It’s the center of every Latter-day Saint Sunday. Here’s what happens, what the prayers say, and why it’s water.
The sacrament is the Lord’s Supper, taken every Sunday by Latter-day Saints in remembrance of Jesus Christ. Priesthood holders bless bread and water using set prayers found in the Book of Mormon (Moroni 4–5) and the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 20:77, 79). By eating and drinking, members promise to take Christ’s name, always remember Him and keep His commandments; God promises “that they may always have his Spirit to be with them.” Water is used because the Lord said “it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink” (D&C 27:2).
The short answerThe Lord’s Supper, every Sunday
The sacrament is what many Christians call Communion or the Lord’s Supper. Every Sunday in sacrament meeting, priesthood holders bless bread and water, and the congregation takes them “in remembrance of the Lord Jesus” (D&C 20:75). It is the most important part of Latter-day Saint worship each week.
It comes straight from the Last Supper: “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:19–20).
The Book of MormonThe risen Christ gave it again
After His Resurrection, Jesus instituted the sacrament among the Nephites: “this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you” (3 Nephi 18:7; see also 18:11).
The Book of Mormon also preserves the exact prayers, which Latter-day Saint priests still say word for word today. The prayer on the bread asks God that those who eat “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 hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them” (Moroni 4:3; compare D&C 20:77). The prayer on the cup is in Moroni 5:2.
What it meansA covenant renewed every week
At baptism, Latter-day Saints covenant to take Christ’s name, remember Him and keep His commandments. The sacrament renews that covenant weekly. The promise in return is the greatest one we could ask for: “that they may always have his Spirit to be with them.” The Lord commanded, “thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (D&C 59:9).
It’s a symbol, not a change in substance. The bread and water are emblems of Christ’s body and blood, pointing back to His sacrifice the way ancient offerings pointed forward to it. An angel told Adam his sacrifices were “a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father” (Moses 5:7). Paul said, “as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).
Why water instead of wine?“It mattereth not”
In 1830 the Lord told Joseph Smith: “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” (D&C 27:2).
Early Latter-day Saints used wine, and the Church later settled on water, consistent with the Word of Wisdom. What matters is the remembrance, not the drink.
How it works on SundayWho blesses it, and who takes it
Priesthood holders, usually young men in the Aaronic Priesthood, prepare, bless and pass the sacrament. Priests kneel and read the prayers exactly; if a word is wrong, they repeat it. Deacons carry trays of bread and then water down the rows. Most congregations sing a sacrament hymn first, and the room is quiet while it is passed.
The sacrament is for Church members renewing their covenants, and members are taught to take it worthily. Paul warned, “let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread” (1 Corinthians 11:27–29), and the risen Christ said the same to the Nephites (3 Nephi 18:28–29). Visitors are welcome to attend sacrament meeting, and no one is stopped from taking it.
Check the premiseThe presuppositions baked into the question
Before this question can be answered fairly, the person asking has to justify a few assumptions packed inside it:
- That Latter-day Saints don’t take Communion. They take the sacrament, the Lord’s Supper, every week, more often than many churches.
- That using water is unbiblical. The Lord said “it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink” if it’s done in remembrance of Him (D&C 27:2).
- That the bread and water become Christ’s body and blood. They are emblems “in remembrance of the body of thy Son” and “the blood of thy Son” (Moroni 4:3; 5:2).
- That the sacrament is about Joseph Smith. Every word of the prayers is about the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (D&C 20:77, 79).
FAQQuick answers
What is the sacrament in the LDS Church?
The Lord’s Supper. Each Sunday, members take blessed bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ’s body and blood and renew their baptismal covenants.
Why do Latter-day Saints use water instead of wine?
The Lord revealed that “it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink” as long as it is done in remembrance of Him (D&C 27:2).
Who blesses the sacrament?
Priests in the Aaronic Priesthood kneel and say the prayers found in Moroni 4–5 and D&C 20. Deacons pass it to the congregation.
Can non-members take the sacrament?
The sacrament is for members renewing covenants, but visitors are welcome at sacrament meeting and no one is prevented from partaking.
What are the sacrament prayers?
Set prayers asking that those who partake remember Christ, take His name, keep His commandments, and “always have his Spirit to be with them” (D&C 20:77, 79).
What did Jesus do at the Last Supper?
He “took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26), then gave them the cup.
Did Jesus give the sacrament in the Book of Mormon?
Yes. The risen Christ gave bread to the Nephites and said, “this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you” (3 Nephi 18:7).
How should someone prepare to take the sacrament?
By honest self-examination and repentance: “let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).
SummaryKey takeaways
- The sacrament is the Lord’s Supper, taken every Sunday.
- Its prayers come from Moroni 4–5 and D&C 20:77, 79.
- Members renew their covenant to take Christ’s name and always remember Him.
- Water is used because “it mattereth not” what we drink (D&C 27:2).
Visit a sacrament meeting this Sunday; everyone is welcome. For quick, sourced answers, open Galatians18, and follow me on X at @TraviXai.
Sources
- King James Bible (churchofjesuschrist.org): Matthew 26:26–28 · Luke 22:19–20 · 1 Corinthians 11:23–29
- Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi 18:7–11 · 3 Nephi 18:28–29 · Moroni 4:3 · Moroni 5:2
- Doctrine and Covenants: D&C 20:75–79 · D&C 27:2 · D&C 59:9
- Pearl of Great Price: Moses 5:7
- Featured image and in-article graphic: original graphics by thebookofmormon.ai (painterly backgrounds; no photographs or likenesses of real people).
