[Instrumental: “Away In A Manger’]

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Brothers and sisters, we welcome you most warmly to the First Presidency’s Christmas devotional.

We are grateful for the opportunity to gather with you and reflect upon the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

President Russell M. Nelson, who presides this evening,

has asked me to conduct this Christmas devotional.

We extend our greetings to each one of you and pray that you will feel

the true spirit of this sacred season.

The music for the devotional will be provided by the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square under the direction of Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy.

The choir will open this meeting by singing “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful.”

The invocation will be offered by Elder Ricardo P. Jimenez of the Seventy.

[Music: “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful”]

♫ Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant! ♫ ♫ Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem ♫ ♫ Come and behold him, Born the King of angels; ♫ ♫ Oh, come, let us adore him; Oh, come, let us adore him; ♫

♫ Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord. ♫ ♫♫ ♫ Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation; ♫ ♫ Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above! ♫ ♫ Glory to God, eternal in the highest; ♫ ♫ Oh, come, let us adore him; Oh, come, let us adore him; ♫ ♫ Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord. ♫ ♫♫ ♫ Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born this happy morning; ♫ ♫ Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n. ♫ ♫ Son of the Father, Now in flesh appearing; ♫ ♫ Oh, come, let us adore him; Oh, come, let us adore him; ♫ ♫ Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord. ♫ ♫ Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord. ♫ ♫ Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord. ♫ ♫♫

Our dear and kind Heavenly Father,

with gratitude in our hearts, we have joy for this season,

when we can remember Thy Son and the gift that Thou would bestow upon us.

Heavenly Father, we ask Thee for Thy guidance.

Help us to treasure in our hearts the true meaning of this season.

Help us to find the right gift for Thy Son. Father,

please hear our prayers for all those who are in need,

the ones that were looking for comfort.

Help them to feel Thy love and guidance, and help them to feel the refuge that they can find in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father,

again, we express our love for Thee and for the gift of Thy Son.

And help us to spread this love around the world.

In the sacred name of Thy Son, even Jesus Christ, amen.

The choir will now favor us with “O Come, Little Children.”

After the singing, we will hear from President Bonnie H. Cordon,

Young Women General President.

She will be followed by Elder José A. Teixeira

of the Presidency of the Seventy. The choir will then sing

“Christmas Bells Are Ringing,”

and Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will address us.

[Music: “O Come, Little Children”]

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♫ O come, little children, O come, one and all. ♫ ♫ O come to the cradle in Bethlehem’s stall. ♫ ♫ Come look in the manger, there sleeps on the hay, ♫ ♫ An infant so lovely, in light bright as day. ♫ ♫ An infant so lovely, in light bright as day. ♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫ The hay is his pillow, the manger his bed. ♫ ♫ The beasts stand in wonder to gaze on his head. ♫ ♫ Yet there, in the stable, so humble and poor, ♫ ♫ Come shepherds and wisemen to kneel at His door. ♫ ♫ Come shepherds and wisemen to kneel at His door. ♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫ O bow with the shepherds on low bended knee, ♫

♫ With hearts full of thanks for the gift which we see. ♫ ♫ O sing little children, to Him you adore. ♫ ♫ Sing joy to the world, ♫ ♫ love and peace evermore. ♫ ♫ O sing, little children, ♫ ♫ to Him you adore; ♫ ♫ Sing joy to the world, ♫ ♫ love and peace evermore. ♫ ♫ love and peace evermore. ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ love and peace evermore. ♫ ♫ love and peace evermore. ♫ ♫ love and peace evermore. ♫

The peace and warmth of inspired music just fills our souls. Merry Christmas.

It was December in 1943, and the world was engulfed in World War II.

All were concerned for loved ones on distant shores, and concerns at home were compounded by money and food shortages.

With family resources carefully guarded,

it was astounding to my father, Harold Hillam, then a nine year old boy,

to receive a miraculous Christmas gift: a train set. This is not any old train.

This train moved along the tracks all by itself. No pushing required.

