Mormon Messages: What Shall We Give?

From the Mormon Messages YouTube channel, a video which drives home the ultimate meaning of Christmas. The "star" is seen celebrating the Savior's birthday by performing a series of random acts of service to others. In the background, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is singing "What Shall We Give".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH9nK_9OBDg



"...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40)

Donwload a free MP3 of the song from HERE.

President Thomas S. Monson Urges People To Focus On Christ During The 2013 LDS Christmas Devotional

On Sunday December 8th, 2013, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its annual Christmas Devotional at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. As usual, music was provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. But there were a few changes in format. First, the name was changed from the First Presidency Christmas Devotional to just Christmas Devotional, in order to give other church leaders the opportunity to speak. Second, representatives of the Quorum of the Twelve and the Presidency of the Seventy delivered addresses, joined by the President of the Primary to provide a woman's perspective.

-- Archives of the 2013 Christmas Devotional are now available HERE. Previous Christmas Devotionals are accessible through this portal. The whole thing has now been uploaded to YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKD_vm55520



What is unchanged is the focus upon Jesus Christ. President Thomas S. Monson led off by talking about "The Real Joy In Christmas". President Monson urged people not become so caught up in the pressures of the season that we place our emphasis on the wrong things and miss the simple joys of commemorating the birth of the Holy One of Bethlehem. The money shot:

"Our celebration of Christmas should be a reflection of the love and selflessness taught by the Savior. Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom 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".

President Monson really hits the nail on the head here. Why are we constantly buying more "things" for people who already have "things"? Does the husband really need another tie? Does the wife really need another brooch? Does the son really need another video game? Does the daughter really need another doll? How about giving a gift to our Savior this season by doubling the normal fast offering or putting a 10-spot in the Salvation Army kettle or buying a bag of groceries for the local food bank? Jesus told us that whosoever did things unto the least of these our brethren are doing it unto Him.

After a musical interlude, President Monson was followed by Sister Rosemary Wixom, President of the Primary. She addressed the importance of children during the holiday season, noting that children invite the magic of Christmas through their innocence and inquisitiveness. Sister Wixom said “We miss something if we don’t see Christmas through a child’s eyes, for children see the light, they hear the music and they smell the fragrance of Christmas trees and candy canes with real anticipation.”

After another musical interlude, Sister Wixom was followed by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy. Elder Rasband effectively followed up on the theme set by President Monson by asking how we would worship the Lord during this Christmas season. Would we get bogged down in endlessly shopping and hustling about and adorning our homes, or will we bring peace to troubled hearts, good will to those in need of higher purpose, and glory to the Father in our willingness to do His bidding? After citing a few stories, Elder Rasband concluded his talk by fervently bearing a ringing testimony: “I bear my witness that our Eternal Father lives. His plan of happiness profoundly blesses the lives of each of His children in all generations. I know that His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the babe born in Bethlehem, is the Savior and Redeemer of the world and that dear President Thomas S. Monson is His Prophet on the earth today. These words of praise speak truth in my ears, ‘Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men.’”

And finally, after another musical interlude, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve concluded the devotional by attesting to Jesus Christ's role as the Prince of Peace. He noted that as personal challenges come and often bring worry, individuals yearn for inner peace, and proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the only source of true and lasting peace. Elder Nelson testified that Jesus taught us how to care about others more than we care about ourselves, and also taught us about mercy and kindness — making real changes in our lives through His power. He taught us how to find peace of heart and mind. Elder Nelson promised that as we follow Jesus Christ, He will lead us to live with Him and our Heavenly Father, accompanied by our families

Mormon Messages: Good Tidings Of Great Joy

Jesus is the reason for the season, as this new video entitled "Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ", just uploaded to YouTube on December 13th, 2012, reminds us. This is also part of a series of Bible videos which all show short dramatizations from the life of Jesus Christ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCxV9CbC180



Some people ask us why we celebrate Christmas on December 25th when some of our leaders have previously proclaimed April 6th to be the birthday of Jesus Christ. Most recently, President Gordon B. Hinckley stated the following, as recorded in the February 1998 edition of The Ensign:

"...Men had no knowledge of the time of His birth, and so they came to bond the celebration of Christmas with the celebration of the return of the sun. While we now know through revelation the time of the Savior's birth [April 6], we observe the 25th of December with the rest of the Christian world."

