israel, remember was used in many
instances to help the Lord’s people to remember what He had done for them in
times past. It was even more commonly used in the context of covenants the Lord
made with His people.
The children of Israel, like many
today, had a difficult time remembering the Lord and His commandments, and
because of their forgetfulness, they often suffered painful consequences. That
is one of the reasons the Lord used the word remember. For example, the
journey to Israel from Egypt began with a commandment to “remember this day, in
which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of
hand the Lord brought you out of this place” (Exodus 13:3).
The English word remember comes
from the Latin word memor and means “to be mindful of.” In this context,
the word remember means to have in mind or to be able to bring to one’s
mind an awareness of someone or something that one has been, known, or
experienced in the past. There is a strong correlation between the motion felt
and the resulting memory. In the Hebrew context, the word remember involves
a knowledge that is accompanied by appropriate action. Thus, doing is an
essential part of remembering.
The more we remember the Lord, the
more power we will have to say on the correct path, doing what He expects of
us. In this sense, when we partake of the sacrament, we witness unto God, the
Eternal Father, that we will remember the Savior in our minds and in our hearts
at all times and in all places. We promise that we will keep in our hearts
vivid emotions and feelings of gratitude for His sacrifice, his love, and His
gifts for us. We also promise that we will act upon these memories, feelings, and
emotions. (Ulisses Soares, “Always
Remember Him,” Liahona [April 2022])
Further Reading
""Remembrance" and the Eucharist: Does the use of
αναμνησις (“remembrance”) mean that the Eucharist itself is a "memorial
sacrifice"?," in “Do
This in Memory of Me”: A Biblical and Historical Analysis of Roman Catholic
Dogmatic Teachings Concerning the Eucharist and Sacrifice of the Mass,
pp. 55-70 (for those who want a PDF, drop me an email at
ScripturalMormonismATgmailDOTcom)