It seemed impossible for such a marvelous gift to be a reality.

Oh, how Harold treasured that train.

A few years later, as Christmas approached,

the world was emerging from war.

Yet economic conditions in little St. Anthony, Idaho, had not improved.

And for my father's family, they had actually worsened.

Harold's father had been gravely ill, almost losing his life.

There would be no gifts for anyone that Christmas,

including Harold and his younger brother, Arnold.

A few days before Christmas,

Harold’s father came to him and quietly asked, “Harold, would you,

would you be willing to give your train to Arnold so he can have a Christmas present this year?” Had he heard his father correctly?

His treasured train? This was the request of all requests.

Christmas morning arrived, and Arnold squealed with delight as he received a train just like Harold's.

Arnold soon noticed that Harold didn't play with his train anymore.

Eventually, Arnold realized his treasured gift was not just like Harold's train. It was Harold's train.

When Arnold understood the significance behind the gift,

that train became priceless.

For me, this family story is itself a gift,

not just because it reminds me of my beloved father and his adored brother.

Even more important, it reminds me of sacrifice—

the sacrifice and love of a beloved Son of God, the one whose birth we celebrate.

Jesus Christ was and is our first and forever gift of Christmas.

I testify of this truth. He was born, He lived, and He died for us.

And He lives still. How blessed we are to be receivers of this joyous gift.

In the words of a beloved Christmas carol, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come; Let earth receive her king!”

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “in view of all God has given to us, we ought to be pretty good at receiving, but we are not.

We who regard ourselves as quite self-sufficient and independent often find receiving awkward, [and] even difficult. …

[Yet] God’s gifts, unlike seasonal gifts, are eternal and imperishable,

constituting a [continual] Christmas which is never over!”

So how do we adequately receive such an exquisite gift?

How do we choose daily the gift of our Savior,

His love and His infinite Atonement?

Let's step away from frosted window panes and painted candy canes and let us learn tonight together from the humble roles of sandalled soles

of the first receivers of the infant Savior. As the birth of the Savior drew near, Mary and Joseph fought their way through the bustle of Bethlehem, but the inns were full.

Did no one have room for them? Would no one give them rest?

Mary knew the gift she was carrying, but no one had room to receive it.

To receive him. We can't truly know what Mary and Joseph felt at this point.

But I have always imagined them moving forward with quiet strength and trust,

heeding the angel’s invitation to fear not.

And now preparing for Jesus’s birth,

they were able to let go of any expectations for comfortable lodging

and instead settle in a quiet, lowly stable.

But what must have felt like a stark setting would not remain so.

The Lord would soon fill the hollowness with holiness.

As Luke 2:7 famously reads, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Our Savior, that glorious gift of life, hope, and promise, had come to

the earth! Can we, can we prepare room in our hearts to receive Christ

and allow His holiness to fill our hollow places?

Like Mary and Joseph, we can trust in Him, even amid sometimes overwhelming circumstances. The guidance, even miracles that come into our lives will probably not be in the hustle and bustle, nor on stages or in stadiums,

but in the quiet places where we live and work, where we go for help.

Wherever our humble needs arise, we can and will receive answers to our whispered prayers.

Isn't it marvelous that some of the first receivers of the Lamb of God were shepherds?

Night blanketed the earth when awestruck shepherds gathered under a brilliant prism of light as heaven and earth collided in the transcendent event of the Savior's birth.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, … for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

We love that these devoted shepherds did not delay their receiving,

but hastened to meet their king.

From them we learn that receiving is an action word.

Luke tells us the shepherds “came with haste” and found the baby lying in a manger. Many times our still, small impressions from the Lord may not be received

because they did not fit cleanly into our calendars or plans or our timing.

The Christmas story reminds us to be like those devoted shepherds who did not delay doing what was needed to come to Him and receive their king.

