A Letter from a Reader

Hello my friends,

I’m sitting here at work (it’s a very slow night) and I’ve just discovered your wonderful website. My wife, son and myself were baptized on Aug. 27th and we LOVE this Church, The Gospel, our new ward family (Buckeye 2nd), our Bishop and his counselors and all things LDS! We considered ourselves “Christians” but for some reason we couldn’t find a church where we felt “the Spirit” until we were invited to attend a Sunday service at our local meeting house. Wow! The love we felt and genuine interest in us (our family) and willingness to help with anything we needed (as we had just moved to the area) was immediately recognized as something that set these “Mormon folks” apart from the other “Christians” at other churches we were checking out. We instantly felt welcomed and loved by all. My wife and I now realize that Our Heavenly Father delivered us right into the hands of these wonderful people here in Buckeye, AZ.  Being so new to the Gospel we are soaking everything up like little sponges and we feel we have our work cut out for us. Your website will definitely help us to learn as much as we can and I can’t wait to share it with my wife in the morning. Thank you for the great website!

Merry Christmas!

Jeff

A Mormon Christmas

Q. What do Mormons do for Christmas?

christmas-morning

From what I have seen and experienced, Mormons celebrate Christmas in just about the same way that the rest of the Christmas-celebrating-world does.  We (in the U.S.) have a Christmas tree, stockings, egg nog (not alcoholic), family gatherings, presents, a visit from Santa, caroling, parties, and other unique family traditions.

One thing that Mormons try to do, which might set us apart from the worldly Christmas around us, is to focus on Christ as the center of the celebration.  Many families reenact the Nativity at some point on Christmas Eve or Christmas; and we try to emphasize gratitude for our blessings rather than getting more loot.

The First Presidency of the Church (our modern prophet and his counselors) produces a Christmas fireside each year, which is very typical of our attitude toward Christmas.  Watch the whole thing by clicking on this link.

Wonderful Christmas Gift

MangerEach year around Christmas time, it seems like life gets busier.  It can be quite challenging to find the time to finish off projects, decorate the house and get in that last minute shopping.  It’s important to take time and think about the reason for the season, the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

While I was growing up, each year we’d gather the family and we would read the nativity story from the Bible together.  Sometimes my father would read and the children would act it out.  In this picture, we are the wise men bringing gifts. (I’m the littlest wise man in the back)  By taking time to read and think about the birth of Christ it helps us think about the greatest gift that was given.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  – John 3:16

I am truly grateful for the birth and life of Jesus Christ.  Through his suffering in Gethsemane, death on the cross and his resurrection, he has made it possible that we can repent and receive forgiveness of our sins and that we can live again after death.  What a wonderful Christmas gift.

What Are You Thankful For?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints produced this clip.  It is short, sweet, and uplifting.  I hope that you will enjoy it.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Here is what I am thankful for:

  • A church leader who challenged me to be grateful and have a positive attitude and the commandment to be be thankful for ALL things (D&C 78:19, Ephesians 5:20), the good and the seemingly bad.
  • My beautiful wife, who always answers my calls with a voice that lets me know she is happy that I called.  Did I mention that I know that I can trust her 110% and that she loves me unwaveringly?
  • My two kids who stand at the sliding door, bang on it, and shout “Daddy”, when I pull into the backyard.
  • My Dansko shoes–they are saving my knees and feet.
  • My attending physicians who, at times, seem to expect nothing less than perfection.
  • Chocolate chips in the cupboard and that I forget they are there until I need a little chocolate.
  • That I have to work hard to feel successful.
  • My motorcycle–it has the absolute best air-conditioning.
  • Horton the Elephant.
  • Doctors who show me what kind of doctor I want to be (and sometimes the kind I don’t want to be).
  • The opportunity I have to share my beliefs in God with all of you through this website.

How about you?

Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon–An Apostle’s Testimony

The addresses delivered at the most recent general conference (a world-wide meeting of church leaders and members) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints were fantastic, as Jan pointed out in her most recent post.

Today, I want to share with you a talk given by Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the 12 apostles. His testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon is powerful. I invite all to listen to this address, “Safety for the Soul”, and ponder what is taught and then study the Book of Mormon for yourself (you can get a free copy by following this link).   If you do so with a sincere heart and pray to know, with intent to act, if the book is from God, God will tell you in your heart and mind by the Holy Ghost that it is from Him.   The validity of Joseph Smith as one of God’s prophet goes hand in hand with knowing that the Book of Mormon is from God–if the book is from God, the man by whom God brought forth the book must also be of God.  Enjoy.

(I have embedded the talk from YouTube and included a link as well if you want the video to load faster.)

Safety for the Soul, Part 1

Safety for the Soul, Part 2