A Great Sense Of Belonging (Part 2 of 8)

When I did turn fourteen and I was ordained a Teacher, I took on new responsibilities such as being assigned as a home teacher. My first companion was Brother Trusell. He was an educator and eventually became a very successful principal of West High School in Salt Lake City. We visited the families we were over and then we went to the ward and reported to the Elders Quorum Presidency in what was called an oral evaluation. Teachers also had the assignment to set up the Sacrament. We did this with two or three of us who were assigned by the Teachers Quorum Presidency. We spread out the white cloth over the Sacrament table and then set out thirteen bread trays and thirteen water trays. We usually had twelve Deacons passing the Sacrament and we prepared one more tray just in case they needed it. The water trays each had 60 small paper cups and it was a job to quickly place those cups in the trays and then fill each cup with water. We had a very small room with a sink behind the stand so that we could prepare the Sacrament. It was an awesome responsibility to prepare the bread and water, emblems that symbolized the body and blood of Christ.
Another responsibility I had as a Teacher was to be an usher during Sacrament Meeting. Our chapel had four internal entrances and we had a member of the Teachers Quorum at each one during Sacrament Meeting. When I was assigned to do this. I sat next to one of those doors. I closed the door and stood at it during each prayer and while the Sacrament was being passed. So most of the time I was able to sit down. I found it difficult not to fidget during the Sacrament. Dad explained to me that it was almost like doing guard duty in the army, and he showed me how to stand at attention. Being an usher wasn’t quite that formal, but it was hard for me, especially since my soaks itched. I soon found, however, that if I thought about Jesus, it helped me focus on the true meaning of my service in the Sacrament Meeting. “Surely,” I thought, “If Jesus could suffer and die for me, then I can easily stand here for twenty minutes while His Sacrament is being passed.”