Now, did you notice? Luke tucked into the Christmas account a joyful prompting that receiving Him is sharing Him, explaining, “When they had seen [Jesus], they made known abroad

the saying which was told them concerning this child.”

These shepherds received this message from heaven,

went with haste, and immediately and thereafter became messengers of heaven,

proclaiming their “joy to the world” and invited all to “receive their king.”

Now let's turn our attention to the wise men.

They stand out among the great seekers of Jesus Christ.

They diligently spent their lives watching for the heavenly manifestation,

and when it came, they left behind comforts of home, jobs, family, and friends to follow the star and find their king.

Unlike the shepherds, there was an ongoing journey that took time.

They had to seek, ask, wait, and go,

and then do so again until finally they saw the young child with Mary,

his mother. They offered gifts that were most precious and fell down and worshipped him. I’ve often pondered, in our receiving of Christ, do we diligently seek Him and then allow Him to lead our journey to places and people unknown to us?

How can we express our gratitude through gifts and worship we offer?

So there it is, the grand Christmas story. My dear friends.

Blessed are the receivers.

As beloved as the gift of my father's train and the tender gifts of time and treasures made by families everywhere,

those gifts pale in comparison to receiving the true gift of Christmas, that of Jesus Christ. “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?”

Consider that scripture in light of this eternal truth:

“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.”

I love the promise that whosoever will truly receive the gift of Christ, given that holy night will have everlasting life.

So we see that through our daily efforts to receive Christ more fully,

we will become as our prophet President Russell M. Nelson

has invited, “a people who are able, ready, and worthy to receive the Lord when He comes again,

a people who have already chosen Jesus Christ.”

How glorious to imagine that day when together we will proclaim again, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come; Let earth,” and each and every one of us, “receive her King.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,

the shepherds said one to another,

Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,

which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in

a manger.” These simple verses of scripture in the New Testament, written by Luke, produce in our minds the imagery of the divine event of the birth of Jesus Christ that today is celebrated throughout the world.

In our home country of Portugal,

the tradition of recreating this scriptural event by setting up the Nativity scene is a beloved tradition.

You will find activities all over the country in various places during the Christmas season, a tradition that is also featured in many homes.

Setting up a Nativity scene often involves the effort of collecting fresh moss, hay,

stones, and other natural materials to create an authentic backdrop for the Nativity. This Christmas tradition of setting up the Nativity scene was a cherished activity during our childhood and youth, and then with our parents and later with our children. Setting the Nativity scene was one of my favorite activities during this time of the year. We kept in a wooden box all the tiny figurines we used to build an Nativity scene and its surroundings.

Often a little miniature of our own village was also portrayed.

Every year, every Christmas,

a couple of new figurines or elements were added to the collection.

There were figurines of villagers, houses, farmers and animals,

wind and water mills, and other natural elements to imitate hills and valleys,

trees and fields. Pieces of reflecting mirrors were used to mimic rivers and streams. At times, even bridges were featured in the Nativity scene.

And of course, at the center of it all were the most important figurines,

the ones described in the holy scriptures:

A flock of sheep and shepherds abiding in the field,

keeping watch over their flock;

the angel that said to the shepherds not to be afraid

and who announced the birth of the Savior;

bringing good tidings of great joy to all people.

The figures of Mary and Joseph were placed prominently around the manger.

Then there was the star, which the scriptures say gave great joy to the wise men and guided them in their journey to come to Jesus.

It was up to all family members to mount the Nativity scene.

Over the course of several days or even weeks, bit by bit, the set was created and assembled with all the pieces in their proper place.

Throughout the season, we admire the Nativity scene and remember events described in Matthew and Luke's accounts that make the celebration so meaningful.

Stories were told about Mary's and Joseph's faith,

about their journey that went up from Galilee,

out of the city of Nazareth and to Judea and to the city of David, which was called Bethlehem, and their struggle to find a place to stay there.

But finally Christmas Day arrived and the baby Jesus figurine was placed in the manger,

and the conversation then turned to the significance of Jesus Christ in our lives and what He did for us, and of Him being the greatest gift of all gifts.

