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“The Sacrament” by John Bytheway

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I love children’s books.  I kind of have an obsession with buying them.  It’s always very hard for me to go to a book store and not want to buy tons of children’s books.  When Shadow Mountain Publishing asked me to review this new Children’s book I was all for it! This short 32 page Children’s book written by the great John Bytheway, titled, The Sacrament, is a great reminder for children and adults how reverent we should be during the Sacrament.  I know there are many times when my mind wanders and I am not thinking of what I should be during church and especially during the sacrament.  It is about a little boy who visits his grandpa’s ward and how he and a lot of others in attendance are distracted.  Written in poetry form the grandfather helps his grandson understand what he should, or should not be, thinking about during the sacrament.

I actually read this book on the way to church the other day.  I can’t remember whether the kids were more reverent that day or not,  but I know going into the meeting we were more prepared to be reverent.  I am always a little preoccupied with the baby and the two year old, but I will tell you that my 8 and 10 year old have been excellent during sacrament meeting  and that the 6 year old is working at it 😉 
It’s interesting that this book came when it did because I have been thinking a lot lately about reverence during our Sunday meetings.  I have felt very strongly that we as a family need to work a little harder at this.  It’s not that we are not reverent, but we have a few things we can work on to be MORE reverent.  We are almost always late, we go out in the hall with the baby and talk with other people out there instead of listening, we don’t make it to our classes on time because we are socializing in the hall.  I know that we, both our children and us, could be way more reverent at church and I am grateful for this book as a little reminder.  We need to make our worship on Sundays more meaningful and spiritual.  We need to show our kids how to be reverent through our example. I love going to church each Sunday, and I know if I go with a more reverent spirit in my heart that I will be able to feel the spirit more and have a more enriched Sabbath day full of peace and reverence!
Check out this great book here.  It would be a great book to give to your kids for Easter!

Product DescriptionIt’s understandable that some children appear bored or distracted during sacrament meeting. Many young Latter-day Saints are probably unsure about the true meaning of the sacrament and why we attend. With this in mind, bestselling author John Bytheway has composed a delightful poem (inspired by a short poem by Walter H. Horne) to help Latter-day Saints young and old appreciate the ordinance of the sacrament. In particular, children will learn what they should be thinking about (and not be thinking about) during this sacred time as well as what the sacrament can do for all of us.
Beautifully illustrated by Nathan Pinnock, this thought-provoking story about a young boy and his grandpa is a gentle reminder about the importance of remembering the Lord Jesus Christ, especially during this special meeting meant for Him. 

About the AuthorsJohn Bytheway is an instructor at the Brigham Young University Salt Lake Center. He served his mission in the Philippines and earned a master’s degree in Religious Education at BYU. He has published dozens of books and audio programs and lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.
Nathan Pinnock studied at Utah State University, the University of Utah, and Atelier LeSueur in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration at Brigham Young University. Between years of school, Nate served a mission in Frankfurt, Germany. He illustrated books and magazines for fifteen years and now spreads his time between his illustration, sculpture, fine art, and teaching. He is a creator. His paintings and books can be found in galleries, businesses, and homes across America. Nate lives in Holladay with his wife, Alison, and kids.