Remember This!

I have a little ritual I go through every Monday night. Upon remembering I've forgotten to mail the letters I've written that day, I run down a flight of stairs and stash the enveloped notes vertically in the crevice between the door and door-frame. That way I remember to mail them early Tuesday morning.

A little trick helps me remember to mail my letters

This little exercise prevents me from experiencing that awkward moment where I find a finished letter in say, the glove box, that should have been sent months ago. (This may or may not have happened this morning).

Every morning I study the scriptures for an hour so I will remember what Jesus Christ has done for me. Without this daily ritual I would find my testimony quickly waning.

Why is it important to remember the Lord in all we do? Wise Helaman taught his sons—

Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

These are your thoughts about remembering the Savior—

• Patsy: It is those little things that should matter the most, and we should always be grateful for that
• Elder Pulsipher: When you put the Lord first He puts you first!
• Marnette: [Remembering] sure helps me through hard times, to know how much He loves me and each of His children. Paying attention to the daily blessings, even during the good times, helps me to focus
• Tyson: When we forget what the Lord has done for us we become lost. We forget our way. We forget our value and lose true joy

MORE ONLINE
O, Remember, Remember, President Henry B. Eyring
The Sacrament—Remembering the Savior
To Always Remember Him, Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Like a Dream

I've just finished an exchange with an Elder in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Two days ago we were walking along the railroad tracks, talking about the tricks time plays when you're in the service of the Lord. Each one of the 24 months goes by just a little bit faster. When you get down to about six months the pace accelerates rapidly. I've just two months left.

It was a humid, hazy day, and perhaps the atmosphere contributed to my remembering a scripture in the Book of Mormon. The prophet Jacob is recounting the timelessness of his difficult but rewarding life—

I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore we did mourn out our days.

Jacob speaks as one who has seen a lifetime of sorrow, sadness and tribulation. And while I cannot relate with wars and life in a wilderness, I think I'm starting to understand what he means when he says time passes like a dream. The last two years of my life—the last six months, especially—seem timeless, void of hours and minutes and filled with thousands of little lessons that have no beginning or end.

"Our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream"

I'm determined to measure the next two months not in days but in lessons and in love; not by the ticking of my watch but by the footsteps of my faith.

And then, when this dream is over I'll discover that it has only just begun. See, life isn't about starting and finishing. It isn't about arriving at a destination. It isn't about running mindlessly from one day to the next.

It is all about finding joy in the journey.

And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.

(2 Nephi 5:27)

MORE ONLINE 
Come What May, and Love It, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Finding Joy in the Journey, President Thomas S. Monson
Be Anxiously Engaged, Elder M. Russell Ballard

Christmas Is Christ

Last night I visited a home of friends surprised to find them in the middle of reenacting the Nativity—as if they were celebrating Christmas Eve. As it turns out they were celebrating Christmas Eve on Christmas Day (and Christmas Day today); two of the children had been sick the day before and so they decided to postpone the festivities.

Christ's commandment to remember Him knows no holiday

One of my friends taught me a powerful lesson as he explained to his family that it doesn't matter when we celebrate the Savior's birth (the Savior wasn't born on December 25, after all). What does matter is that we celebrate His life by following His example. Perfect worship is emulation, and Christ didn't ask for a band of casual cronies to pay homage to Him once a year. He said, "Follow thou me" in word and in deed (see John 21:22; 2 Nephi 31:10; James 1:22). That commandment doesn't take a holiday.

When we set tinsel and toys, shopping and snow, music and mania aside we remember Christmas really is Christ. We celebrate His birth because He is the greatest gift God ever gave to mankind. We commemorate His sacrifice by giving and sharing, singing and smiling. We would do well to keep the Christmas spirit—the Spirit of Christ—with us all year long.

Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. He lived and died for us, and He lives again. My greatest hopes and dreams are reachable because of His Atonement. I trust Him. I love Him. And I can't wait to see Him again someday. This hymn describes what I feel in my heart.

These are your thoughts about the Savior—

• Ryan: He is God. Ord of all. Pre-eternal and the only sacrifice that can satisfy God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1)
• Karen: He is my one true Lord and Savior, the blessed hope of the world, the Holy Messiah!
• Paul: One word. He talked about it more than anything—Love 

Christmas Is Family

I love this statement from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf—

In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time.

