Christmas!!!

Every year I get to December and when I'm done worrying about finals and whatever else is going on, I say to myself, I want this Christmas to be different. How many "different" Christmases can I have? Every year I want to keep Christ at the center of my Christmas, and every year, it seems that that is more and more the case. That doesn't mean that my Christmases past weren't meaningful, just that I'm still learning and growing.

Anyways, I've had a really good Christmas season so far. My BYU Ward Relief Society has been fantastic in serving everyone right before and during finals. My Visiting Teachers gave me some really awesome tomato soup and are always there for me. My roommates are wonderful. I'm going to miss Jamie next semester, but I'll still email her every week!!! I can't believe she's going to Jeruslalem!!!

But I digress. I came home to Bountiful for the holidays yesterday. Well, first my parents came down to Provo and we toured the Carl Bloch exhibit in the MoA. It's beautiful. I went during the semester for my New Testament class, but it was still so great to see it again. I loved being able to reflect on what I've learned about the life of my Savior this semester as I saw each of the paintings. I think my favorite, if I can have a favorite, is the one where Christ is in the Garden of Gethsemane and the angel is strengthening Him. It's just so beautiful and touching, as you can see for yourself.



Then today I participated in my Bountiful Ward's Christmas program. I played the flute accompanying the choir in one of their numbers. I love the spirit that comes from talking and singing about and rejoicing in Christ. After Sacrament Meeting, I stayed in the chapel for the next ward's meeting, because Pres. Eyring was going to speak in his home ward. I'm so glad I stayed for another Sacrament Meeting. As I took the Sacrament a second time, I looked over hymns in the hymnbook like I usually do, but I turned to the Christmas hymns this time. The words from Once In Royal David's City seemed special today for some reason.

Once in royal Davids city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby,
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little Child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle,
Is our Lord in heaven above:
And He leads His children on,
To the place where He is gone.

The Ward Choir sang a number, and a sweet girl bore her testimony. Then Pres. Eyring spoke. He started with the topic of his address, "so that all the students could write it down:" Lights and Hope for the Morrow. He shared his growing up Christmas experiences of helping his mom with the lights (wired in series back then) and anticipating Christmas morning. He discussed that while checking each string for broken lights he was being taught a future skill for computer programming debugging. He noted that each light receives power and passes it on to the next. The lights are all connected. We as people act as lights for each other. We receive light from God and can share that light, give hope to those around us. Pres. Eyring also noted that all the lights are connected, and as people in Bountiful, we have been gathered together. We care about each other; we are connected to each other through the love that Christ has for each of us. We can share that love too. In relation to anticipating Christmas morning as a child, Pres. Eyring spoke to those in the audience who are perhaps waiting and anticipating blessings from Heavenly Father. He told us that God does not break his promises. Things might not happen on our time scale, but God will fulfill his promises in His time. He loves us, His children, and He knows better than we do what we need. He knows not to give us everything we want. Pres. Eyring addressed those who have "been in the darkness and not received light for what seems like a long time." He reminded us to look for the light of Christ around us, to not forget God's love for us. He closed with a blessing of peace, that we would feel the love and peace that comes from God this Christmas season.

I'm so grateful for wonderful leaders of this church like Pres. Eyring. I was able to feel the Spirit during both Sacrament Meetings, and I know I heard the words God wanted me to hear. I know God loves me. I'm so grateful to be able to celebrate the humble birth of my Savior and look forward to when He comes again.