However, this revelation has not been canonized. It is actually based on Doctrine & Covenants 20:1, which states, "The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized and established agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April". However, this verse merely states that that the Church was organized on April 6th, 1,830 years after the birth of the Savior, but does not specifically state the Savior was born on April 6th. Thus it is merely an inference at this time, and so we continue to celebrate Christmas on December 25th.

What's probably more important is how well we reflect Jesus Christ the other 364 days of the year.

LDS 2012 Christmas Devotional: President Thomas S. Monson Says The Real Joy Of Christmas Is Focusing On The Savior

On December 2nd, 2012, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held their annual Christmas Devotional in Salt Lake City, where the First Presidency dispenses seasonal counsel to the world. Headlining the event was President Thomas S. Monson, who said that the real joy of Christmas is found from making the Savior Jesus Christ the focus of the season, noting “We can keep Him in our thoughts and in our lives as we go about the work He would have us perform here on earth.” President Monson declared that true love is a reflection of the Savior’s love, explaining that in December of each year we call it the Christmas spirit. You can hear it. You can see it. You can feel it. LDS Church News has a further account of President Monson's address; a YouTube video playlist of the entire devotional is embedded below. To get to President Monson's address, click on Playlist in the lower left hand corner, then scroll over to his video using the right arrow (there are seven videos total):



Or if you prefer, you can watch or listen at the dedicated page on the LDS website.

President Henry B. Eyring said that at Christmas, Latter-day Saints celebrate our Heavenly Father’s perfect gift of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, explaining “In token of this greatest of gifts, the Christmas season becomes for most of us a time of finding joy in giving to others. You and I have learned from experience how challenging that can be.” President Eyring also explained that success in giving joy to others usually requires help from others, and joining our efforts with the generosity of other people both spreads the joy and makes it more lasting.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke not only of the value of giving generously, but receiving graciously. “When we are good and grateful receivers, we open a door to deepen our relationship with the giver of the gift,” he said. “But when we fail to appreciate or even reject a gift, we not only hurt those who extend themselves to us, but in some way, we harm ourselves as well.”

President Uchtdorf said the Savior is the perfect example not only of generous giving but also of gracious receiving. “My brothers and sisters, what kind of receivers are we? Do we, like the Savior, recognize gifts as expressions of love? … I hope that this Christmas and every day of the year we will consider, in particular, the many gifts we have been given by our loving Heavenly Father. I hope we will receive these gifts with the wonder, thankfulness and excitement of a child.”

This latter counsel is desperately needed and long overdue. I see so many people who behave like a bunch of snotty ingrates. If you get a tacky sweater for Christmas, don't complain to the giver. Give it to someone in need, after waiting a reasonably diplomatic interval. Then if the giver asks you what you did with the gift, you can tell the giver that you were so overcome with gratitude that you decided to pay it forward -- by giving it to someone with a greater need. More gratitude and less attitude.

YouTube Video: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Does Hallelulah Christmas 2010

According to LDS Media Talk, BYUtv is trying to promote good in the world by making this video go viral, and there is no better time than during the Christmas season. This month, BYUtv partnered with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to provide a unique way to celebrate the season with one of the world’s most beloved musical compositions, Handel’s Messiah:



If that's not enough to put you in the Christmas spirit, try this other video of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rendering "For Unto Us A Child Is Born"



Merry Christmas, everyone!

LDS Church's First Presidency Conducts Annual 2011 Christmas Devotional At Temple Square; Holiday Messages Centered On The Savior

The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conducted their annual Christmas Devotional at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on December 5th, 2010. If you missed it or want to watch it again, the archived video is available HERE; I won't embed it on this blog because it auto-starts and the embed code offers no provision to turn off the auto-start.

Media stories provided by LDS Church News, the Deseret News and KSL Channel 5. Music for the evening was provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square. KSL news video embedded below:

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

President Thomas S. Monson offered a message of peace and hope to thousands gathered in the Conference Center. His counselors in the First Presidency, President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor, also offered holiday messages centered on the Savior.

