Making Christmas Memories

10 December 2016

We LOVED President Eyring’s story (at the Christmas Devotional last Sunday) about their family acting out the Christmas story every year – and when the group got really big, they added Samuel the Lamanite, and the unbelieving crowd, who threw things at him! I laughed out loud at that!
( https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/christmas-devotional/2016/12/gifts-of-peace?lang=eng )

I’m remembering sweet photos from years past when our family acted out the Christmas story from Luke 2. . .

And, I am loving the mindfulness of participating in this year’s Christmas initiative to #LIGHTtheWORLD. 

Our son, John, also told us about a challenge one of his mission presidents gave when he was on his mission. The idea is to make a point, in every action we take between now and Christmas, to act for the benefit of another — to focus on giving, and to consider how, when we focus on giving, it affects how we act toward others. Then, at the end of each day, reflect upon how this way of acting helps us be more like Christ—and how it brings us closer to the Spirit. (And, then, record these experiences in your journal.)

I’ve decided to give this a try, along with the Light the World initiative.

This week, my oldest brother and his wife were here. I was on the phone with this brother a few weeks ago, and he said one thing he has always wanted was to be able to go to one of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concerts. I was surprised to hear this, but, I told him I happened to have been lucky enough to get two tickets for this year, and that I would give them to him if he wanted them. He declined at first because he didn’t want to take our seats, and said, “Maybe we can try for next year.” I talked to Bob and we agreed to give them our tickets, so, I emailed and encouraged him to take advantage of my offer, because there’s no guarantee that we’d get them next year. They drove up from New Mexico on Tuesday and have been seeing some of the sights in and around Salt Lake City. Last night they went to the concert. (And, of course, loved it!!)

In addition to that, at the office on Thursday, someone came to me and said she had two tickets for the MoTab Choir Concert for that night that she couldn’t use, and did I want them? I said, “Yes!” However, Bob was sick and didn’t feel well enough to go — and I was able to give them to two different missionaries in our zone. (Sister Filip, from Romania, and Sister Zohrabyan, who is here from Armenia.)

So, I’ve had four different tickets (opportunities) in my hands to attend this wonderful concert without being able to go myself. Yet, I feel such joy at being able to give them away! It feels like I was meant to get these tickets so that I could give them to others. It’s a great feeling!

Yesterday, Bob and I were allowed to take the day “off” and one of the things we did was take our guests to visit Welfare Square. My brother was really impressed to learn about all the different ways the Church provides assistance, both for Church members and for humanitarian aid. (Although he and his wife don’t attend any church, they are very generous and conscientious about giving to worthy causes.) It was a great tour!