Christmas

Local congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States and overseas hosted thousands of nativity displays during the Christmas season depicting biblical accounts of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. From hand-crafted nativities to live presentations, the nativities from around the world bear testimony of the divinity of the Savior's birth. Traditional Christmas nativity scenes include Jesus in a manger with figurines of His mother, Mary; Joseph; angels; shepherds and farm animals.

Emphasizing that Christmas traditions of giving are rooted in the life, message and mission of Jesus Christ, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles heralded the Christmas season at the Washington D.C. Temple and Visitors’ Center on Dec. 2. With honored guest, Manuel Sager, Ambassador of Switzerland, Elder Christofferson switched on more than 600,000 lights that will illuminate the temple grounds until Jan. 1, 2014, as part of the annual Festival of Lights.Other special guests for the lighting ceremony included members of the Washington diplomatic, political, business and religious communities. Also attending the ceremony were Sister Kathy Christofferson and Mrs. Christine Sager. J.W. Marriott Jr. and his wife, Donna, once again hosted the event as they have for 36 years, and Ann Santini of the Office of Public and International Affairs noted that the lights were a beacon to all of Washington, saying “come join us.”

The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, released the following Christmas message Sunday, December 8: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Thousands of guests filled the Conference Center on Dec. 8 to hear the words of the prophet and other Church leaders during the annual Christmas Devotional, formerly known as the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Although the name and program for the annual event has changed slightly, the messages of Christmas from Church leaders and music performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square remained the same. The speakers this year included President Thomas S. Monson, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy and Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary general president.

Historic Temple Square in Salt Lake City glows brightly with thousands of Christmas lights ushering in the season of Christ’s birth.

Over the years, I’ve gone in and out of phase with my like of visiting teaching. In the last two years, I’ve tried to be a better member of the Relief Society, by actually being a visiting teacher. There were some years here in the recent past where I was not a visiting teacher for various reasons. But when I felt the spirit nudge me to call the Relief Society President of our ward, and tell her I could do it again, I did. It was a really overwhelming thing for me, even though I felt I could do go and serve. Following that direction from the Holy Spirit has taught me that indeed the Lord does provide a way for us to do the things he asks us to do, just like he did with Nephi, and Moses, and Noah and so many others. Back when I was still a single gal, fresh out of college, and freshly back in Mesa, AZ, after living in Provo and BYU for 3 years, where my visiting teacher was my roommate, and the sisters we taught lived five steps next door, I was in a big singles’ ward with a lot of people I didn’t know, and who frankly, scared me to death most of the time.