From President Monson: "In looking back over the years, it is obvious that the Christmases I remember best, the Christmases which touched my heart the most, are Christmases filled with love and giving and the spirit of the Savior. I believe that such would be true for all of us as we reminisce concerning our best remembered Christmases. Bringing the Christmas spirit into our hearts and homes takes conscious effort and planning but can surely be accomplished."

From President Eyring, two things we can give to the Savior to bring Him joy: First, Latter-day Saints can, out of faith in Him, give a broken heart and a contrite spirit; we can repent and make sacred covenants with Him. Second, we can give Him the gift of doing for others what He would do for them.

And from President Uchtdorf: "While it's true we can find materialism and anxiety in Christmas, it is also true that if we have eyes to see, we can experience the powerful message of the birth of the Son of God and feel the hope and peace He brings to the world. We, like the Grinch, can see Christmas through new eyes."

President Uchtdorf said when we prepare for Christmas by pondering its real meaning, we prepare to experience the Christ and His message. He suggested three things to study, ponder and apply this season: First, rejoice in the birth of the Savior; second, ponder His influence in our lives today; and third, look steadfastly for His coming.

LDS Congregations Organize Nativity Scenes To Promote Interdenominational Christian Fellowship And To Counter Anti-Mormon Bigotry

In the past, one of the reasons why some have questioned whether or not the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly Christian is because we don't celebrate Christmas in quite the same fashion as other Christian denominations. We have no crosses on the outside or inside of our chapels, and as a rule of thumb, we do not hold services on Christmas day unless it coincides on a Sunday, although individual bishops are free to hold special Christmas services if they desire. But each December, the First Presidency of the LDS Church presents a Christmas devotional with messages by members of the First Presidency and music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; this year, it will be held on December 5th at 6 P.M. Mountain Time (specific information HERE)

One way to counter this negative perception is for Mormons to get involved in community nativity scenes. The web has seen a sudden upsurge in stories about LDS involvement in local nativity scenes. Here's a short sampling:

-- "Congregations join for large display of Nativity scenes", the Daily Oklahoman, December 4th 2010: The Oklahoma City Ward will join with other LDS congregations to display hundreds of Nativity scenes at their chapel during a program called “Glory to the Newborn King: An Interfaith Nativity Scene” to be held December 17-18. Organizer Julie Mills of Bethany said the Oklahoma City Ward has assembled 50 to 100 Nativity scenes each year for the past several years during the Christmas holidays. This year, the congregation has joined with 10 other LDS congregations to present about 300 Nativity scenes from around the world.

-- "Actors Bring Nativity to Life", KOLR Channel 10, December 3rd 2010: For the fourth year, the LDS congregation South Cox Road in Springfield, MO have put together a living nativity scene. Brian Chandler, the local stake president, said "We've invited others from the community which is our desire to make this a community event not just our church members, but to invite all people from all faiths to come and join with us and celebrate the nativity". A display of international nativity scenes is also available inside the chapel.

-- "Nativity set collection display boasts international flair", Bloomington (IL) Pantagraph, December 3rd 2010: On December 3-4, the LDS congregation in Normal, IL, is displaying more than 300 Nativity sets collected from across the globe. The representations of the birth of Jesus, ranging from an egg-shaped set from Israel to a homemade one measuring 3 feet across, cover 18 tables. The manger scenes came from as far away as Russia and Germany, and materials included wood, metal, glass and even straw.

-- "Hi-tech nativity scene", The Peterborough (ON) Examiner, December 4th 2010: The LDS congregation in Hamilton Township, Ontario, Canada is hosting their fifth annual Cobourg Nativity and Choir Performance this weekend. Along with more than 200 nativity displays in media ranging from Lego to ice, science writer Peter McMahon will have a computer program set up to show the skies on any of the three dates put forth as the actual birth date of Christ.

-- "Annual nativity scene display this weekend", EnergeticCity.ca, December 3rd 2010: The LDS congregation in Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada is holding an open viewing of various different nativity scenes on December 3-4. There are more than 300 different Christmas nativity scenes from around the world both outside and inside the church. Church officials say the different scenes are owned by members of the congregation and some have been collected from various parts of the world.

This is just a relatively small sampling; the same Google search identified at least five other instances, and that was just on the first three pages of the search alone. There is no evidence that the sudden upsurge in LDS Nativity scenes has been specifically promoted or orchestrated by Church headquarters in Salt Lake, so this reflects a genuine desire for increased fellowship at the local level.

