First Presidency Christmas Devotional

“At this most delightful time of the year, our hearts soften a little, we are a little kinder, a little more humble, a little more thoughtful of the wonderful things of life and of the marvelous things which God has given to us through the gift of His own Beloved Son,” said President Gordon B. Hinckley at the annual First Presidency Christmas devotional, held 5 December 1999 in the Tabernacle on Temple Square and transmitted via the Internet and Church satellite system and rebroadcast on KBYU-TV.

President Hinckley quoted several passages from a book by Charles Dickens titled The Life of Our Lord, “written expressly for his children” and first published in 1934. “‘Remember!—It is christianity TO DO GOOD always—even to those who do evil to us. It is christianity to love our neighbour as ourself, and to do to all men as we would have them do to us. It is christianity to be gentle, merciful, and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts, and never make a boast of them, or of our prayers or of our love of God, but always to shew that we love Him by humbly trying to do right in everything. If we do this, and remember the life and lessons of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and try to act up to them, we may confidently hope that God will forgive us our sins and mistakes, and enable us to live and die in Peace’” (124, 127; capitalization as in original).

President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ.” He told a story about a family who, despite their own financial hardship, wanted to help others. “As Christmas approached, the father received a call from the bishop of his ward, asking if he would consider helping deliver Christmas packages for the poor in the ward since he had a station wagon which could haul many gifts. The father said that of course he would help. After he hung up the phone, he realized that his station wagon contained but very little gasoline and that he didn’t have any cash to buy more. He called the family together to see what they might suggest. They decided to collect pop bottles and aluminum cans in the surrounding area and then to sell them to buy gasoline. Out they went, succeeding in their endeavor.

“The father went to the ward on the appointed evening prior to Christmas, and other ward members proceeded to fill his station wagon with gifts and food for the poor in the area. When his car was ready to go, the bishop handed the delivery list to the father. On the list the father read only one name—his own!”

To illustrate the importance of gifts of love, President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, told of a childhood experience. “Christmas morning came, and I was greatly disappointed to find that my parents had given me a ring. It had no precious stone but was beautiful in its simplicity. It had been made especially for me, but it was certainly not what I wanted.” The ring was soon forgotten and misplaced.

“As I grew older and my feelings for my parents matured,” President Faust continued, “I began to regret my actions. Now, with both my parents gone, I wish I had that specially made ring, which my parents had given to me as a token of their love. If I had it now, it would be a treasured heirloom that I would like to pass on to one of my grandsons.”

President Faust also said: “This Christmas is historic. It marks the last celebration of His birth in the second thousand years since that transcendent event occurred. We now eagerly enter a new millennium of hope and challenge led by our great prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley. There is great promise in the future. Following the Savior’s teachings will sustain us now and in the future as it has in the past. The divine gifts of the Atonement and the Resurrection and the power of the priesthood will permit us as individuals to be joined into families and thereby, if we are worthy, to have eternal happiness together.”

Photo by Jed Clark

Members look on at the annual First Presidency Christmas devotional in the Tabernacle.