Our Christmas

I thought I should mention something about our sweet child's first Christmas.

Julie posted about Christmas Eve, so you can read that and see the video of us singing. You have to turn her music off at the bottom (the short fat person in the video is me...I never realize how much taller and skinnier my sisters are until I see pictures of myself next to them. The sweater I was wearing did nothing to slim down my figure either!)

ANYWAY, Christmas Eve was great. After the Epperson party, we went to the Deardens, where we were spending the night. We read Christmas stories. I tried for about 3 hours to put Alana to bed. When she finally fell asleep, a certain un-named person work her up, so she stayed up for another hour. I could make the story really long, but let's say I was very stressed (I don't like spending the night at different locations) and the night was not as great as I should have made it. Alana finally fell asleep at 11 and woke up the next morning at 5. I don't know how she did it, but she wasn't grumpy, so it was fine.

It was fun to be with family, so let baby girl play with wrapping paper, and to enjoy yummy food! I thought I'd post the talk I gave a few weeks ago in Church to summarize my other feelings about this Christmas season!!

We left our camera in West Valley, so I'll have to post pics later. Sorry :)

Christmas TalkDecember 14, 2008

I’m trying to be like Jesus. This Christmas season, two questions have dominated my thinking. The first is: how can I keep this Christmas centered on the Savior and teach my children that giving is better than receiving? The second thought has been: How can my family and I be more like the Savior? Luckily, as happens with many Gospel questions, these two thoughts can be answered simultaneously

The beginnings of my answer came while reading this month’s Ensign. In it I read a story of a woman who, like me, was seeking a way to focus on the Savior. She prayed fervently for opportunities to serve others. She was eventually led to a family in great need, and through the promptings of the Spirit, was able to give in an exceptional way. While this story touched me, I was a bit overwhelmed by my inability to do anything that I considered grand. Obviously, our student salary is not enough to provide wonderful Christmas gifts or financial assistance for others. However, I decided that I would pray anyway, although I was a bit hesitant in my lack of faith. I couldn’t think of a way to serve on my own, and in my pride wasn’t sure there was really anything I could do.

This led directly to my second question, of how I can be more like the Savior, not just now, but always? The primary song immediately came in to my head:
“I’m trying to be like Jesus, I’m following in His ways. I’m trying to love as He did, in all that I do and say. Love one another as Jesus loves you. Try to show kindness in all that you do. Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought, for these are the things Jesus taught.” I thought “I can be a little kinder, more gentle.”

I looked to the prophet Enos for guidance. He prayed for those who were his kin, as well as for his enemies. I found comfort and guidance in the words of Elder Eyring: “Another way to obtain a soft heart is to make sure you don’t focus too much on yourself as someone who is seeking purification, think of yourself as someone who is trying to find out who needs your help. Pray that way and then reach out. When you act under such inspiration, it will have a sanctifying effect on you.”

This was my answer, not only to my quest to be more Christ like, but also to how to make Christmas a season of love and giving that is focused on Christ.

But there were still some things to do.
First, I had to pray. Not just the generic about-to-jump-into-bed prayers, but sincere prayer asking who and how God would have me serve. It’s important to note that he loves his children, and while I don’t always know what is going on in the lives and hearts of others, He does.

Next, I had to pay attention to the way I receive promptings. I learned years ago that when thoughts of actions pop into my head, those are almost always promptings from the Holy Ghost. You’d think I’d remember, but this month I can remember 3 specific occasions where I thought “I should take some of this extra dinner to that family” or “I should call so and so” and I ignored them. Yes, it is slightly embarrassing, but in my quest to follow the Savior, I got too caught up in myself. Isn’t it interesting when studying the Savior’s life to note that he went about doing good, yet never is there a mention of Him being too tired, too busy, or just unwilling to help? In fact, he invited everyone to come unto Him. Nothing was beneath him. One of my favorite examples of His service is when he washed his disciples feet. But still, what could I do?

So, I felt like I was doing something wrong. Of course, you’ve probably spotted it. I was not taking Elder Eyring’s counsel, and I focused too much on myself. I wasn’t putting my scripture study and pray first. I also wasn’t looking at the promptings to serve as actual answers to my prayers. I felt I wanted to do something grand. Something that would stand out in my memory. Again, just another example of my pride.

Later I repented. I reexamined what service to the Lord really means, and also the times people have served me from their heart. The true service I have received is not when people have given me money, or gifts. It has been the phone calls and visits that made my day, the words of appreciation for a small task I performed. I realized that those are the most important acts of service. It is a miracle when I think I should do something, and when I follow through, it came exactly in that person’s moment of need. It is a miracle when I wash dishes or scrub the toilet with a song on my lips and gratitude in my heart, knowing that I am serving the people I love. My service doesn’t need to be grand.

Elder Eyring’s words came to me again: “Of all the times I have felt the promptings of the Spirit, they have come most forcefully and most surely when I was asking Heavenly Father what he would have me do for someone I loved and who I knew had a need…My prayer is that, in our sincere desire to have the companionship of the Holy Spirit, we might forget ourselves and get to work—and that we might truly seek the good of our Father’s children. If with all our hearts we try to take his children home again, we’ll be there too.”

So while following the example of the Savior, we can follow that counsel, and also remember President Hinkcley’s challenge for us to be a little better, to stand a little taller. We don’t need to get discouraged in our quest to be anxiously engaged in a good cause, but if at the end of each day we can review the words “have I done any good in the world today, have I helped anyone in need?” and if the answer is yes, then our goals to be like the Savior, and to have a Christ centered Christmas all year long will be achieved.