“Receive the Gift,” Ensign, December 2020
Receive the Gift
Studying the word of God, serving, repenting, and going to the temple will help us feel God’s love this Christmas.
One November evening I arrived home to discover my children had transformed their bedroom into a Christmas wonderland. Christmas trees, sparkling garland, strings of lights, and paper snowflakes adorned the corners, bed frames, walls, and ceiling. A homemade fireplace complete with logs, lights, and stockings completed the display. That magnificent Christmas scene warmed our home and hearts.
Another of my favorite Christmas scenes was described by the prophet Nephi. Nephi’s father, Lehi, shared a dream wherein he saw a beautiful tree whose fruit filled his soul with joy (see 1 Nephi 8:12). Nephi desired that he too might see the tree that his father described. In answer to prayer, Nephi was shown a vision. Nephi’s account of that experience is, for me, a beautiful Christmas story. He wrote:
“And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all.
“And he said unto me: What desirest thou?
“And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof …
“… And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin. …
“… And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
“… And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
“And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!” (1 Nephi 11:9–11, 13, 18, 20–21).
I think it is significant that when Nephi asked to know the meaning of the tree, he was shown the first Christmas. The Spirit then asked if Nephi understood the meaning of the tree. Nephi gave this inspired response:
“Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.”
The Spirit added, “Yea, and the most joyous to the soul” (1 Nephi 11:22–23).
Through this experience, Nephi learned that the thing most desirable and joyous to our souls is to feel the love of God through His Son, Jesus Christ. That is the real gift of Christmas. However, many of us struggle to feel God’s love in our lives—even during this holiday season. Following are four suggestions of things we can do to receive the gift of God’s love this Christmas season.
1. Study the Word of God
Begin or renew a regular study of the scriptures and words of living prophets. In Lehi’s vision, he saw “a rod of iron” (1 Nephi 8:19) leading to the tree. Those who experienced God’s love caught hold of the rod, held fast to it, and pressed forward until they partook of the fruit of the tree (see 1 Nephi 8:30). Nephi learned that this rod represents the word of God (see 1 Nephi 11:25).
We can invite the Lord into our lives by studying His words. Our commitment need not be overwhelming. When friends ask how long they should study the scriptures, I often answer, “Read until you feel the Spirit; then you may feel to keep going.” It’s not the number of minutes, verses, or chapters we read that matter. More important is the experience we seek to have with the Spirit as we study. The Lord will bless us for every small effort we make.
The Come, Follow Me study for December includes the book of Moroni and a special chapter titled “Christmas.” What better opportunity to immerse ourselves in the scriptures than to study the sacrament prayers and words of prophets like Moroni as they bear powerful, personal witness of Jesus Christ?
We can also study the words of living prophets by reading the general conference issues of the Ensign or Liahona or by listening to their talks in the Gospel Library. Like the iron rod in Lehi’s dream, our renewed study of the words of Christ can lead us to experience God’s love this Christmas.
2. Serve
Perhaps the most cherished Christmas of my youth was the year our family joined with aunts, uncles, and cousins to donate clothing, food, toys, eyeglasses, and appliances to a local family in need. I’ll never forget being part of the large caravan that brought Christmas to their home. That feeling continued long after Christmas passed and the grateful expressions of the mother and her four children remain in my memory. Serving that family allowed God’s love to “[shed] itself abroad” (1 Nephi 11:22) in my heart.
Our service to others need not be grand or complicated. While serving as a bishop, I learned that there are many in our wards and communities who, on any given day, feel lonely, anxious, or overwhelmed. A phone call, thoughtful text message, kind note, homemade treat, shared neighborhood walk, or an offer to help with someone’s children can be a heaven-sent miracle and answer to prayer.
If we will ask our Heavenly Father, “Is there someone I can help today?” a name or face may come to our mind, and promptings from the Holy Ghost will help us understand how we can bless that person. As we act on those promptings, we will experience some of God’s love for them and for us.
The Church’s “Light the World” initiative suggests simple acts of service to help others feel God’s love. If the Spirit prompts you to receive the gift of God’s love in your life through service this Christmas, Light the World can help you start (visit ComeuntoChrist.org).
3. Repent
The third invitation is to receive the Savior’s gift of repentance. Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy taught: “Repentance is God’s ever-accessible gift that allows and enables us to go from failure to failure without any loss of enthusiasm. Repentance isn’t His backup plan in the event we might fail. Repentance is His plan, knowing that we will.”1
This life is difficult. As we strive toward our goal of eternal life, we all fall short and need the redeeming power of Christ’s Atonement. One of the reasons the Savior willingly chose to experience the penalty of our sins was so He could offer us the gift of repentance. He has already paid the price. What remains is for us to choose whether we will accept His invitation:
“Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved” (3 Nephi 9:22).
I suppose we all carry some burden of sin, great or small, that the Spirit has been prompting us to unload. Our bishops and stake presidents can help. The Savior has a kind and forgiving disposition, and He imparts similar feelings to His servants. They love us and can help us be healed through the Savior’s Atonement. We can each accept the Savior’s offer to come unto Him and be made whole this Christmas.
4. Visit the House of the Lord
Some of the moments where I’ve felt God’s love the most have been in His holy temples. There, my sweet wife and I were sealed together for time and eternity. I’ve gone there seeking guidance for decisions and to find peace during times of stress. In the temple, heaven seems more accessible, and revelation seems to flow more readily.
Regarding the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which include temple ordinances, the Lord has said, “In the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:20).
As we participate in temple ordinances, we come to know God, and the peace and power of a godlike life is made manifest in our lives.
President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) promised, “As we attend the temple, there can come to us a dimension of spirituality and a feeling of peace which will transcend any other feeling which could come into the human heart.”2
If it has been some time since you felt peace, why not let this Christmas season mark the beginning of a renewed commitment to attend the temple when it reopens? If you haven’t received your own endowment yet, your bishop can help you prepare. We can also feel God’s love as we find and submit names for our ancestors to receive the blessings of the temple.
The Real Gift
The word of God, heartfelt service, repentance, and participation in temple ordinances are all opportunities to receive the real gift of Christmas. The Apostle John wrote, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). This Christmas, I pray each of us will be guided by the Spirit to choose those things that will help us experience God’s magnificent gift of love through His Son, Jesus Christ.