Finding the True Meaning of Christmas - Part 2

“Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay, Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.”

“He gave us the gift of a Savior, His perfect Son, the Lamb without blemish. Those are gifts to us that we can offer to others for Him. There was a song in a film years ago with the line “Have yourself a merry little Christmas.”  Well, you can give a great and wonderful Christmas if you remember the gifts God has given you and, as best you can, offer them to others as He would. That is the spirit of Christmas and of true happiness every day.” President Eyring

 “The wise men did come later bearing gifts; it is highly unlikely that they arrived on the night of the babe’s birth. Indeed, Matthew records that when they came Jesus was “a young child,” and the family was living in “a house.” (Matt. 2:11.) Perhaps this provides an important distinction we should remember in our own holiday season. Maybe the purchasing and the making and the wrapping and the decorating—those delightfully generous and important expressions of our love at Christmas—should be separated, if only slightly, from the more quiet, personal moments when we consider the meaning of the Baby (and his birth) who prompts the giving of such gifts.”  Elder Holland

“When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the Spirit of Christ, for the Christmas spirit is the Christ Spirit. It will block out all the distractions around us which can diminish Christmas and swallow up its true meaning. There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus Christ.” President Monson

 “The Christmas season is wonderful in many ways. It is a season of charitable acts of kindness and brotherly love. It is a season of being more reflective about our own lives and about the many blessings that are ours. It is a season of forgiving and being forgiven. It is a season to enjoy the music and lights, parties and presents. But the glitter of the season should never dim our sight and prevent us from truly seeing the Prince of Peace in His majesty. We who have heard the glorious message of the coming of the Son of God, we who have taken upon us His name and have covenanted to walk in His path as His disciples—we must not fail to open our hearts and minds and truly see Him.” President Uchtdorf

“Difficult days are ahead. Sin is on the increase. Considering all that the Savior has done—and still does—for us, what can we do for Him? The greatest gift we could give to the Lord at Christmas, or at any other time, is to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, worthy to attend His holy temple. And His gift to us will be the peace of knowing that we are prepared to meet Him, whenever that time comes.” Elder Nelson

“Christmas and some of the cherished traditions of the season remind us that we, like the Wise Men of old, should seek the Christ and lay before Him the most precious of gifts: a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We should offer Him our love. We should give Him our willingness to take upon ourselves His name and walk in the path of discipleship. We cannot offer Him the gift of perfection in all things because this is a gift beyond our capacity to give—at least for now. The Lord does not expect that we commit to move mountains. But He does require that we bring as gifts our best efforts to move ourselves, one foot in front of the other, walking in the ways He has prepared and taught.” President Uchtdorf

"Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values. It is peace because we have found peace in the Savior’s teachings. It is the time we realize most deeply that the more love is expended, the more there is of it for others." President Monson

From “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles”:

“As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.”

Other Resources: https://www.lds.org/topics/christmas/resources/articles?lang=eng

Finding the True Meaning of Christmas - Part 1

"If you desire to find the true spirit of Christmas and partake of the sweetness of it, let me make this suggestion to you. During the hurry of the festive occasion of this Christmas season, find time to turn your heart to God. Perhaps in the quiet hours, and in a quiet place, and on your knees -- alone or with loved ones --give thanks for the good things that have come to you, and ask that his Spirit might dwell in you as you earnestly strive to serve him and keep his commandments. He will take you by the hand and his promises will be kept." Pres. Howard W. Hunter

 “The formula for finding Jesus has always been and ever will be the same—the earnest and sincere prayer of a humble and pure heart. The prophet Jeremiah counseled, “Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”  (Jer. 29:13.) Pres. Monson

"The real Christmas comes to him who has taken Christ into his life as a moving, dynamic, vitalizing force. The real spirit of Christmas lies in the life and mission of the Master....” President Howard W. Hunter

“Before we can successfully undertake a personal search for Jesus, we must first prepare time for him in our lives and room for him in our hearts. In these busy days there are many who have time for golf, time for shopping, time for work, time for play—but no time for Christ.  Lovely homes dot the land and provide rooms for eating, rooms for sleeping, playrooms, sewing rooms, television rooms, but no room for Christ. We remember, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”  No room. Ever has it been.” Pres. Monson

“And now, my beloved brothers and sisters, what must we do this Christmas season—and always? Why, we must do the same as the Wise Men of old. They sought out the Christ and found Him. And so must we. Those who are wise still seek Him today.”   --Ezra Taft Benson

“Christmas is a time for remembering the Son of God and renewing our determination to take upon us His name. It is a time to reassess our lives and examine our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Let this be a time of remembrance, of gratitude, and a time of forgiveness. Let it be a time to ponder the Atonement of Jesus Christ and its meaning for each of us personally. Let it especially be a time of renewal and recommitment to live by the word of God and to obey His commandments. By doing this, we honor Him far more than we ever could with lights, gifts, or parties.” Pres. Uchtdorf

“My first Christmas away from home was as a missionary. For such an uneventful Christmas—clearly the least festive of any I ever had before or since—it says something that those special days remain in my heart (after more than 50 years!) as one of the sweetest Christmases I have ever had. I think that is because for the first time in my life, I found myself understanding Christmas rather than just enjoying it. I think for the first time in any truly significant way, I was getting the message of Christ’s birth and life—His message and His mission and His sacrifice for others.” Elder Holland

  

“While the Christmas season is typically a time for looking back and celebrating the birth of our Lord, it seems to me that it should also be a time of looking to the future. Let us look forward. Let us prepare for that blessed day when He will come again. Let us be as wise as those ancients who watched for His coming. As His disciples, let us have in our hearts and minds the words of John: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” President Uchtdorf

“And when we find him, will we be prepared as were the wise men of old to provide gifts from our many treasures? They presented gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These are not the gifts Jesus asks of us. From the treasure of our hearts Jesus asks that we give of ourselves: “Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” (D&C 64:34.) President Monson

“It is quite in line to find at the season of the Messiah’s birth, which was springtime that flocks were in the field both night and day under the watchful care of their keepers.  Unto certain of these humble shepherds came the first proclamation that the Savior had been born. The trustful and unsophisticated keepers of sheep had not asked for sign or confirmation; their faith was in unison with the heavenly communication.  They waited not, but went in haste, for in their hearts they believed, yea, more than believed, they knew.” James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ.

Prophetic Promises of the Book of Mormon and the Spiritual Genie

Imagine you were walking across the deserts of Saudi Arabia and you kicked something hard in the sand.

You picked it up and found it was a magic lamp.

As you rubbed the lamp, the genie appeared and granted you 3 wishes, but he said that he is a spiritual genie and can only grant spiritual wishes.

IF there was a spiritual Genie who could grant you 3 spiritual wishes to help you or your family, what would you wish for?

Compare these to the prophetic promises of the Book of Mormon:

Prophetic Promises of the Book of Mormon

PRESIDENT KIMBALL: I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away.  If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.

PRESIDENT BENSON:  When you begin to hunger and thirst after the Book of Mormon, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.  There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.  The power:

1.      To resist temptation

2.      To avoid deception

3.      Stay on strait path

PRESIDENT HINCKLEY:  I promise you [if you] read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives:

1.      An added measure of the Spirit

2.      A strengthened resolution to obey

3.      A stronger testimony of Jesus

PRESIDENT MONSON: It is my testimony that the Book of Mormon changes lives. May each of us read it and reread it. And may we joyfully share our testimonies of its precious promises with all of God’s children.

    April 2017: President Monson- I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, to receive heaven’s help in our lives. 

PRESIDENT ROMNEY (as quoted by Pres. Benson): I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives.

ELDER HOLLAND:  I testify that not one of us can find the fullest measure of peace & comfort in our times until he or she embraces the divinity of the Book of Mormon & the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it testifies.

ELDER NELSON:  We who are privileged to have the Book of Mormon, to have His gospel, and to keep His commandments know something of God’s infinite love. We know how to make His love our own.

ELDER ANDERSON:  We need our own secure and settled faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we need help in strengthening our families so that this faith flows into the hearts of our children and grandchildren. This is an important part of the divine mission of the Book of Mormon.

ELDER CHRISTOFFERSON:  Studying the Book of Mormon invites the Spirit, and the Spirit is the medium of revelation. This suggests that we study in a thoughtful, meditative fashion—pondering, praying, and perhaps making notes as we read. This puts us in a condition to receive added light and understanding, both about what we are studying and about other matters.

It Seems that No Divine Ear is Listening

President Spencer W. Kimball said:

“I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns”

How Do I Find the Power to Stay Strong?

Over the past 25 years of my married life, I would go through cycles where I would read the scriptures each day and then through periods when I wouldn't get them read every day. If you are feeling overwhelmed and don't know how to change your life, I know if you will start with 5 minutes each day in the Book of Mormon, other things will start to fall into place.  I have found these 2 promises to be especially true:

"Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, 1) there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, 2) a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and 3) a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." --President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Aug. 2005

"There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. --President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986