Reminders of His Love

My wife loves the Christmas season. Every year she hangs lights, places ornaments on the tree, and arranges decorations in our home. Before our first child was born, my wife had wanted to make something beautiful and lasting, something that would convey a message about our family’s love for the Lord Jesus Christ. She did—and for many years her homemade ceramic nativity scene has had a place of prominence in our home during the holiday season.

The years we spent in the Virginia Roanoke Mission were no exception. Displayed in the mission home were the nativity scene, a tree trimmed with ornaments, and Christmas lights. One day I heard some guests comment to my wife about the decorations. Her response fascinated me. “I bear my testimony through decorations,” she said. And looking around the rooms, I could see it was true. The many decorations, and the large picture of Christ next to our family portrait all spoke of her love for the Lord and for our family.

I have often thought of that conversation I overheard. Each of us has an opportunity to share or reflect our testimony daily through what we say and do. Our lives demonstrate our commitment to Christ by what we say, wear, read, and even by how we decorate our homes. You can tell a lot about someone by watching what is important to them.

Our reverence during the sacrament and during prayer is an expression of our devotion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and of our belief that we can communicate with them. By singing hymns and carols, we powerfully express our desire to worship through music. These and other actions demonstrate clearly to the Lord as well as to people around us that we want to fill our minds with noble and pure thoughts and become more Christlike. Every person we encounter can learn by the way we speak, the way we live, and the way we work that the Lord is first to us.

This year as my wife sets out the ceramic nativity scene she made with such care, it will again be a testimony and reminder to all who see it of the love our family has for the Savior.—Larry Johnson, Fountain Valley, California