Christmas Messages Archive
Tiffany Sowby is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”) and mother of five. She tries to find humor, joy and contentment in the little things life has to offer.
How do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) celebrate Christmas? Is it all about Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve night and what presents have been purchased for loved ones? Or is Christmas about remembering the birth of Jesus Christ?
Growing up as a child in England, Religious studies were a part of the daily school curriculum. I spent many Decembers working on art projects and essays depicting what most in the Christian world refers to as ‘The First Christmas’. I specifically recall making a time-line of events with pictures beginning with Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth to Baby Jesus laying in a manger. I remember my third grade class painting gold angels, that I placed proudly on... Read the rest of this entry »
S. Michael Wilcox is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (“Mormon Church”). He is the author of To See His Face and Choosing the Fulness: Wickedness or Righteousness.
Spirit of Christmas as a Child
When I was a little boy, people told me that the true spirit of Christmas was the spirit of giving; but I didn’t believe them. I knew that the true spirit of Christmas was getting. I could hardly wait until Christmas morning when my mother would stand at the door to the living room that separated me from a wonder of toys. She would peek through and tell me Santa had been here and express her surprise that he had given me so much. Then I was obliged to eat breakfast, make my bed, brush my teeth, and get dressed. The anxiety and anticipation this caused is impossible to describe. By the time I attacked the neatly wrapped packages and saw the delights they contained, I was filled with a joy and relief I have not found comparable to any joy on earth.
I... Read the rest of this entry »
Gerald N. Lund is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (“Mormon Church”). He is the author of The Coming of the Lord, as well as several adventure novels, among them The Alliance, The Freedom Factor.
The Christmas Story: Birth of Jesus Christ
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. . . . And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. (Luke 2:1, 3-5.)
Bethlehem. The city of David. Ancient homeland of Israel’s greatest king. In Hebrew it is called Beth Lechem. Literally, Beth Lechem means “The House of Bread.” How perfect that He who was to take the throne of David and become Israel’s ultimate... Read the rest of this entry »
Gerald N. Lund is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (“Mormon Church”). He is the author of The Coming of the Lord, as well as several adventure novels, among them The Alliance, The Freedom Factor.
The Christmas Story Began in Nazareth
“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth.” (Luke 1:26.)
The rabbis of ancient Israel had a saying: “Judea is wheat, Galilee straw, beyond Jordan, only chaff.” The urbane and worldly wise Jerusalemite, privileged to dwell in the Holy City, looked down on all others with faint condescension; but they especially viewed the Galileans as crude, unlearned, and earthy peasants. For the most part the people of Galilee were men of the soil and of the sea. This kept them in touch with basic values; and in spite of the feelings of the Judeans, they were known for being hard-working and warm-hearted, and for showing unrestrained hospitality and... Read the rest of this entry »
Leonard J. Arrington is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon Church”). He has published widely throughout his distinguished career. He is the author (or coauthor) of, among others: Mothers of the Prophets, Presidents of the Church,From Quaker to Latter-day Saint, Building the City of God, Brigham Young: American Moses, The Mormon Experience: A History of the Latter-day Saints, and Great Basin Kingdom.
Christmas Story: On The Farm
Picture an isolated, two-room, wooden frame home on a windy prairie in southern Idaho. Coyotes howl in the distance. Despite wintry weather, the sky is clear and the stars are brilliant. There is a faint trace in the sky of an aurora borealis, or what is commonly referred to as “northern lights.” One can hear horses in a nearby corral breathing heavily and occasional sounds of late-night munching from two milk cows. Add to the picture a family, with a father and mother and three children—LeRoy, seven;... Read the rest of this entry »
A Christmas Message: Christmas as a Child
I’ve titled this chapter “Christmas Extravagance” because Christmas seems to be a time of delicious, glorious abundance, profusion, and excess—a real cornucopia of a time. I realized I felt this way about it as I listened to one of those presentations I’m sure we’ve all heard—about how you have to deal with the stress of the holidays by setting priorities, establishing limits, making yes-lists and no-lists, deciding what you’ll eat and what you won’t, working out a budget, a schedule, a plan. It all sounded very prudent, moderate, controlled, restrained. It all sounded very boring. It sounded like no fun at all.
Yet I realized that it made good sense, and I know that the Christmas season is ruined for some people by bingeing—they spend too much, eat too much, do too much, run too fast and too hard. They end up feeling sad, selfish, and sinful. So how could I actually want extravagance? Isn’t... Read the rest of this entry »
Tinsel, garland, gifts under the tree, smells and scents that connote a beautiful time of year–these all are reminiscent of Christmas, a time for the joyous celebration of Christ’s birth.
The first real gift of Christmas is the Baby Himself, Jesus Christ. He is ours to receive, to know, to love, to worship as Savior of the World, the Only Begotten in the flesh, the Son of God. The second real Christmas gift, intimately connected with Himself, is the key to the knowledge of Him which has been restored to the earth through the re-establishment of His own Church on the earth–The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”). These are two gifts in one: the Savior, and His Church in our day! These are the real gifts of Christmas!
Christmas Message: Jesus Christ Established His Church & Restored It In Our Day
From the creation of the world, the prophets foretold and the children of God... Read the rest of this entry »
Marcus is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”). Tried by adversity as a teenager, he now shares his story of healing. Marcus has also enjoyed filming a nationally televised commercial and traveling to South America.
Everyone has challenges. It doesn’t matter where we’re from, what religion we are, how much money we have or our status in society. Nothing in this world can make a person immune from the difficulties of life.
Some of the greatest challenges I have faced in my life came at an early age. At 12 I was diagnosed with a hereditary condition which caused my body to not produce enough of a chemical called Serotonin. The result of not having enough of this chemical produced in your body is depression. I was then diagnosed with severe social anxiety and had to drop out of school. My parents divorced when I was 15 years old and by the age of 17, my mother stopped talking to... Read the rest of this entry »
