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(12/11/96)
"What does Christmas really
mean?" Christmas means "giving." The
Father gave His Son and the Son gave His life. Without
giving there is no true Christmas, and without sacrifice
there is no true worship. There is more to this day than
neckties, cuff links, engagement rings, and all the
tinselled stuff of which we make so much. Let me repeat
something that I heard the other day at a stake
conference in Idaho. A member of the stake presidency
told it. He runs a building supply business. A farm
family in that community had contacted for the
installation of a bathroom in their home. They had never
had one before. Then the father came to the building
supply dealer and said, "Will it be all right with
you if we cancel that contract? The bishop talked with
John about a mission last night, and so we will go
outside for another two years." Then the building
supply man said, "The young man will go on his
mission, and he will find a bathroom in the house when he
returns." Here is the spirit of Christmas—the
family which sends a boy into the world to teach the
gospel, and friends who come to lift the family out of
their problems. What then shall you do with Jesus which
is called Christ? Christmas means "giving," and
the gift without the giver is bare. Give of yourselves;
give of your substance; give of your heart and mind and
strength to bring to pass His eternal purposes and to
spread the cause of His eternal truth.—Gordon B.
Hinckley, BYU Speeches, December 14, 1960
(12/12/96)
As I read the account of the birth of
my Savior, I long to have the experience the Wise Men
had—to be led by a star; or to experience what the
shepherds did—to be invited to Bethlehem, invited by
a choir of angels. I want to kneel at the manger and
smell the clean straw and see that tiny baby with His
earthly mother, to witness for myself this miracle. I
believe that in every mortal there is an instinctive
desire to come unto Christ. Perhaps we have a basic human
need, because each of us is a child of God, to make that
commitment to the spiritual part of our being. We each
try to meet this need according to what we know. As
members of His true Church, perhaps we do not need to be
taught new things as much as we need to be reminded of
what we already know. This is what pondering the birth of
our Savior does for all of us. I believe it reminds our
mortal minds of things our spirits already
know.—Sister Betty Jo N. Jepsen, General Conference,
October 1992
(12/13/96)
I visited a southern stake of Zion,
just recently, in connection with our Church work, and
met a poor widow there, who had raised to manhood and
womanhood a splendid family, and when she was speaking to
me, she said that the remark of one of her boys had been
worth all her efforts. "Last Christmas," she
said, "I did not have the means to distribute the
tokens to my children that I would like, and to my
youngest son, who was married, I said, 'My boy, O my
heart aches that I cannot give to you and to the rest of
my children some substantial token at Christmas time of
my love for you. And the young man stood there looking
his mother in the eyes, and said, 'Why, mother, you have
given unto me something more than all the Christmas gifts
that I could possibly obtain. You have given me a good
training, a good education, and more than all, a clean
body—and, mother, I thank you for that precious gift
that has come unto me, and I want to live to be worthy of
such a mother.'"—Benjamin F. Goddard,
Conference Report, October 1917, p.137
(12/14/96)
Christmas means the Christ child, the
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger while
angels sang and wise men traveled far to bring gifts. It
is a beautiful and timeless story, and I hope that you
will read it again this season.—Gordon B. Hinckley,
BYU Speeches, December 14, 1960
(12/15/96)
Christmas means "eternity."
As certainly as Christ came into the world, lived among
men, laid down his life, and became the first fruits of
them that slept, so shall all men live eternally. Death
may and will come, but death has been robbed of its
sting, and the grave of its victory. "I am the
resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die." (John
11:25-26.)—Gordon B. Hinckley, BYU Speeches,
December 14, 1960
(12/16/96)
Christmas means "compassion and
love" and, most of all "forgiveness."
"Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin
of the world." (John 1:29. ) How poor indeed would
be our lives without the influence of His teachings and
His matchless example. The lessons of the turning of the
other cheek, going the second mile, the return of the
prodigal, and scores of others have somehow filtered down
to become the catalyst to bring kindness and mercy out of
man's natural inhumanity to man.—Gordon B. Hinckley,
BYU Speeches, December 14, 1960
(12/17/96)
Christmas means peace. Four years ago
this month, I was in Switzerland. At that time Russian
tanks were rolling down the streets of Budapest, Hungary,
and students were being slaughtered with machine-gun
fire. I stood that December day in the railroad station
in Berne, Switzerland. At eleven o'clock in the morning,
every church bell in Switzerland began to ring, and at
the conclusion of that ringing every vehicle
stopped—every car on the highway, every bus, every
railroad train. That great, cavernous station became
deathly still. I looked out the front door across the
plaza. Men working on the hotel across the street stood
on the scaffolding with bared heads. Every bicycle
stopped, and every man and woman and child dismounted and
stood with bared, bowed head. Then, after three minutes
of reverent pause, trucks, great convoys of them, began
to roll from Geneva and Berne and Basle and Zurich toward
the Austrian border, and across Austria to the Hungarian
border, laden with supplies—food, clothing and
bedding. The gates of Switzerland were thrown open to
refugees. As I stood there that December morning, I could
not help marveling at the miraculous contrast: the devil
incarnate as represented by the oppressive power of the
Communists mowing down students on the streets of
Budapest in contrast with the spirit of a Christian
people in the land of Switzerland who bowed their heads
in reverence, then rolled up their sleeves to provide
succor and salvation.—Gordon B. Hinckley, BYU
Speeches, December 14, 1960
(12/18/96)
And now, my beloved brothers and
sisters, what must we do this Christmas season—and
always? Why, we must do the same as the Wise Men of old.
They sought out the Christ and found Him. And so must we.
Those who are wise still seek Him today. "I would
commend you," urged Moroni, "to seek this Jesus
of whom the prophets and apostles have written."
(Ether 12:41) And God has provided the means—the
holy scriptures, particularly the Book of
Mormon—that all who seek may know that Jesus is the
Christ.... What a gift it would be to receive at
Christmastime a greater knowledge of the Lord. What a
gift it would be to share that knowledge with others. To
that end may I encourage you not only to read the
biblical account of Christ's birth, but to read and share
with a nonmember acquaintance the Book of Mormon account
of Christmas Eve in America and Christ's personal
manifestation following His resurrection.—Pres. Ezra
Taft Benson, Ensign, December 1993, pp. 4-5
(12/19/96)
Why Bethlehem? Is there symbolic
significance in the meaning of the name Bethlehem, which
in Hebrew means "house of bread"? The Great
Provider declared Himself to be the "bread of
life." (John 6:48) How appropriate it was that He,
the "bread of life," was to come from the
"house of bread."—Russell M. Nelson,
Ensign, December 1989, p. 14
(12/20/96)
But why among the animals? He, whom
John declared to be the "Lamb of God" (John
1:29), was born during the season of Passover amongst the
animals, as were other lambs being prepared for Paschal
sacrifice.—Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, December 1989,
p. 14
(12/21/96)
At the birth of Him who is called the
"good shepherd" (John 10:14), shepherds were
the first to receive the announcement of His holy birth
(Luke 2:8-16).—Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, December
1989, p. 14
(12/22/96)
At the birth of Him who once identified
Himself as the "bright and morning star" (Rev.
22:16), a new star appeared in the heavens (Matt: 2:2, 3
Ne. 1:21). Shining brightly over Bethlehem, that star had
been placed in orbit far in advance of the foretold event
in order that its light could coincide in time and place
with His blessed birth.—Russell M. Nelson, Ensign,
December 1989, p. 14
(12/23/96)
"At the arrival of Him who is
called 'the light of the world' (John 8:12), darkness was
banished as a sign of His holy birth (3 Ne. 1:15, 19). He
was born the Son of God and the son of a virgin mother,
as foretold by Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14) and other prophets.