This carol sums up the feeling of the spirit of a celebration:

“O Child of Mary’s tender care!

O little Child so pure and fair!

Cradled within the manger hay on that divine first Christmas day!

The hopes of every age and race are centered in Thy radiant face!

O Child whose glory fills the earth!

O little Child of lowly birth! The shepherds, guided from afar,

stood worshiping beneath the star,

and wise-men fell on bended knee and homage offered unto Thee! O Child of whom the angels sing! O little Child, our Infant King!

What balm for every sorrow lies within those clear, illumined eyes!

O precious gift to mortals given

to win heritage for us in Heaven!”

The Savior Himself testified of this gift to us:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world, ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.” “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believetht in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” What an extraordinary gift.

What a sublime gift! “The Christmas season is a time to reflect and act upon the blessings and opportunities we have because of the birth, life, Atonement, and Resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” I think of the blessing of finding peace and hope,

even amid challenge and trial;

the blessing of divine guidance in times of both triumph and despair;

the blessing of a greater perspective and purpose, knowing and believing that there is more after this mortal experience;

the blessing of gratitude, even when we have less to sustain our own needs;

the blessing of becoming comforted when we feel alone;

and the blessing to be able to give even when we don’t possess much.

These and many other blessings we have because of Jesus Christ.

Yes, because of the baby Jesus I so eagerly waited for to be placed in the manger on Christmas Day in our Nativity scene. He is our greatest gift,

gave us such precious blessings because of His life,

example, teachings, and sacrifice.

Then I ask, shouldn’t we in turn use these blessings to lift the burdens of others, help and encourage them to connect with the spirit of this holy season, and to celebrate the good news announced to the shepherds during the first Christmas?

Christ can transform our Christmas beyond the ribbons of kindness and affection and wrap our celebrations with charity, which is “the pure love of Christ [that] endureth forever.” “Though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not.”

His love continues throughout the year and throughout our lives. Re-centering our focus on Christ during Christmas will provide us a more significant measure of His love in our lives and a greater capacity to love and serve others around us.

When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the spirit of Christ.

May we this season focus on Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

And may we let our own light shine this season by sharing with others our love, our compassion, and our service. Because He came,

there is meaning to our existence. Because He came, there is hope.

He is the Savior of the world, and He is our greatest gift. Of that,

I offer my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

[Music: “Christmas Bells are Ringing”] ♫ Christmas bells are ringing, Hail the Savior’s birth; ♫ ♫ Heaven’s blessings bringing Joy to all the earth. ♫ ♫ Join in song without delay, All the world rejoice today, ♫ ♫ For Christmas bells are ringing, ringing, ringing. ♫ ♫ Hail the Savior’s birth. ♫ ♫♫ ♫ Christmas carols are sounding Jesus Christ is come. ♫

♫ Gospel joys resounding Peace to ev’ryone. ♫ ♫ Christmas tells us, this we know; God loves us on earth below. ♫ ♫ Oh Christmas carols are sounding, sounding, sounding. ♫ ♫ Jesus Christ is come. ♫ ♫♫

♫ Christmas stars are gleaming O’er the Christ child’s stall. ♫ ♫ Children, His redeeming Love extends to all. ♫ ♫ Jesus brought the gospel true, Lasting peace for me and you. ♫

♫ Oh Christmas stars are gleaming, gleaming, gleaming, ♫ ♫ O’er the Christ child’s stall. ♫ ♫ O’er the Christ child’s stall. ♫

I thank President Nelson and the First Presidency for this privilege of speaking tonight.

Our family has celebrated the traditions of Christmas in our own country and in France and Germany and in Brazil. Wherever we live,

for all of us who believe in and follow Jesus Christ,

one beautiful truth stays the same.

We rejoice that He who was called from the beginning,

He who was anticipated for centuries,

He who was the Only Begotten of the Father,

He came! In the meridian of time and the humblest of conditions, He came.