Although Latter-day Saints are taught that Jesus Christ was actually born on April 6th, we do celebrate His birth on December 25th. In response to a question posed in Ensign magazine in December 1992, Roger A. Hendrix, then the president of the LDS Chile Santiago South Mission, said that the simple answer to the question is that, regardless of whether or not April 6th is Christ’s birth date, there is no compelling reason for Church members to go against a well-established Christian holiday unless the Lord requires it of us. And there are at least three good reasons why we can feel comfortable observing the traditional date. First, Joseph Smith apparently approved of the growing religious significance of the December 25th holiday. Second, Latter-day Saints have not been inclined to take extreme positions on matters not essential to the message of the Restoration. And finally, it is not uncommon for historical events to be celebrated on a day other than when they occurred. For example, few people care that the signing of the Declaration of Independence is celebrated in the United States on July 4th instead of on July 2nd, the actual date of the signing.

The governing principle in such situations is one of intent, which is also why we use water instead of wine in our Sacramental emblems.

LDS Church Presidency Officiates At 2009 Annual Christmas Devotional At Temple Square, Promotes Message Of Service To Others

The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its annual Christmas Devotional at Temple Square on Sunday December 6th, 2009 in front of a packed house at the Conference Center, while hundreds of thousands more around the world heard the devotional broadcast on the church's satellite system, BYUTV, and on KBYU in Utah. As the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performed traditional carols during the event, the First Presidency reminded members to reach out to those in need this holiday season. Media stories from the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune, LDS Church News, and KSL Channel 5. KSL news video embedded below:

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Audio and video archives now available on this page of the LDS website. English-language audio embedded below:



During his remarks, President Henry B. Eyring said it is wonderful to remember the Savior always, but especially as we celebrate His birth. "We can choose this Christmas and every day to create a small part of the Christmas story in our own lives. We can accept the invitation of living prophets to help those who are lost along the pathway and have wandered to come back to it. We can offer the gospel, which is the only way home, to all we meet along the way. We can lift up those who are tired and hungry and lonely, as the Savior did and now invites us to do with Him. As we do, they can feel how much the Savior loves them and wants to lead them on the way to the God He loves." Read the full transcript of President Eyring's remarks HERE.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf also asked that this December be a season of seeking the Savior, saying "I promise that if we unclutter our lives a little bit and in sincerity and humility seek the pure and gentle Christ with our hearts, we will see him, we will find him — on Christmas and throughout the year." He also said the spectacular displays and decorations of Christmas can be beautiful and uplifting, "but if that's all we see, then we're missing something that's in plain sight. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we become so preoccupied with responsibilities, commitments, and the stress of our many tasks that we fail to see with our hearts, that which is essential and most sacred." Read the full transcript of President Uchtdorf's remarks HERE.

An example of the latter problem is provided on the Times and Seasons blog, where Kylie Turley complains about losing the spirit of Christmas because she is overwhelmed by so many temporal responsibilities and commitments.

And President Thomas S. Monson said no other time of the year yields as many poignant memories as does Christmas. "The Christmases we remember best generally have little to do with worldly goods, but a lot to do with families, with love and with compassion and caring." This thought, he continued, provides hope "for those of us who fear that the simple meaning of the holiday is diluted by commercialism, or by opposition from those with differing religious views, or just by getting so caught up in the pressures of the season that we lose that special spirit we could otherwise experience."

President Monson also said that usually, however, the special spirit of the season somehow finds its way into people's hearts and lives despite the difficulties and distractions that occupy their time and energy. He then related a story, published in the Deseret News, about how a single act of selflessness by a civilian towards a soldier at an airport transformed a terminal full of grouches unhappy about flight delays into a group of celebrants. Read the full transcript of President Monson's remarks HERE.

An example of the type of response solicited by the First Presidency is posted on By Common Consent.

Why Latter-Day Saints Don't Hold Special Religious Services On Christmas Eve Or Christmas Day

As Christmas 2008 approaches, perhaps you've checked your local newspaper to find out when and here Christmas worship services are being held. The Roman Catholic Church is particularly noteworthy for their Christmas religious services, particularly Midnight Mass, and I recommend that all people attend a Midnight Mass on at least one occasion to experience the liturgy and to pay homage to Jesus Christ.