(1 Ne. 11:13-21, Alma 7:9-10.)"—Russell M.
Nelson, Ensign, December 1989, p. 14
(12/24/96)
At Christmastime, young people in all
the world celebrate the birth and life of our Savior,
Jesus Christ. They do this in many different ways. Some
hang glowing lights on beautiful green Christmas trees;
some display manger scenes; some send cards or gifts to
family and friends; some draw colorful pictures of how
they think it might have been in the stable in Bethlehem,
so long ago. Something nearly all children seem to enjoy
at this season of the year is the singing of wonderful
Christmas songs. The carols of Christmas are sweet echoes
of the angel's "tidings of great joy" which
were sung to the shepherds who tended their flocks by
night in the fields near Bethlehem (Luke 2:10). One of
the most beautiful Christmas hymns proclaims, "Joy
to the world, the Lord is come; Let earth receive her
King!" (Hymns, no. 201) Even at this busy holiday
time, this hymn reminds us that the reason Jesus Christ
came to earth was to bring us joy and happiness. By
following His teachings, we find joy. The Book of Mormon
prophet Lehi said, "Men are that they might have
joy" (2 Ne. 2:25). Everything that Heavenly Father
does for us is to help us find peace and joy in our
lives. The most special gift He has given us is His Son,
Jesus Christ. This was the greatest of all gifts ever
given. It includes the gift of the Atonement and the gift
of His commandments as taught by the prophets. With the
gift of the Atonement, Jesus paid the price for our sins.
If we will repent of our sins, and do them no more, and
are baptized in His name and keep His commandments, we
can return to Heavenly Father. This wonderful gift and
promise can make every morning seem like Christmas
morning! Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my
commandments" (John 14:15). As we learn of Him at
church and in our families, we learn to love Him and we
want to be like Him. May the joy of this Christmas season
be with us all.—The First Presidency, The Friend,
December 1995, p. 3
(12/25/96)
I believe in Christ; he is my King!
With all my heart to him I'll sing;
I'll raise my voice in praise and joy,
In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ; he is God's Son.
On earth to dwell his soul did come.
He healed the sick; the dead he raised.
Good works were his; his name be
praised.
I believe in Christ; oh, blessed
name!
As Mary's Son he came to reign
'Mid mortal men, his earthly kin,
To save them from the woes of sin.
I believe in Christ, who marked the
path,
Who did gain all his Father hath,
Who said to men: "Come, follow me,
That ye, my friends, with God may
be."
I believe in Christ—my Lord, my
God!
My feet he plants on gospel sod.
I'll worship him with all my might;
He is the source of truth and light.
I believe in Christ; he ransoms me.
From Satan's grasp he sets me free,
And I shall live with joy and love
In his eternal courts above.
I believe in Christ; he stands
supreme!
From him I'll gain my fondest dream;
And while I strive through grief and
pain,
His voice is heard: "Ye shall
obtain."
I believe in Christ; so come what may,
With him I'll stand in that great day
When on this earth he comes again
To rule among the sons of men.