And because He came, the billions who have lived upon the earth will live again and may, if they choose, inherit eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God.

Within the wonderous story of His birth at Christmastime, there are many lessons we can learn.

Here is the lesson I would share with you tonight.

With all the worry and uncertainty,

the difficulties and the trouble that follow us here in our mortal life,

for those who are righteous, who have faith and trust in the Lord,

in the end, all will be well.

Think of these beautiful examples: A righteous woman named Elisabeth and her husband Zacharias,

now in their older years, were saddened that they had not been blessed with children.

Yet they were faithful and trusted in the Lord.

Although the scriptures do not record what Zacharias and Elisabeth may have felt and said to each other,

the musical drama “Savior of the World” helps us reflect upon what may have been in their hearts.

Zacharias declares to Elizabeth, “We have not been chosen to have children, but we still trust in the Lord.”

And then they sing, “I’ll give God forever, but not to do my will. …

If it’s not to be, giving Him forever means I’ll wait and watch and see.

… I’ll … let Him lead me on … until my hours, … my days, … my years are gone.”

Then a miracle happened. The scriptures record that in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias.

The angel declared, “Elisabeth shall bear thee a son,

and thou shalt call his name John.

… And he shall … make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zacharias answered, “I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.”

Gabriel responded, “Because thou believest not my words,” “thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be … fulfilled.”

Think of the feelings that would have come to Elisabeth and Zacharias.

For years they had prayed for children, but none had come.

They continued to keep the commandments.

Then an angel appeared to Zacharias, but in the aftermath, he could not speak. He may have wondered about his standing before the Lord. But in due time, the baby was born.

Zacharias could speak again and the baby became John the prophet, who prepared the way for the Savior.

With all the uncertainty and difficulty, for the righteous,

in the end, all is well. Next in the Christmas story, we meet beloved Mary, chosen to be the mother of the Son of God.

And yet there is concern and uncertainty in her life.

Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her of her noble calling.

Mary asked, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

Gabriel explained that the power of the Holy Ghost would come upon her

and the power of the highest would overshadow her, and she would conceive the Son of God, and His name would be Jesus.

Think of what joy and happiness she must have felt to be visited by an angel of God. How humbling, as she contemplated being the mother of the long-awaited Messiah.

And yet, in telling Joseph, all was not settled. Joseph was a just man.

He did not want to bring shame upon Mary,

but he was uncertain of the right path to follow.

In his trouble and uncertainty, an angel came to him in a dream:

“Joseph, … fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:

for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Certainly we can understand Mary being troubled and uncertain,

wondering how this most amazing blessing would happen.

Joseph also was worried and unsettled.

Yet now it was clear that they were to take this path together.

How happy Mary must have been to know that an angel had appeared to Joseph.

How happy Joseph must have been to know this was the will of God.

With the uncertainty and difficulty, for the righteous, in the end, all is well. Now, as we know, there was difficulty still ahead— there always is.

As Mary's time for delivery was near, the Romans required Joseph to return to the city of Bethlehem.

Mary and Joseph determined that they would go together.

We all love the beautiful Christmas story.

Arriving in Bethlehem, there was no room in the inn.

What worry Joseph must have felt. How could it be? Why must Mary, chosen above all women, give birth to the Son of the Highest in the rudiments of a stable? Would the birth be without trouble or complications?

It could have seemed so surprising, so unjust. But the baby was born.

He was healthy. As the beautiful Christmas carol recounts,

“Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,

the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.”

Before the night was over, an angel appeared to shepherds in the field, bringing good tidings of great joy.

And angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

The shepherds went to Bethlehem to find the baby Jesus.

And as they found the Christ child,

what comfort and reassurance Joseph and Mary must have felt

as they realized there was purpose in the difficulty that surrounded them.

The angels had declared His coming and His noble mission.

