Christmas Music -- Oh Holy Night and More

 One of my greatest joys at Christmas is listening to Christmas Music.  I love attending concerts, listening to songs on the radio as I drive about town, singing at church and with our family in our traditional Christmas Eve caroling after reading the story from Luke and before we hang our stockings and say our prayers and head to our beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads.   I usually refrain from playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but I truly love the music of the whole month of December. 

This morning I came across this Youtube video of one of my favorite Christmas Songs, Oh Holy Night, one of the first Christmas songs ever sung on the radio:

And here's a version done by The King's Singers and The Tabernacle Choir:

And one more, just because.  

Angels from the Realms of Glory

The Piano Guys, Peter Holloms, and David Archuleta, December 2014

Scriptures for the Day December 3, 2023 -- Little Children and Christ's Restored Church

 And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.

Doctrine and Covenants 137:10

Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God.  Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need to physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.  

But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!

Moroni 8: 8, 12

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's New Testament Church  restored.

Address by Elder David A Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
April 6, 2025

Scriptures of the Day December 2, 2025

For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.  

Doctrine and Covenants 137:9

Those who reject God as the source of truth, or disavow any accountability to Him, in effect substitute themselves as their God. 

Worship
D. Todd Christopherson
April 2025 General Conference

Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth:  O wretched man that I am!  Yea, my heart sorroweth becaus of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.  

I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.  

And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.  

My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

2 Nephi 4:16-20

Today I also came across this interesting video of John Hilton discussing with Steven Jones of "Let's Get Real", the study of Stylometry, or the study of linguistic style, which shows that The Book of Mormon was not written by one person, but many different writers.  Part of the discussion centers around the portion of the 4th chapter of 2 Nephi commonly called "the Psalm of Nephi."  

Epidemic of Lonliness and Needing Love

This Morning I found this 2023 Interview between Scripture Central's Stephen Jones and LDS Young Men's leader Brad Wilcox.  This Youtube video is about why Brother Wilcox believes God's grace is the key to overcoming the current epidemic of loneliness, needing love, and not knowing where to find it.  He shares memories of his childhood in Ethopia and thoughts on love.   I found it well worth the time to listen:

Scriptures of the Day December 1, 2025

 Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying:  All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if thye had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God.

 Doctrine and Covenants  137:7

And these are those who have part in the first resurrection; and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them.  And thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these ; and they have a part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord. 

Mosiah 15:24

Lifelong discipleship of Jesus Christ begins in our homes -- and in Primary as early as 18 months of age.  We want our children to believe in Jesus Christ, belong to Jesus Christ and His Church through covenant, and strive to become like Jesus Christ.  

Thou Art The Christ 

By Sister Amy Wright
First Counselor in the Primar General Presidency

Light the World For Christmas This Year

 I love the Christmas Season, don't you?   The food, the decorations, the lights, the music, the family get togethers and family traditions, the shopping and selecting of gifts for friends and loved ones!   It has been my blessing to have experienced many happy Christmas Seasons.  I've shared some of our family Christmas Traditons in previous blog posts, so this post isn't about those traditions.

Of course some people don't actually celebrate Christmas, and for those that do, many don't find the season very enjoyable, for a variety of reasons.  Financial situations,  personal and family issues, the loss of loved ones, and just the general stress of trying to prepare and do it all.  I understand.  I've also experienced most of the forementioned issues in the past.  Often the true meaning of Christmas, the celebration of the birth and life of Jesus Christ, Savior of the World gets lost amongst all of the doing of Christmas.   

I'm so grateful for the Light the World Program, a special invitation to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by sharing His light with others throughout the Christmas Season through acts of kindness.  Looking for ways to make the season brighter?  The Light the World website has many ideas of  simple and inexpensive ways you can share the light throughout the season, including this list of ideas that you can print out and hang on your refrigerator.  Don't try to do them all, unless you really have the time and means to do so, but the more light and love that you share, the more light and love you feel!

Wishing you a very lovely, light filled December and holiday season!

Our Thankful Tree

Thankful Tree 2024

Thankful Tree 2025

 We have a Thanksgiving tradition in our family of  taking a few minutes on Thanksgiving Day to write down things that we are grateful for on colored leaves that we then attach to our Thankful Tree.  Some families that I know use their Thankful Tree all during the month of November.  What are you grateful for this year?

Giving Thanks for our Savior Jesus Christ -- (then) Elder Dallin H Oaks -- current President of the Church of Jesus  Christ of Latter Day Saints 

The Healing Power of Gratitude:  Russell M Nelson:

The Divine Gift of Gratitude -- Thomas S Monson

Grateful in any Circumstance -- Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf

Wishing you all a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving Day!