Spending time with family is what Christmas is all about. How can I forget my many Christmas Eves at Grandma Barton's house? Reenacting the Nativity. Singing Christmas carols. Enjoying scrumptious food and hot wassail. Opening gifts from grandma and cousins. Reminiscing on Christmases past. Playing board games with my brothers, father and uncles.

I thought Christmas was all about the lights. Now I've learned it's all about the Light of the World.

Those memories are as much a part of me as snow is part of a white Christmas.

But last year and next week I made and will make different Christmas memories in Tennessee. I'm far away from my family in Utah. But they are always in my heart.

Most years I spend Christmas with my Barton family. This year I'll spend Christmas with my ward family.

Most years I spend Christmas wondering what I'll get. This year I'll spend Christmas searching for opportunities to give.

Most years I spend Christmas thinking about the Savior. This year I'll spend Christmas living for the Savior.

When I return to Utah I'll regain and retain the wonderful traditions given me by my family. And I'll be able to add to those traditions something I couldn't have gained without serving a mission—my testimony; my appetite for service; my understanding that true happiness comes from following the Savior, not my own selfish interests.

These are traditions money cannot buy. I asked you, friends, what some of your family traditions are. Here are your responses—

• Salvador: Okay, you know I am Mexican so we have posadas, piñatas, we sing La Rama, etc.
• Charlie: On Christmas Eve we watch Doctor Who Christmas marathons, then we open one gift (which always happens to be pajamas), then we make cookies and watch more Doctor Who
• Chelsea: On Christmas Eve we go shopping and then we watch Joy to the World. On Christmas Day we spend time with family and friends. For Christmas dinner we have the missionaries over for Family Home Evening

Christmas Is Love

The other day somebody pointed out that the happy, joyful spirit we feel at Christmastime does not come from trees and tinsel. It is not produced by flashing lights or fancy gifts. The spirit of Christmas is the Spirit of Christ. Feelings of love toward our fellowmen are created within us by the Love of God, even the Savior Jesus Christ.

President Thomas S. Monson noted—

True love is a reflection of the Savior’s love. In December of each year we call it the Christmas spirit. You can hear it. You can see it. You can feel it.

An especially poignant manifestation of this spirit is the too-often-unexpressed virtue of gratitude. Recently I asked my friends what Christmas means to them. Their responses reveal faith in Jesus Christ and gratitude for family relationships—

•  Debbie: When I was a teenager I had lots of nieces and nephews who were little and we always had a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve and the little kids sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. Good memories
• Carrie Lynn: Giving a helping hand to those in need brings me the greatest joy. What a blessing it is to share of one's meager abundance to help those in need and actually appreciate it, even the simplest gifts. And all are blessed
• Nathan: Presents!
• Wiley: The Spirit of Christ—giving, love, joy, peace, forgiveness!
• Debra: It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child
• Salvador: Love and service
• Brent: A reason for the family to get together
• Jordann: Christmas is the small but great miracles of healing the broken-hearted and the effects of sin
• Marissa: Celebrating the birth of Christ and the life He lived by emulating His selfless qualities through giving to others. He has given us everything and we become more like Him as we sacrifice for others
• Jessica: Along with focusing on Christ, my grandpa's birthday is very close to Christmas, so I have always associated the season with visiting my extended family and enjoying the happiness of eternal families

For me, Christmas means spending time with family and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Healthy amounts of wassail and scripture-reading are a must. This year I'll spend Christmas away from my family. But my service as a missionary allows me to teach others how, through God's plan, they can spend eternity with their own families. Nothing could bring me greater joy!

I invite you to join in the Christmas conversation by visiting the website link embedded in the picture above. Learn about the babe born in Bethlehem. Request a free copy of the Holy Bible or a visit from missionaries. Share inspiring Christmas music. Leave a comment or two.

MORE ONLINE
Christmas Is Love, President Thomas S. Monson
The Perfect Gift, President Henry B. Eyring
The Good and Grateful Receiver, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf