Dec 10-13

Happy Dec. 10

“Good Tidings to you
wherever you are…”
We wish you a Merry Christmas
An English Folk Song


Tidings: news, information

Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets. 3rd Nephi 1:13

Now there were many of those who testified of the things pertaining to Christ who testified boldly….3rd Nephi 6:23

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them…And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Application: As you sit around your table tonight and light your candle talk with your family about how excited this angel must have felt to
get to be the one who tells….

Are we excited to be the ones who tell?
We are the ones appointed to do so right now on the earth….
Do we do so boldly?

Why is the Savior’s birth good news?

The Atonement of Jesus Christ outweighs, surpasses, and transcends every other mortal event, every new discovery, and every acquisition of knowledge, for with out the Atonement all else in life is meaningless.
Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister

The most transcendent event in his entire eternal existence, the most glorious single happening from creation’s dawn to eternity’s endless continuance, the crowning work of his infinite goodness—
such took place in a garden called
Gethsemane.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie


Today is invite day if you have not done so.
Invite your friends to listen to the Young Men’s Christmas Program on Dec. 13, or to the Ward Christmas Sacrament meeting on Dec. 20th. Invite people to your home to feel your spirit of the season there. Forward these e-mails to non-member friends who want to feel the Christmas spirit in a more spiritual way, type out your favorite Christmas story and give to your friends and workers instead of a plate of cookies. BE Bold!
Fear not..For I bring you....

Tell…
the good tidings…
even after Christmas is over….

Happy Dec. 11th
Keeping Christ in Christmas in bits and pieces:

“Formed in each believing heart…”
Hark the Herald Angels Sing by Felix Mendelssohn 1840

Believe is the best Christmas Word!

Believe: accept, have faith in the existence of, have confidence in, have trust in.

Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1


Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea…behold, there came wise men from the east…saying where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down and worshipped him… Matt. 2: 1,2,11

For you:

Believe is the first step to Faith.
You must believe to act on a belief.
When you kneel to pray today, tell Heavenly Father that you believe...


Believe that he was the Light of the World!
Believe that he smiles down on us!
Believe that he wants us to come!
Believe so much, that we are willing to sing it out!
Believe that he and his angels are watching over us and supporting us!
Believe that he has sent the Holy Ghost to whisper to us!
Believe that he wants us near!
Believe that he wants us to feel peace!
Believe that he is the “good news” which makes our lives brighter!
Believe that he wants us to tell others!

Application: When you light your candle at the dinner table tonight talk about the 3 wise men. Do you think they would have taken such a long journey to an unknown place, looking for someone they did not know if they did not believe? They believed so much that they chose and packed expensive gifts. They traveled a long distance. They stopped in to visit another king to ask directions. They saw a star, and it led them to the place that they were supposed to go. They were chosen as witnesses of the baby Jesus.

Are we chosen to be witnesses?

Play Hide the Wiseman. Someone in your family take one of your wise men from your nativity and hide it someplace in your home. (They had an unusual journey to Bethlehem from your home…) The rest of the family can try to find it by clues. You can continue the game throughout the season by placing him in different spots after you do a good deed for someone. He can mark the spot of the good deed. On the last day of Christmas he can finally find the baby Jesus…


Happy Dec. 12th

“Laughing all the way…”
Jingle Bells by J. Pierport

And I God, saw everything that I had made, and, behold, all things which I had made were very good…
Moses 2:31

And I God blessed them…Moses 2:22

Fall in Love with the World!—Wonder—Be Amazed!
It is easy to do at Christmas time!
But do it even after!

Application: When you are sitting around your dinner table tonight and you light your little candle go around and talk about how Jesus Christ was the creator of the world. Ask your family if you thought he was excited and happy when he did this. Did he have a sense of humor when he created some things? List some things you think he might have laughed at (in a tender, sweet way) after he created them…Like fainting sheep, or rhinoceros or cactus. Think of ducks as they bob under water and only leave their tails in the air. Go around the table and tell of something wonderful you saw today. Do you think he created things for our enjoyment?
Do you think he would be happy if he knew we noticed and laughed in a nice way?
Add this to your dinner conversation every night.

During the holidays, pull out old family photos of trips, or home movies. Enjoy watching and laughing kindly at yourself or the kids as you rekindle fond memories.
Look out and see how wonderful and beautiful and funny, and happy things are all around you!

“We are here in mortality and the only way is through, there isn’t any around.” Neal A. Maxwell. Marjorie Hinkley adds, the only way through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh, crying gives me a headache.

If you go through life “laughing all the way” life will be lighter!

Laughter can stop a contentious moment
Laughter can cure nightmares
Laughter can help us realize we are not perfect and it is okay.
Laughter can connect us to each other in fun
Laughter can cure a hurting heart.

Very Amazing Deeper reading:
It was not a novice, not an amateur, not a Being making a first trial, that came down in the beginning after the Great Council, with other Gods, and searched out and found the place where there was “space” and taking of the materials which they found in this “space” they made this world. …It is said that there are one hundred million galaxies within this radius that are the same as ours. The Radius of the known universe is now believed to be sixteen billion light years across, and astronomers believe there are at least ten billion galaxies. They say that this galaxy in which we live, is one hundred thousand light years in diameter. Some say there were in this galaxy perhaps from its beginning, one million worlds like unto this one.

“Worlds without number have I created,” through “mine Only Begotten Son.”
I repeat, our Lord is not a novice, he is not an amateur, he has been over this course time and time and time again. And if you think of this galaxy of ours having within it from the beginning perhaps until now, one million worlds, and multiply that by the number of millions of galaxies, one hundred millions galaxies, that surround us, you will then get some view of who this Man we worship is. President J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
Wow! Amazing!

I am going to think he laughed and enjoyed himself after all of that creating...

Happy Dec. 13th


Keeping Christ in Christmas in bits and pieces:

“Oh rest
beside the weary road…”
It Came Upon a Midnight’s Clear By Richard S. Willis 1851

Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matt. 11:28-29

Heavy laden: Burdened
Weary: Physically or mentally exhausted, fatigued, or tired. To be made impatient, dissatisfied.

Do you ever feel exhausted at Christmas time?

Did Jesus Christ rest?
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Matt. 13:1

Are you tired? Are you weary? Is something in your life creating you to feel weighted down and burdened?

Today is the day of rest.

Pray today to feel your burdens lighter. Pray today that you need someone to help you carry your load. Give your burdens to the Lord and wait…He will carry them with you, and you will feel them to be lighter.
I know this to be true!

Application for families: Today when you light your little candle as you sit around the dinner table pick a heavy object to lift from the table, like the gallon of milk. (“Heavy” depending on the age of the children) Have someone see if they can hold the milk with their hand straight out, elbow not bent. See how long they can hold it. Now have another family member help them hold the milk by allowing them to rest their arm on their shoulder. Can they hold it longer? We need to remember that Jesus is there to help carry our loads, to make them bearable.

And he will.

Rest is very important!
Come...rest!