Bruce R. McConkie, Hymns no. 134
(12/21/97)
"As we approach this Christmas
season our thoughts turn to the lowly stable in Bethlehem
where there was born on that sacred night of long ago,
'The Prince of Peace' (Isaiah 9:6), the 'light of the
world' who promised: 'he that followeth me shall not walk
in darkness, but shall have the light of life' (John
8:12). In this season of celebration of the Savior's life
and mission, and as we reflect upon the events of this
historic Sesquicentennial year, may we carry forward that
which was established by our pioneer forebears as we turn
about and face the future, more fully committing
ourselves to walk with faith in every footstep. May we
grasp the opportunities that are ours, living in order
that we might gain the peace and light so willingly
offered to us by Him who is our Savior. We bear witness
of the life and divinity of Jesus Christ, who is the Son
of God, the Redeemer of mankind. We pray that you will be
blessed at this wonderful season and throughout the
coming year.—First Presidency's Christmas Message
— 1997
(12/22/97)
"Let Joseph Smith's birth be as
humble as it will, it cannot be more lowly than that of
Jesus Christ. The fortunes of the mother of the Prophet
were not more fallen than those of Mary, the mother of
Jesus. A log house in Sharon, Vermont, was not a more
humble birthplace than a stable in Bethlehem. The rude
cradle of Joseph Smith, made by his father's hands,
though rough hewn, was at least equal to the ruder manger
of the stable at Bethlehem; and the occupation of
husbandman, which the father of Joseph followed, and in
which the Prophet in boyhood assisted him, is not more
humble as an occupation than that of a carpenter which
the supposed father of Jesus followed, and in which Jesus
doubtless assisted him, before entering upon his public
ministry. Indeed, I may say that neither Joseph Smith nor
any other prophet has been permitted to start from a more
lowly station in life than the Son of God; for it is
fitting that he who is to ascend above all
things—all heights, principalities and powers,
should also descend below all things, that he might in
all things touch all points of human experience so that
whatever the experience of man might be, however lowly
his station, however distressing his misfortunes; however
poor, forsaken, desolate; however ridiculed, despised,
hated, persecuted; however tempted—looking down from
his exalted throne at the right hand of God, with his
soul swelling with compassion, Jesus might say—'The
Son of Man hath descended below them all.'"—B.
H. Roberts, New Witnesses for God,
Vol.1, p.204
(12/23/97)
"'Glory to God in the highest,
peace on earth, good will toward men!' How simple the
words! How deep, how comprehensive their significance! At
Christmas we celebrate his birth in whose mission on
earth (1) God is glorified; (2) earth is promised peace;
(3) all men given the assurance of God's good will toward
them!"—David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals,
p.36
(12/24/97)
"See, the idea of Christmas is to
give us a glimpse of what the world could be. In 'A
Christmas Carol,' Scrooge gets a look. But the point is
that it should be Christmas every day."—Hugh
Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon,
p.460
(12/25/97)
"Christmas is a fitting time to
renew our desires and to strengthen our determination to
do all that lies within our power to make real among men
the message heralded by the angels when the Savior was
born. Let us glorify God by seeking the good, the true,
the beautiful! Let us strive to establish peace on earth
by exercising that same good will toward one another
which God has shown toward us!"—David O. McKay,
Gospel Ideals, p.36
(12/26/97)
"When Jesus lay in the manger, a
helpless infant, he knew not that he was the Son of God,
and that formerly he created the earth. When the edict of
Herod was issued, he knew nothing of it; he had not the
power to save himself; and his father and mother had to
take him and fly into Egypt to preserve him from the
effects of that edict. Well, he grew up to manhood, and
during this process it was revealed unto him who he was,
and for what purpose he was in the world. The glory and
power he possessed before he came into the world was made
known unto him."—President Lorenzo Snow, Conference
Report, April 1901, p 3
(12/27/97)
"Yes, we still wish Christmas were
more deeply felt and lasted longer, but the visibly
increased goodwill nevertheless reminds us, if only
briefly, of what could be everlastingly. For a few days,
the first and second commandments are more pondered and
observed."—Elder Neal A. Maxwell, The
Christmas Scene, p. 2
(12/20/98)
"Our celebration of the
Christmastide should be so ordered that holy angels can
approve and in spirit participate with us; then shall our
joys and festivities be acceptable to Him whose birth we
honor." — Christmas Pastoral Epistle, 20 December 1930, "Messages of the First
Presidency", p. 287
(12/21/98)
"Five years before the birth of
Christ, Samuel the Lamanite stood upon the walls of the
city of Zarahemla and predicted the signs of the birth
and of the death of Jesus. He asserted that, at his
birth, there should be a day and a night and a day of
continuous light as if it were one day, and a new star
should appear. Since Jesus Christ is the light and the
life of the world, no more appropriate sign or symbol of
his birth into mortality could have been given." — Milton R. Hunter, "General Conference Reports",
p. 50, 1 April 1961
(12/22/98)
"The birth of Christ our Lord was
more than an incident, it was an epoch in the history of
the world to which prophets had looked forward, of which
poets had sung, and in which angels joined their voices
with mortals in praise to God. It was the day decreed and
foreordained by our Father who is in heaven when he would
manifest himself to his children, who are here upon
earth, in the person of his Only Begotten Son." — Heber J. Grant, "General Conference Reports",
p. 13, April 1926
(12/23/98)
"Whether or not the 25th day of
December is the proper date of the birth of Christ, our
Lord, matters little. We join with other Christian people
in celebrating it as such and if we observe it in the
true spirit of the Master, renewing the covenant which we
have made that we are willing to take upon us his name,
and keep the commandments which he has given, our
offering will be accepted."