After the struggle and the uncertainty, for the righteous,

in the end, all is well. In the new world, troubles, uncertainties, and concerns were also with the righteous.

The prophet Samuel had prophesied that the Savior's birth would be five years in the future

and that there would be a sign of an entire night without darkness.

As the day approached, the unthinkable was in the plans.

A day had been set apart by the unbelievers, who declared the time had passed, that all those who believe that the Savior would come would be put to death.

The unbelievers ridiculed the believers, “Your joy and your faith concerning this thing have been vain.”

Imagine the uneasiness and concern of the righteous.

The scriptures say that Nephi “bowed himself down upon the earth,

and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people.”

And as Nephi was praying, “the voice of the Lord came unto him saying,

Lift up your head and be of good cheer … the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given,

and on the morrow come I into the world.”

The scriptures proclaim, “The words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, … at the going down of the sun there was no darkness. … [And] all the people were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to the earth. …

[And] there was no darkness all that night. …

And they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born.”

With all the difficulties and uncertainty, for the righteous,

for those who trusted God,

in the end—whether in this life or when we kneel at His feet—

all will be well. Thinking about the sacred time of the Savior’s birth,

why would the Lord wait until the very last night to tell Nephi that He would be born on the morrow?

He could have told him weeks or months ahead.

Why did He allow Elisabeth and Zacharias to grow old without children before confirming that the prophet John would be born to them?

And why did Mary need to wonder about the course before her

and Joseph question his place in the story of all stories?

Why would the role of a manger and shepherds and angels be unknown until the events took place?

In the premortal world, the Lord declared,

“We will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.”

And from Proverbs: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

[And] in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

In our times of uncertainty,

in our days of trouble and difficulty, in our struggles—let us be faithful.

Jesus came that holy night.

He is the Savior of the world, the Prince of Peace, the King of kings.

He lives, and “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in [Him] tonight.”

I witness that as we are righteous,

all our tears of sorrow, difficulty, and uncertainty

will be met and made right in Him, the beloved Son of God. “Joy to the world,

the Lord is come.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We express appreciation to the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for the beautiful Christmas music that has filled our hearts.

We likewise give thanks to our speakers this evening

and recognize the efforts of all who have assisted in any way to make this devotional possible. As we enter this sacred season,

we pray that you will be blessed with love in your hearts

for those around you and that you will personally feel the love of our Savior

and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ.

The choir will now favor us with “The First Noel.”

Our concluding speaker for the devotional will be President Dallin H.

Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency.

Following his remarks, the choir will sing the beloved carol “Silent Night.”

The congregation is invited to join in singing the third verse as directed.

The benediction will then be offered by Elder Michael John U. Teh of the Seventy.

[Music: “The First Noel”] ♫ The first Noel the angel did say ♫ ♫ Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay, ♫ ♫ In fields where they lay keeping their sheep ♫ ♫ On a cold winter’s night that was so deep. ♫

♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! ♫

♫ Born is the King of Israel! ♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫ They looked up and saw a star ♫ ♫ Shining in the East beyond them far, ♫ ♫ And to the earth it gave great light, ♫ ♫ And so it continued both day and night. ♫

♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! ♫

♫ Born is the King of Israel! ♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫ Then let us all with one accord ♫ ♫ Sing praises to our heav’nly Lord ♫

♫ That he this glorious earth hath wrought ♫ ♫ And with his blood man-kind hath bought. ♫

♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! ♫ ♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! ♫ ♫ Born is the King of Israel. ♫ ♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! ♫ ♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! ♫

♫ Born is the King of Israel. ♫

♫♫

♫ Noel, Noel. ♫ ♫ Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! ♫ ♫ Noel. ♫ ♫ Noel. ♫ ♫ Noel. ♫

Merry Christmas! Thanks to all whose messages and music and service have proclaimed good tidings of great joy at this Christmas season. Hundreds of millions celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during this Christmas season.

The whole world should do so. His is the greatest life ever lived.

