Message from a Member of the Seventy
He Has Given Us Life
Christmas has arrived! And for those of us who live in the Caribbean, the season is accompanied by more pleasant temperatures, which give it a distinctive focus at this time of year. People enter into a state of natural celebration. Decorations change the appearance of homes and entire cities. Businesses dress up in lights and colors to excite shoppers. Those who are far away begin to make plans to come home. Those who work are anxiously looking forward to the beginning of their vacations. Families dream of seeing their loved ones and being together with them, and at the peak of all of this is Christmas Eve day, our celebration as a family of the birth, which would take place the following day, of the Redeemer of the world, the Son of God.
In many cases, we have learned that death, the separation of our loved ones, constitutes the greatest heartache we can experience. I also believe that we can agree that a birth in the family, whether it is of a son or daughter, niece or nephew, or grandchild, makes up one of the greatest joys that a person can feel. Birth fills our lives with such joy that we, in fact, celebrate it each year.
It is interesting to see how our Savior, Jesus Christ, can be represented in the two most significant emotional events for people and how, through Him, in both events, we can find common elements such as joy, hope, and peace.
The Savior said unto us, “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you” (John 14:27). Certainly, during some events of our lives, we cannot comprehend how He says that in these circumstances we will also have peace. But thus He said, and it would not only be peace as the world sees it—serenity, comfort, or being relaxed and not worrying. The peace that He promises us is this and much more. It comes along with feelings of hope, the conviction of faith, and indescribable feelings that say to us within our hearts, “But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33) it fills us with a surety that can only come through Him, telling us that all will be well.
The scriptures tell us that by man came death, yet by man came also resurrection.1 In other words, Christ, the Alpha and the Omega2, is the firstfruits of all3, yet in Him all things are finished.4 His birth, death, and Resurrection opened the door so that now everyone, as eternal beings, can return to “that God who gave [us] life” (Alma 40:11). Therefore, in order for us to make our way through this life as rewarding as possible, we must remember that He is the vine5, come unto Him6, and be His friends7. Then, if we are faithful, we will inherit8 all that the Father has, and thus we will have all that is necessary to overcome spiritual death and receive the gift of eternal life.9
He is the reason that we are in this time of Christmas, which fills us with a spirit of happiness, brotherhood, and love that floats in the air, in peoples’ eyes and in our greetings. We want to express in each action that it is because of Him. Because even when at times we forget, the Spirit bears witness to everyone that we are children of God10, that He came to give us life, to give us hope, to join birth and death together in a life full of challenges yet great joy, no matter where or in what circumstances we find ourselves. His love is capable of filling all of our hearts, making us feel the desire to say, “Thank you, Lord!”
The Son of God said that he came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,11 and He has offered us His life.
May we, in these days in which we celebrate His birth, feel the whisperings of His love in our hearts. May we be happy together with our families and friends, but above all, may we be grateful for that gift, which, for each one of us, was delivered by our Heavenly Father in a humble manger in the town of Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas!!!!