— Heber J. Grant, "General Conference Reports",
p. 13, April 1926
(12/24/98)
"The mercy, the grace, the love,
the condescension that is involved in the fact of the
birth of Christ into the world is something that is
beyond our comprehension. Yet it had to be, and it had to
occur in the very manner in which it did occur, so that
there would be a Personage here among men who on the one
hand could lay down his life and on the other hand could
take it up again. He could lay it down because Mary was
his mother, and he could take it up again because God was
his Father." — Bruce R. McConkie, "BYU Speeches of the Year", 15 August 1967
(12/25/98)
Whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing
up into everlasting life. — (John 4:14)
"As the Savior offered living water to the woman of Samaria, likewise does He extend to us the salvation He alone can give. This incomparable blessing which we contemplate throughout the Christmas season is an offering of hope, a gift of peace, and a bestowal of love. It is our solemn witness that He lives! We reverence Him as the Savior of the world. We honor Him as the Prince of Peace. We testify that He is the Son of God, our Redeemer, our Advocate, and Friend. We invite people everywhere to drink deeply from the waters of life which He so freely imparts. May our lives reflect His example of kindness, love, and virtue."
First Presidency Christmas Message 1998
(12/23/00)
"With the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, there emerged a great
endowment, a power stronger than weapons, a wealth more lasting than the
coins of Caesar. This child was to be the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords, the Promised Messiah, even Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Born in
a stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from heaven to live on
earth as mortal man and to establish the kingdom of God. During His
earthly ministry, He taught men the higher law. His glorious gospel
reshaped the thinking of the world. He blessed the sick. He caused the
lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear. He even raised the
dead to life." — Thomas S. Monson,
"They Showed the Way," Ensign, May 1997, p. 52
(12/24/00)
"In each of us there is at Christmastime something of our childhood. We
all revel in the fun of Christmas—of giving and receiving tinseled
presents, of singing favorite carols, of feasting on goodies we never
miss at other seasons, of gathering together as family and friends, all
having a wonderful time. But there is something else, something better,
and that is to sit together as families and read again the fascinating
story of the birth of Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem of Judea. It is a
wondrous story told in language ever so simple and beautiful by the
writers of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke."
— Gordon B. Hinckley, "To Do Good
Always," Ensign, Dec. 1994, p. 2
(12/25/00)
"Christmas gifts? There were none at that time. The Wise Men came later
with their offerings. But God now gave His gift to the world—that of His
Only Begotten Son. And this divine Son by His very birth on earth gave
Himself as the greatest Gift of all time. He would provide the plan for
our salvation. He would give His life that we might rise from the grave
and have a happy life in the eternities, forever. Who could give more?