Even in worldly terms, the mortal life of Jesus of Nazareth has had a greater impact on this world and its history than any life ever lived.

He has been the principal subject of prophets and poets for thousands of years. The greatest art and music of the Western world has been devoted to celebrating the birth and life and mission of Jesus Christ.

Philosophers and theologians have spent their lives studying His teachings.

Those teachings have inspired countless works of charity,

manifestations of the pure love of Christ.

No one has had more monuments to His life and teachings than the Lord, Jesus Christ. This, of course, includes the great cathedrals that dot the landscape in Europe and the Americas, many of them requiring more than a century to construct.

More recently, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 171 dedicated and operating temples

and has 129 more in restoration, original construction, design,

or just announced by President Nelson at our recent October general conference.

These houses of the Lord are on every continent and in 74 nations of the world. There we dedicate our lives to following Jesus Christ.

Millions have given their lives, and more importantly, millions have patterned their lives after the Lord God of Israel, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, our Savior.

President Gordon B. Hinckley did not overstate the point when he proclaimed, “His matchless example [was] the greatest power for goodness and peace in all the world.”

We can see an important purpose and symbol in the divine announcement of the birth of God’s Only Begotten Son.

We learn from the New Testament accounts that the announcements of the birth of the Christ child in the Eastern Hemisphere were made to three different groups,

each with very different characteristics.

Those who received the heavenly announcement of the birth were the very humble, the very holy, and the very wise.

The first announcement was to the shepherds in the hills by Bethlehem.

An angel and a heavenly choir proclaimed,

“Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people … a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

The shepherds were probably chosen to receive these good tidings

because they were meek and humble.

Thus, they were uniquely receptive to the message of heaven,

which they verified by visiting the newborn.

Then, the scripture reports, they “made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”

Their work as shepherds and the lambs they tended both anticipated examples of the Savior represented in His teaching.

Also, when Jesus came to John the Baptist at the beginning of His ministry, that prophet declared,

“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

The second announcement of the birth of the Messiah was in the temple in Jerusalem to two holy workers whose godly lives qualified them to receive the witness of the Holy Ghost.

When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the temple for the sacrifice prescribed for the firstborn,

Simeon and Anna both witnessed that He was the Messiah.

The scripture records that Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God

for allowing him to see “thy salvation,”

a “light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people, Israel.”

And Anna, a prophetess, “coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

A third group learned of this remarkable birth.

The Bible, as slightly improved by Joseph Smith, reports that,

“There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying, Where is the child that is born the Messiah of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

From their stated inquiry. we cannot doubt that they were led by the Lord for His sacred purposes.

The Bible teaches that “the things of God knoweth no man, except He has the Spirit of God.”

These wise men were of another land and culture.

So, a witness to them was a reminder that the Messiah was born for all people. In addition, there may have been another purpose.

The value of the gold and other gifts the wise men presented may have helped Mary and Joseph to make their hasty journey to Egypt and to remain there to save the Christ child when His life was threatened by the wicked order of King Herod.

Isn't it interesting that the miraculous event of the birth of Christ and something of the significance of that event was made known only to the very humble,

the very holy, and the very wise?

As Elder James E. Talmage taught in “Jesus the Christ,”

“Indeed, God raised up witnesses for himself to meet all classes and conditions of men—the testimony of angels for the poor and the lowly;

the testimony of wise men for the haughty king and proud priests of Judea.”

Remembering Simeon and Anna can inspire us to be like them

and add our witness of the sacred birth and its purpose at this Christmas season.

For us there is nothing new in the celebration of the birth of Christ.

The message is timeless and familiar. It was taught to Adam.

It was preached to the children of Israel.

It was revealed to the descendants of Father Lehi.

Again and again, prophets declared the central truths of the teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Again and again, they declared His mission and taught His command that the children of God love and serve God and one another.

Repeated through the ages, these declarations are the most important message in all eternity.

For those who follow Christ, these declarations are not to be revised.

They are to be renewed in each of our lives.

