“Our Finest Gifts We Bring!”

We love to receive, but giving is somewhat difficult. President Thomas S. Monson said of Christmas: “What did you get for Christmas? The gifts acquired are fleeting. Dolls break, dresses wear out, and fun games become boring. If we change but one word in our Christmas question, the outcome is vastly different. “What did you give for Christmas?” prompts stimulating thought and cause tender feelings to well up and memory’s fires to glow ever brighter.” “Come, they told me, pa rum pa pum pum…A newborn King to see, pa rum pa pum pum. Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pa pum pum…To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum…So to honor him, pa rum pa pum pum…When we come!” Many years ago, when I was 10: “I hid in the bush with my father, I saw in him the father that I wanted to be. We had just knocked and ran as we dropped off some Christmas goodies to a needy family. No one asked him, but he did. I can, even to this day vividly remember the feelings I felt and the spirit of joy that engulfed my heart. In the car on the way home he said: “Son that is how you give a gift to the Baby Jesus!”

 

A moment of silence is the expression for a period of quiet contemplation, prayer, reflection, or meditation. It is a gesture of respect, honour or in mourning for those who have died recently or as part of a tragic historical event or to remember sacrifices. Silent prayer and worship, hats removed, refrain from speaking or moving, heads bowed is a group practice by nations or countries or religions…also a time to reflect, to honour, to pray and to commit oneself to a higher standard, ideal or moral ground. Aaron taught a king “…the suffering and death of (Jesus) Christ atone for their sins…that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory.” The king then asked “What shall I do that I may have this eternal life…to be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy? I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom.” I once asked my dad “How many prayers do you say in a day?”…his answer “One…as soon as I wake, I kneel in prayer and then my heart and mind continues all day to be grateful in respect and in remembrance of his sacrifice and love for me personally.” 

 

“Little baby, pa rum pa pum pum…I am a poor boy too, pa rum pa pum pum…I have no gift to bring, pa rum pa pum pum…That's fit to give our King, pa rum pa pum pum, Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum. Shall I play for You, pa rum pa pum pum…On my drum…On my drum. So I play my drum for Him…” Here is our Christmas tradition: “On the first Monday of every December at FHE, Hana would get out a list and ask us “Who would you like to make some goodies for this Christmas?” We would make a list and on the next few Mondays before Christmas we would help mum make delicious goodies and wrapped them carefully. We would then get into the car and either knock and run or sing Christmas carols at their front doors. We cannot speak for these families, but we know how we felt, the joy it brought each of us as we sang and listened to Christmas carols on the way to the next home. Those moments can never be replaced!” “Mary nodded, pa rum pa pum pum. The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pa pum pum. I played my drum for Him, pa rum pa pum pum. I played my best for Him, pa rum pa pum pum, Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum. Then He smiled at me, pa rum pa pum pum. Me and my drum…When we come…!”

 

President Monson taught: “…true love is a reflection of the Savior’s love. In December of each year we call it the Christmas spirit. You can hear it. You can see it. You can feel it. There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. It is the time to love the Lord, our God, with all our heart...It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much; he who gives time gives more; but he who gives of himself gives all.” President David O. McKay said: “True happiness comes only by making others happy. … The [spirit of] Christmas … makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service. It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

 

In this time of great joy and celebration throughout the world, we should always remember that Christmas is about Christ and his commitment to fulfil an arduous mission “I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me…I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do…I come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” On the third day, two angels proclaimed “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!” In our hurrying and worrying…we need to stop, to be grateful, to reflect, to honour, to bow our heads and commit our hearts and minds to always give a “moment of silence” or  “give the gift or our hearts” for the redeemer, the counsellor, the mighty God, Emmanuel, the King of Kings, the Christ child born on a silent night in Bethlehem. A moment of Silence please…because of the Christ child, born in a manger, crucified, then resurrected, he lives and so because of him, all mankind has been given the opportunity to have everlasting and eternal life, joy, happiness and peace. “Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pa pum pum…To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum…So to honor him, pa rum pa pum pum…When we come!”

 

Love, love, love,

 

Spiritual References: Luke 1, 2, 24, John 17: 4-15, 19, 20, Alma 19, 24, Wikipedia, President Monson’s 2012 Christmas Devotional: “Christmas is Love!” 2 Chronicles 15:7, Psalms 28:4, Micah 6:8, Mathew 5:16, 7:12, 16, 13:23, 25: 33-40, John 3:21, 9:4, Galation 6:4, 7, Ephesians 2:10, 5:9, 2 Timothy 3:17, James 1:22, 27, Hebrew 13:3, Revelations 2:23, Jacob 2:19, Mosiah 2:17, Alma 34:28, D&C 42:38, 64:33, 105:24, 112:34, AoF 13, Moses 7:56-57, President Thomas S. Monson “Christmas Gifts, Christmas Blessings”, Kathrine K. Davis’ “Little Drummer Boy!”