What a gift this was! Think what it means to us! We can learn patience,
devotion, and faithfulness such as Mary had. And like her Son we can
follow the true gospel principles, being in the world but not of the
world." — Mark E. Petersen, "The
Gifts of Christmas," New Era, Dec. 1983, p. 4
(12/26/00)
"I humbly pray that each and every one of us will realize just who we
are and what sacrifice Jesus made for us. And as we go on through life,
let us live each day so that we may be worthy of that great sacrifice
which he made. May we have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May
the full meaning of the spirit of Christmas go with us throughout the
year..." — N. Eldon Tanner, "Our
Greatest Gift—To Be about Our Father’s Business," Tambuli, Dec. 1980, p.
5
(12/16/01)
"The most important gift we received--although we may not have realized it
then--was a true understanding of the oft-repeated story about the birth of our
Lord and Savior. That knowledge and testimony has been the basis for every
Christmas observance I have participated in since my youth. Through the years
all of my own children and grandchildren who can gather in their own little
family groups, wherever they may be, reenact the story of the Baby Jesus and
emphasize the importance of this event and its effect on the lives of all
mankind." — N. Eldon Tanner, "Christmas
Remembrances of the First Presidency",
"Friend," Dec. 1976, p. 4
(12/17/01)
"Certainly Christ might have been born under circumstances so overwhelming
and miraculous that all who lived at the time of his birth could not have
questioned his supernatural origin. But he came more quietly than that, a light
that 'shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.... But as
many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name.' (John 1:5, 11-12)"
— Bruce C. Hafen, "Is Yours a Believing
Heart?",
"Ensign," Sept. 1974, p. 55
(12/18/01)
"This is a glorious time of the year, simple in origin, deep in meaning,
beautiful in tradition and custom, rich in memories, and charitable in spirit.
It has an attraction to which our hearts are readily drawn. This joyful season
brings to each of us a measure of happiness that corresponds to the degree in
which we have turned our mind, feelings, and actions to the spirit of
Christmas." — Thomas S. Monson, "What
Is Christmas?",
"Ensign," Dec. 1998, p. 2
(12/19/01)
"Even though events and circumstances in the world at times become
discouraging, our task, not alone in the Christmas season but always, is to be
of good cheer. The Lord so often counsels us to have cheerfulness in our
lives." — Spencer W. Kimball, "A Gift
of Gratitude",
"Tambuli," Dec. 1977, p. 2
(12/20/01)
"Our Savior teaches in many places in the scriptures the value of giving.
At this Christmas season it is interesting to contemplate that for everyone who
gives there must also be a receiver. Is the receiver any less a Christian or any
less Christlike because circumstances may have put him in a position where he
cannot give but must be prepared to receive? Many others who do not need to
receive will also have the blessing of receiving. To give or to receive in a
Christlike way demands gratitude--gratitude for great blessings if a person be
the giver and gratitude to the giver if one is the receiver."
— Vaughn J. Featherstone, "To Give and to
Receive",
"New Era", Dec. 1975, p. 4
(12/21/01)
"I hope that each of us this Christmas season will be touched by the
feelings of others and give freely, without compulsion or expectation of gain. I
hope we experience the joy of sacrifice, of giving something of ourselves. If we
do so, we will learn this final lesson about giving--that those gifts are truly
great which are given simply for the joy they bring to another heart."
— Henry B. Eyring, "Giving with Joy",
"Ensign," Dec. 1982, p. 11
(12/22/01)
"Christmas is more than trees and twinkling lights, more than toys and
gifts and baubles of a hundred varieties. It is love. It is the love of the Son
of God for all mankind. It reaches out beyond our power to comprehend. It is
magnificent and beautiful." — Gordon B.
Hinckley, "A Season for Gratitude",
"Ensign," Dec. 1997, p. 4
(12/23/01)
"The desire and the effort to give to the Lord, born of the surrender of
man to the plan of salvation, stamp every Christmas gift with genuine value.