Christmas awakens in us a desire to extend ourselves beyond our normal ties of love and friendship. The heavenly proclamation “on earth peace, good will toward men” was not limited to those for whom we already have feelings of love and affection.

It directed goodwill to casual friends, to strangers, even to enemies.

Christmas is also a time for forgiving.

A time to heal old wounds and restore relationships that have gone awry.

Christmas is a time to eliminate arrogance and provocation.

To subdue criticism. To practice patience.

And to de-emphasize differences among people.

We have the incentive to extend sincere fellowship to all persons, those who are and those who are not of our faith.

Observing the command God had the prophet Moses give to the children of Israel, “If a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.

But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.”

Christmas is a time to remember that we are all children of a Father in Heaven

who gave His Only Begotten Son that all would be redeemed from death

and who has offered the blessing of salvation and exaltation to all mankind

on the same conditions. As followers of Christ, we ought to be the friendliest and most considerate of all people anywhere.

We should teach our children to be kind and considerate of everyone.

We should, of course, avoid the kinds of associations and activities that compromise our conduct or dilute our faith in worship.

But that should not keep us from cooperative efforts with people of every persuasion, believers and nonbelievers.

A few decades ago, President Monson spoke these words,

“The shepherds of old sought Jesus the child.

But we seek Jesus the Christ, our Older Brother, our Mediator with the Father,

our Redeemer, the Author of our salvation;

he who was in the beginning with the Father;

he who took upon himself the sins of the world and so willingly died that we might forever live. This is the Jesus whom we seek.”

Latter-day Saints are uniquely qualified to celebrate the saving message of Jesus Christ

throughout the year: We have the gift of the Holy Ghost,

whose mission is to testify of the Father and the Son.

We are children of a Father in Heaven who declared,

“This is my work and my glory—

to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

And the prophets of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the Lord God of Israel,

have declared His gospel: “He came into the world, even Jesus,

to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;

that through him all might be saved

whom the Father had put into his power and made by him;

who glorifies the Father and saves all the works of his hands.”

Therefore, in His restored Church,

we declare “that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.” I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[Music: “Silent Night”] ♫♫

♫ Silent night! Holy night! ♫

♫ All is calm, all is bright ♫

♫ Round yon virgin mother and Child. ♫

♫ Holy Infant, so tender and mild, ♫

♫ Sleep in heavenly peace; ♫

♫ Sleep in heavenly peace. ♫ ♫♫ ♫♫

♫ Silent night! Holy night! ♫ ♫ Shepherds quake at the sight! ♫ ♫ Glories stream from heaven afar; ♫ ♫ Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia! ♫ ♫ Christ, the Savior, is born! ♫ ♫ Christ, the Savior, is born! ♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫ Silent night! Holy night! ♫ ♫ Son of God, love’s pure light ♫ ♫ Radiant beams from thy holy face, ♫ ♫ With the dawn of redeeming grace, ♫ ♫ Jesus, Lord, at thy birth; ♫

♫ Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. ♫

♫ Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. ♫ ♫ Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. ♫ ♫ Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. ♫

♫ At thy birth. ♫ ♫ At thy birth. ♫

Our dear Father in Heaven, as we bow before thee, our hearts are full,

are full of gratitude for Thy love for all of Thy children,

that Thou sendest Thy Son, even Thine Only Begotten Son

to die for us. We’re grateful for the love of the Savior and for all that He has done for us.

We’re grateful tonight for the reminders that we’ve received

that we may be able to rise above the celebrations associated with traditions and the culture of the world, that we may more truly

and consistently focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

We pray that thou wilt shower upon us an added measure of Thy mercy and lovingkindness and divine help. So that as the

gifts are long opened and the carols have faded away and the lights are dimmed, that the light that emanates from our Savior, Jesus Christ, may continue to be felt and influence us and others

as we strive to truly follow Jesus Christ

and have faith in Him and in thee. This is our prayer

in the sacred name of our Savior and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ. Amen.