But as you review the list of religious services, you'll notice that the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not listed as holding services, and perhaps you wonder why.

The reason the LDS Church does not hold special services on Christmas is because we do NOT believe that Jesus Christ was born on December 25th. Instead, we believe that Jesus Christ was born on April 6th, which also happens to be the date the LDS Church was formally organized.

But this has not canonized as official doctrine, but is merely a tradition. This is why Latter-day Saints continue to observe Christmas during the normal season in other ways. The history of the April 6th tradition is actually spelled out on the ReligiousTolerance website, and is described as follows:

Many Christians believe that Yeshua was actually born on December 25. Some suggest that he was born in the year 1 BCE. Many religious historians, liberals, etc. suggest that the birth occurred circa 4 to 7 BCE, possibly in the Spring, but more likely in the Fall.

Some Mormon leaders suggest that Jesus was born on April 6, which is the precise month and day on which The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was founded in 1830, (The church celebrated its 175 anniversary recently, on 2005-APR-06.)

James E. Talmage (1862-1955), a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, was commissioned by Church president Joseph F Smith to write a biography of the life of Yeshua called: "The Life of Christ." It is still in circulation almost a century later. He wrote: "As to the season of the year in which Christ was born, there is among the learned as great a diversity of opinion as that relating to the year itself. It is claimed by many Biblical scholars that December 25th, the day celebrated in Christendom as Christmas, cannot be the correct date. We believe April 6th to be the birthday of Jesus Christ as indicated in a revelation of the present dispensation already cited in which that day is made without qualification the completion of the one thousand eight hundred and thirtieth year since the coming of the Lord in the flesh. This acceptance is admittedly based on faith in modern revelation, and in no wise is set forth as the result of chronological research or analysis. We believe that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea, April 6, 1 B.C".

Elder Neil A Maxwell, who served as an Apostle in the Church, concurred with this date in his book "But for a Small Moment": "Significantly, Joseph [Smith] was finally released from Liberty Jail, with a subsequent escape en route, on April 6, 1839 -- both the Savior's and his church's birthday".

And this is also echoed by prolific LDS author Bruce R. McConkie in his book entitled "Mormon Doctrine". Since the text of this book cannot be found online, I am transcribing his entry about Christmas directly from pp 132-33 in the 31st printing, published in 1986:

"Modern day Christians celebrate December 25th as an annual church festival and as the traditional day of our Lord's mortal birth. Special gifts and greetings are common, and both Christmas itself and the whole yuletide season often take on an air of commercialism and worldliness. Apparently Christ was born on the day corresponding to April 6th (D&C 20:1), but the saints nevertheless join in the wholesome portions of the Christmas celebration. Christmas becomes to them an ideal opportunity to renew their search for the true Spirit of Christ and to center their attentions again on the true doctrine of his birth as the Son of an Immortal Father, a fact that enabled Him to work out the infinite and eternal atonement".

But while D&C 20:1 implies that Jesus may have been born on April 6th, it doesn't state so directly, so it remains merely a tradition and cannot be canonized as formal doctrine.

And the GospelCougar blog has posted statements from other LDS leaders, including the following from President Gordon B. Hinckley:

“In a few days comes the promise that spring will come again and summer will return, as it has through all the millennia that men have been upon the earth. It is no wonder that in ancient times Christmas, commemorating the birth of the Christ child, was celebrated at this solstice season. Men had no knowledge of the time of His birth, and so they came to bond the celebration of Christmas with the celebration of the return of the sun. While we now know through revelation the time of the Savior’s birth [April 6], we observe the 25th of December with the rest of the Christian world.”(“Christmas Devotional with First Presidency,” Ensign, Feb. 1998, 74–75)

To be consistent, Latter-day Saints do not hold special religious services on April 6th. In fact, Latter-day Saints only hold religious services on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. This means no special Easter services, either.

However, local LDS bishops are not barred from holding Christmas services if they so desire, and a few have held such services, as documented in some comments to this blog post on Feminist Mormon Housewives. But in general, devout Mormons have so many callings and other meetings related to these callings that they generally would rather take Christmas off and observe it in other ways.