They who identify themselves with the plan, who do not resist it, who earnestly
seek to tread the path of the plan, are true givers to the Lord, and their gifts
to men come with the flavor of heaven. The Lord and his plan must have place in
our Christmas celebration." — John A. Widtsoe,
"The Gifts of Christmas",
"Ensign," Dec. 1972, p. 4
(12/24/01)
"I firmly believe that the only way to make Christmas real is to imitate
the Master. We need to form living links with people everywhere whose loneliness
needs brothering or sistering, whose hurts, physical and emotional, need
healing, whose poverty cries out for bread and understanding. Jesus spent his
life rescuing us all from ourselves. Shouldn't we rescue others from loneliness
and discouragement?" — Hugh W. Pinnock,
"Who Needs Christmas?",
"New Era," Dec. 1987, p. 6
(12/25/01)
"We need the continuing faith to declare to the world that Jesus lives
today, that He is our Savior, our friend, the Son of God, and that His church
and kingdom are available to all today. God does live. Jesus is one with the
Father. It takes self-discipline not only to know but also to declare these
truths. With God's love and help all of these things are possible, and they will
bring peace and joy to each of us as we know and understand the real meaning of
Christmas. An attitude of 'come and see' makes it possible for cherished
memories and mountains to overshadow losses and valleys in our quest for the
joyous." — Marvin J. Ashton, "Come and
See",
"New Era," Dec. 1989, p. 7
(12/21/03)
"Jesus was in very deed the great Jehovah of the Old Testament, who left His
Father's royal courts on high and condescended to come to earth as a babe born
in the most humble of circumstances. His birth was foretold centuries earlier by
Isaiah, who declared prophetically, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son
is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace" (Isa. 9:6). This
Jesus Christ of whom we solemnly testify is, as John the Revelator declared,
"the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the
kings of the earth." He "loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and
dominion for ever and ever" (Rev. 1:5-6)." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "A
Testimony of the Son of God," Ensign, December 2002
(12/22/03)
"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between
presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves-giving of the riches
of the heart and mind-and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than
presents bought at the store.... The message of this season that is applicable
throughout the year lies not in the receiving of earthly presents and treasures
but in the forsaking of selfishness and greed and in going forward, seeking and
enjoying the gifts of the Spirit, which Paul said are 'love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law' (Gal.
5:22-23)." - James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No
Presents," Ensign,
December 2001
(12/23/03)
"When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when the deepest
depths of the human mind have been explored, nothing is so wonderful, so
majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace when the Son of the Almighty, the
Prince of His Father's royal household, He who had once spoken as Jehovah, He
who had condescended to come to earth as a babe born in Bethlehem, gave His life
in ignominy and pain so that all of the sons and daughters of God of all
generations of time, every one of whom must die, might walk again and live
eternally. He did for us what none of us could do for ourselves." - Gordon B.
Hinckley, "The
Wondrous and True Story of Christmas," Ensign, December 2000
(12/24/03)
"At the heart of the message of the Savior of the world is a single, glorious,
wonderful, still largely untried concept. In its simplest terms the message is
that we should seek to overcome the selfishness we all seem to be born with,
that we should overcome human nature and think of others before self. We should
think of God and serve Him, and think of others and serve them." - James E.
Faust, "A Pattern of Love," Ensign,
December 1999
(12/25/03)
At this sacred season, we reaffirm the reality of the birth of Jesus Christ, the
Son of God. We testify that He was the only perfect man ever to walk the earth.
