{quote}
PRESIDING OFFICERS TO RECEIVE SACRAMENT FIRST

Rather should that young man carry the sacrament to the presiding officer, not to honor him,
but the office, as you honored our President tonight. That presiding officer may be the bishop
of the ward; if so, let the young man carry the sacrament first to the bishop. After that pass it
to one after the other who sit either on the left or the right of the presiding officer; not going
back to the first and second counselors and then to the superintendent. The lesson is taught
when the sacrament is passed to the presiding officer. The next Sunday, the president of the
stake may be there, who is then the highest ecclesiastical authority. Do you see what the
responsibility of the deacons and the priests is? There is a lesson in government taught every
day. It is their duty to know who is the presiding officer in that meeting that day. Next
Sunday there may be one of the General Authorities. Those young men will have in mind the
question, “Who is he today, and who is the presiding authority?”
{end quote}

“The Lord’s Sacrament”
President David O. McKay, Second Counselor in the First Presidency
David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1946, pp. 111-117
http://scriptures.byu.edu/gettalk.php?ID=236

That hardly proves “doctrine”. There is nothing scriptural to back up this claim.

One of the primary purposes of the sacrament (and any true ordinance, really) is to point us to Christ. It is even explicitly stated in the sacrament prayers that one purpose of the ordinance is to witness that we “do always remember him.” With that being said, the ordinance itself, as well as the “pattern” used for administering the ordinance, is an emblem, token, or type of Christ.

When Christ administered the sacrament, he first gave it to his disciples and they were commanded to give it unto the people. He instructed them, “Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name. And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.” (see 3 Ne. 18:1-12)

The pattern is really quite beautiful. The presiding official in a sacrament meeting represents Christ. The official is given power (or priesthood keys) over the administration of the sacrament. Those who bless the sacrament also represent Christ, as do those who pass the sacrament. In this manner, the covenants and promises of the Lord are extended to his church through his priesthood. Those who hold the priesthood act as both messengers of the covenant and as an example for the people of Christ’s church.

Finally, the members themselves represent Christ, and even covenant to take upon them his name. We when receive the emblems from the priesthood, we pass them row by row, one by one to each other, representing the way we all must serve one another and extend the covenants and promises to each other.

The sacrament teaches us in both word and deed that we must “take upon [us] the name of [the] Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he has given [us].”

I think there is a huge misunderstanding or misconception for many as to what “no respecter of persons” really means.

“After the prayer, deacons or other priesthood holders pass the bread to the congregation in a reverent and orderly manner. The presiding officer receives the sacrament first.”

https://www.lds.org/manual/duties-and-blessings-of-the-priesthood-basic-manual-for-priesthood-holders-part-b/priesthood-and-church-government/lesson-5-performing-priesthood-ordinances?lang=eng

It makes total sense. Gramps didn’t say it was God’s rule. Jesus gave the exact wording for the sacrament prayers and they need to be given verbatim. This certainly is a man-made solution to approve the priesthood to proceed with the administration of the sacrament. In fact, it’s not a rule at all. But it’s reasonable and it works.

Geez. The church has policies and procedures set up, and they have reasons for them. This in no way is showing that the presiding authority is “more” or “better” than the congregation present, and I honestly cannot see Heavenly Father having an issue with this. Have a good day!