Recently, I’ve been thinking about the power of one word from the sacrament prayers: amen. We can sometimes say this word casually, thinking of it as simply a way to end the prayer. But amen is so much more than a sign-off—it’s a beginning.
Amen Invites Us to Take Action
When we say amen, we commit that we are willing to: 1) take upon us the name of Christ, 2) always remember Him, and 3) keep His commandments. It prepares us to partake of the emblems of Christ’s body and recommit to keeping our covenants throughout the week.
Amen is the only word in the sacrament ordinance that the entire congregation speaks together. It is a verbal signal that we each agree to actively take part in the ordinance.
“Amen is a word that we speak so easily, hardly thinking about it, but it implies a firm commitment to do as we have promised to do,” the author Gerald Lund explains in his new book, To Always Have His Spirit. He also describes amen as a vow—what power might we draw into our lives if we thought about saying amen like an intentional promise?
The Definition of Amen
Of the definition of amen, Brother Lund writes:
“The word is found in both Hebrew (in the Old Testament), and Greek (in the New Testament). But the meaning is the same in both languages:
- Hebrew: ‘Verily, truly, so be it for me.’
- Greek: ‘Surely, truly, may it be fulfilled in me.’”
The Guide to the Scriptures puts these definitions into even simpler terms: “may it be so” or “so it is.” It clarifies that the word means “hearty or solemn acceptance and agreement” and points to the Old Testament significance of saying amen when taking an oath.
The Bible also uses Amen to describe the Savior: Revelation 3:14 refers to Christ as “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.”
To me, this could mean that when we say amen during the sacrament prayers, we are verbally taking Christ’s name upon us—acknowledging that He fulfills or seals the covenant. He makes possible the promise that we “may always have his Spirit to be with [us].”
It is also interesting to note that the word sacrament contains the word amen, perhaps implying the significance of a personal witness and Christ’s central role in the ordinance.
A Living Commitment
We experience the full power of saying amen when we align our actions with our covenants. “The spiritual power comes in the doing, not just the verbally committing,” Brother Lund suggests.
Divine strength comes from participating in the sacrament ordinance each week and fulfilling our spoken amen. This process allows us to more fully access Christ’s grace—and even experience miracles in our lives. As the Doctrine and Covenants teaches, “in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.”
No one is perfect, and thankfully, Christ helps us renew our commitments and try again. Keeping our covenants allows us to draw His power into our lives, have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, and experience deeper joy. President Russell M. Nelson testified:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ is filled with His power, which is available to every earnestly seeking daughter or son of God. … [When] we draw His power into our lives, both He and we will rejoice.”
To Always Have His Spirit
For more resources about improving your Sunday worship experience, check out the articles below:
▶ A simple way to stay focused on Jesus during the sacrament
▶ Christ’s last gift to His disciples was a form of meditation—one you can still do today
▶ 3 ways to help children feel sacrament meeting is for them—not just Mom and Dad