He "went about doing good" (Acts
10:38) and beckons to all, "Come, follow me" (Luke
18:22). It is His holy influence that stirs mankind to acts of mercy and
kindness. He who has "borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah
53:4) inspires each of us to reach out with love to the poor, the lonely,
and the downtrodden. May Christmastime remind us that the Prince of Peace, who
stilled the tempest on the Sea of Galilee, has the power to calm the storms in
our personal lives. May His peace fill our hearts and homes throughout the
coming year as we strive to walk in His ways. Sincerely yours, The First
Presidency (from the LDS Church News, 6 December 2003)
(12/22/04)
"There is a season when tokens of affection and esteem are offered in
Christmas gifts. This is a pleasing and commendable custom, but the mere present
bestowed is not so much worth as is the loving look and kindly words that should
accompany them. Costly gifts beyond the means of the giver are unwise, and
wisdom and discretion should be exercised concerning them. It is not prudent to
vie with one another in rich and costly presents involving liabilities difficult
to meet, for, after all, it is the loving remembrance and the spirit in which
gifts are made that commend them to the recipients, and it should be kept in
mind that the mere annual gift or birthday present will not fill the void that
may have been caused by careless neglect or thoughtless inattention during the
other parts of the year. The poor should be remembered particularly at this
festive season. No one should be left without the comforts of life while we are
rejoicing over the advent into the world of Him who taught love and charity and
peace to be extended even to our enemies. The poor ought always to receive our
aid and at Christmas time especially they should be supplied with comforts
suitable to the occasion." - "Messages of the First Presidency of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," 6 vols. (Salt Lake City:
Bookcraft, 1965-75), 4:96
(12/23/04)
"We honor His birth. But without His death that birth would have been but
one more birth. It was the redemption which He worked out in the Garden of
Gethsemane and upon the cross of Calvary which made His gift immortal,
universal, and everlasting. His was a great Atonement for the sins of all
mankind. He was the resurrection and the life, 'the firstfruits of them that
slept' (1 Cor. 15:20).
Because of Him all men will be raised from the grave.... We love Him. We honor
Him. We thank Him. We worship Him. He has done for each of us and for all
mankind that which none other could have done. God be thanked for the gift of
His Beloved Son, our Savior, the Redeemer of the world, the Lamb without blemish
who was offered as a sacrifice for all mankind." - Gordon B. Hinckley,
"A
Season for Gratitude," Ensign, Dec. 1997, p. 4
(12/24/04)
"What a glad season this is when we remember the coming of the Christ
child. There are only a few lines of scripture that tell us of this event, but
their simple words carry with them 'the hopes and fears of all the years' for
people everywhere. ("O Little Town of Bethlehem," Hymns, 1985, no.
208.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Do
Ye Even So to Them," Ensign, Dec. 1991, p. 2
(12/26/04)
"We rejoice with you in this glorious season commemorating the birth of our
Savior, the Prince of Peace. As His servants, we testify that Jesus Christ is
the Son of the Almighty. He left His Father's royal courts on high and
condescended to come to earth as a babe born in the most humble of
circumstances. Angels announced His birth, bringing 'good tidings of great joy'
(Luke 2:10). After His
incomparable mortal ministry and Atonement, angels again declared good tidings:
'He is not here, but is risen' (Luke
24:6).
"We testify that as we follow His divine example and teachings, our lives
will be blessed and we will find that peace that 'passeth all understanding' (Philippians
4:7).
"May you and your loved ones experience the true joy of this special
season."
Sincerely,
The First Presidency
12/25/05
"At this glorious time of year, we bear witness of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
He is indeed 'the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14:6). He is our Exemplar,
our Teacher, and our Redeemer.
"In this year commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith, we gratefully acknowledge the Prophet's unparalleled role as the great testifier of the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. As he boldly declared, 'And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father — That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God' (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24).
"God be thanked for the gift of His Beloved Son. We add our testimonies that He lives and guides His people today. May His peace be with you and your loved ones this Christmas season and throughout the coming year." - The First Presidency, Christmas 2005
12/1/07
In remembrance of the
birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we express our heartfelt Christmas
greetings at this festive season of the year.
We rejoice
in the Savior's loving invitation: "Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come
unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended
towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those
who come unto me" (3 Nephi 9:14).
Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer. We testify that He lives and
that He loves our Heavenly Father's children. It is our sincere prayer that this
knowledge will be a source of comfort and peace to one and all, and that each of
us will seek His invitation to come unto Him.
May the
spirit of Christmas, which is the spirit of Christ, bless and sustain each of
us. - The First Presidency, Christmas 2007
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