i was super complimented to be asked to speak on the sunday before christmas sunday. i love christmas and everything about it so i was definitely up for this one. growing up on a farm in the australian bush, i have so many wonderful memories of "aussie christmas" but one of the ones i love the most was one christmas when one of the senior missionary couples from america came to breakfast and mum decorated the table and house with blue gum everywhere. it smelled and looked amazing and i have been obsessed with aussie christmas ever since. i wouldn't want it any other way. this year mum made me (and various friends of mine) this gorgeous bush wreath and i love it. it has just made my christmas! anyway... back to my talk - here we go!
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Good afternoon brothers and sisters. I’ve been asked
to speak today about how we bring Christ into our home during the Christmas
season. When Brother Dowe called me a few weeks ago with my assignment, he
said, “you’re a Christmas person aren’t you?” Mate, I am literally a Christmas
person. Born just before Christmas and everything. You can’t get more Christmassy
than that. With all those combined Birthday and Christmas presents I’ve had?
It’s in my blood. You know what they say, “All I want for Christmas is for
someone to remember my December birthday.” As a child, my mother would wait
until after my birthday to put the Christmas tree up so I didn’t have to
celebrate “Birthmas”, but now I have children of my own, it’s up on the first
day of December. I just can’t feel festive or excited until there is a tree in
my lounge room, twinkling with lights.
As a small child, we would go and select an
appropriate tree (well, really more part of a tree) from somewhere on
our property, hack it off and bring it home to plant it in a bucket where we
would decorate it. To this day I associate the smell of eucalyptus with
Christmas because of these trees. We would water the tree each day which of
course didn’t do much… it always died within a few days after Christmas was
over. Come to think of it, maybe that was mums reason for not having the
tree up before my birthday!
My favourite part of the decorating though, was when
mum would pull out the black tin that held our family nativity. She would allow
me to unwrap each piece from their paper and place them just how I wanted them
(don’t get any ideas kids!) in the stable my father had built. To me this was
the real start of Christmas and the thing I looked forward to the most. I have
no doubt this stemmed my adult obsession of nativity scenes. To me they are the
best kind of decoration as they are what Christmas is about. There are plenty
of those sets in our home.
I was raised in a home where Christmas was celebrated
in a beautiful manner. Everything we did was centred on Christ and giving. As
President Thomas S Monson taught in the 2012 Christmas Devotional “Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the
scurrying to get more done, nor is it found in the purchasing of gifts. We find
real joy when we make the Saviour the focus of the season.”
My all-time favourite Christmas memory is sitting outside
on the verandah one hot Christmas eve, with my parents and the youngest of my
brothers, I am fairly certain the two older ones were on their missions at the
time. We sat with candles burning and sang the Christmas carols from the hymn
book one by one. There was no fanfare, no gifts, just a family, sitting
together in the still.
Jeffrey R Holland said, “Shepherds would soon arrive
and later, wise men from the east. Later yet the memory of that night would
bring Santa Claus and Frosty and Rudolph. But first and forever there was just
a little family, without toys or trees and tinsel. With a family – that’s how
Christmas began.” To us all of us that follow Christ that family is still and
always will be, the most important part of Christmas.
So how do we ensure Christ is at the center of
Christmas in our home? Each year we do things that remind us of the
birth of Christ, the first and most wonderful gift. Christmas is the spirit of
giving without the thought of getting.
Each year we have an advent calendar. But not a
chocolate one (although yes we have those too), one that has a scripture and
something we can do to bring us closer to Christ each day. For example, doing
something kind for a neighbor, singing carols as a family, giving food to a
charity, one year we packed a box for a solider on active duty… The best part
of this type of advent calendar is that it will allow you to go about doing
good each day, just as the Saviour did. When actively seeking one thing each
day in the lead up to Christmas, you become more focused, allowing you to see
other opportunities to serve right in front of you. The Light the World
initiative the church introduced a few years ago is the same sort of thing and
brings love both in our families and those we come in contact with.
Watching the First Presidency Christmas Devotional has
always been something we’ve done in our home since we were married. As new
parents we watched it after putting the children to bed as we wrapped gifts.
Now we attempt to watch it with the children (not always successfully) so they
can enjoy the festive stories and beautiful music that are shared.
We go to the Road to Bethlehem each year to watch the
Christmas story acted out. This experience is especially wonderful for children
to enable them to see what we believe, played out in front of their eyes.
Instead of hearing the story read from a book – they have the opportunity to
see and recognize each person that they have heard about.
