What Shall We Give?

Mom?-------Check!

Dad?-------Check!

Grandma?-------Check!

Grandpa?-------Check!

Charlie?-------Check!

Hannah?-------Check!

 

Do you have all the Christmas presents that you need this year? Hopefully you did not miss anyone! Christmas is a wonderful time to give gifts to our family and friends. It's fun to see what we can give them that is going to make them happy.

 

Did you remember Christ on your Christmas list this year? What are you going to give him? It's a little hard to give someone something who already has everything. What do you give the King of Kings? I have come to the conclusion that we give of ourselves. We serve. We make goals to become better. That is what we give to our Savior. That is what makes him happy.

This year I am going to give the gift of scripture study. For 2015 I am going to give my time to study the scriptures every day so I can learn and grow from the principles, doctrine, and stories. It's God's word. It's reading what he wants to tell me. It's a gift I'm giving Him but I know that I'm getting so much more in return.

 

 

I love my Savior so much and He is the reason for this beautiful Christmas celebration! He has given us so much! What are you going to give Him this Christmas?

 

What Shall We Give?

(It's a beautiful song. One of my favorites.)

 

He is the Gift

What does Christmas mean to you?

Santa? Gifts? Parties? Trees? Lights?

The list goes on and on.

That may what Christmas seems to be like on the outside but what is it really about?

[Christ]mas is about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

It's about remembering why he came to earth. The life he lived. What he gave.

 

What does [Christ]mas mean to you?

To me, it means selflessness.

The scriptures are filled with Jesus Christ and his selfless service. He always reached outward. Always. I think that is what [Christ]mas is all about. What can I do for others? What can I give to someone that is going to make them happy? What can I do to help someone feel the love and joy of Christmas? It's selfless. It's giving of ourselves. It's following Christ's example. This is how we feel the joy, love, and spirit of [Christ]mas!

 

I love this video clip. It helps us to remember Jesus Christ is the reason for this celebration! Santa, gifts, parties, trees, lights, hot cider, baking cookies are fun traditions. They bring my family closer together and Christmas has that magical touch of doing so. But in all that hustle and bustle, let us all remember the true meaning of [Christ]mas!

What does [Christ]mas mean to you?

 

 

"Come Follow Me" -Jesus Christ

This past weekend the Wick family was baptized!

I have loved seeing the Wick family change and become more like our Savior as they embraced the gospel and followed the teachings from our Savior. As you talk with them you feel their spirit and love. You can see how happy they are. You have been able to see them grow in faith, hope, charity, virtue, patience, obedience, diligence (the list goes on). 

 

Often at baptisms I reflect on my baptism day when I was eight years old. That was a few years ago... and I may not be able to remember much of the events but what I do remember is the spirit. I felt peace, I felt happy, I felt love. Those feelings can only come from God. I feel that same spirit every time I see someone make promises with God through baptism. No words can describe the happiness that I have felt.

 

"...And now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you? And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts."- Mosiah 18:8-11

 

I love this scripture! I love this gospel. It's about love, kindness, service, following Jesus Christ, and trying to become better than we were yesterday. I'm grateful for the gospel and I'm grateful that the Wick's are part of my life and to have their testimony and example lift and strengthen me. And I am personally grateful for the words of our Savior as He tells each of us,

"Come Follow Me."

 

#BibleCelebration

 
Today is Bible celebration day! I love the Bible so much and it has brought me closer to my Savior. One of my favorite scriptures from the Bible comes from Hebrews,

 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." -Hebrews 11:13

 

The scripture then continues to talk about examples of faith and I love Moses' example of faith, the scripture says, "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season."-Hebrews 11:25

 

Sometimes it's hard to have faith but I love the eternal perspective. It's better to choose God than the ways of the world! We will be blessed if we follow Jesus Christ.

 What is your favorite Bible scripture?