On Christmas Eve, we watch the nativity video before
the children goto bed, then in the morning, we read the Christmas story found
in Luke chapter 2 before opening our gifts.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed a bit of a recurring
theme here? I keep coming back to the story of the nativity over and over. Why?
Because that is what Christmas is all about. Over 2000 years ago an angel
appeared to a young engaged woman called Mary to tell her that she would bear a
child. The son of God. She meekly accepted his words by saying, “behold the
handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” Joseph was also
told of this miracle that would occur by an angel who told him not to be afraid
to take her as his wife. It is obvious to see that Mary was a virtuous and
faithful woman chosen by the Lord to bear His son. Joseph a righteous man had
also chosen her to be his wife. They were prepared for the coming of the son of
God by their faith.
Shepherds were also alerted of the arrival of the
Saviour. These Shepherds lived a simple and righteous life. They were dedicated
to caring for their sheep, with a great love for them and I would assume
for others. The angel spoke to them and although they were afraid, they
followed his instructions and went to see the baby.
Perhaps the best prepared for his arrival were the wise
men. The wise men were well respected and educated men. They had wealth and
servants and knew of prophecies that had been made concerning this Saviour who
would come. They had studied the skies and the words of ancient prophets who
foretold his arrival. They watched and waited for many years knowing the signs
that would be given.
So each of these people was prepared to meet the
Saviour, but how can we be like the wise men and prepare beforehand? To be ready
to receive Christ into our homes and lives this Christmas? They had read and
studied and were ready to meet him. Are we? I love that Christmas quote that
says “wise men still seek Him”. Are we prepared to welcome Him into our
homes as we celebrate His birth?
President Thomas S. Monson said, “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. Christmas is what we make of it. Despite all the
distractions, we can see to it that Christ is at the center of our celebration.
If we have not already done so, we can establish Christmas traditions for
ourselves and for our families which will help us capture and keep the spirit
of Christ. 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.”
As members of the church we can focus our attention on the Savior and inspire others to do the same. He
is the true reason for the season. In a world where people no longer do good
“just because” we can make a difference and be the people who do. Smile
a little brighter, give a little more, show more patience, be a peacemaker and
avoid contention and show love as Christ did. Not just at Christmas, but always.
By doing these things and sharing them with our children, we will raise them
to love the Saviour, by showing that we love him. We will help build a
generation to follow us, who grow in faith and continue to walk the covenant
path.
Our celebration of Christmas should be a reflection of the
love and selflessness taught by the Saviour. Giving, not getting, brings the
Christmas spirit. We feel more kindly one to another. We reach out in love to
help those less fortunate. Our hearts are softened. Enemies are forgiven,
friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the
picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and
become more interested in people than in things. To catch the real meaning of
the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes
the Spirit of Christ.
The Saviour loved all men. Not just those who loved him, but all men. Is
there someone we could love more? Someone with whom we have disagreed? Someone
who just isn’t our favourite? Is this season the time to make amends? To start
anew? Service is the greatest act there is. By truly serving one another, we
will forget ourselves and our troubles and become closer to the Saviour than we
ever thought possible, for His was the greatest example of service.
May we give as the Saviour gave. To give of oneself is a holy
gift. We give as a remembrance of all the Saviour has given. May we also give
gifts that have eternal value, along with our gifts that eventually break or
are forgotten. How much better the world would be if we all gave gifts of
understanding and compassion, of service and friendship, of kindness and
gentleness.
Because He came to earth, we have a perfect example to follow. As we
strive to become more like Him, we will have joy and happiness in our lives and
peace each day of the year. It is His example, which if followed, stirs within
us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others. Because He
came, there is meaning to our mortal existence. Because He came, we know how to
reach out to those in trouble or in distress, wherever they may be. Because He
came, death has lost its sting, the grave its victory. We will live again
because He came. Because He came and paid for our sins, we have the opportunity
to gain eternal life. Because He came, we are gathered to worship Him in bonds
of unity and love.
May His precious Spirit be with us, and may He ever be the center of our
celebrations and indeed of our very lives. I am forever grateful for the
Saviour, born so many years ago and for the blessed lives we enjoy within the
safety of this His restored church.
May I leave you with a poem written by Christina Rosetti?
What can I give
Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a
shepherd
I would bring a
lamb.
If I were a Wise
Man
I would do my
part,
Yet what can I
give Him?
Give my heart.
In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
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in other not so festive news, the doctors told steve there is not much else they can try and asked if dougs sister can come home to spend time with steve as it looks as though it may be the end. she arrived this week. of course we are pleased to have her here, but are sad that its for that reason. we are hoping for a christmas miracle, but things are looking pretty bleak.
