It is such awful timing—right before Christmas. The day we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But these events are also powerful reminders of why He came to earth. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said,

To be true to the complete experience we must on occasion speak of Christmases—and other days in our individual and collective lives—that for whatever reason may not be as joyful or do not seem to be “the season to be jolly.” …

 

The true meaning, the unique, joyous meaning of the birth of this baby was not confined to those first hours in Bethlehem but would be realized in the life He would lead and in His death, in His triumphant atoning sacrifice … and in His prison-bursting Resurrection. These are the realities that make Christmas joyful.

These tragedies help us to focus on the real joys of Christmas—which are not the lights, presents, trees and trimmings, but are the gifts that Jesus Christ brought to us.

The Gift of His Mission and Ministry

The Savior’s birth was just the beginning of His mortal mission and ministry. All of the gifts that He gave to us came through His life, death and resurrection. President Russell M. Nelson explained,

His mission was the Atonement. That mission was uniquely His. Born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father, He was the only one who could voluntarily lay down His life and take it up again (see John 10:14–18). The glorious consequences of His Atonement were infinite and eternal. He took the sting out of death and made temporary the grief of the grave (see 1 Corinthians 15:54–55). … Not only was [the Atonement] to provide for the resurrection and immortality of all humankind, but it was also to enable us to be forgiven of our sins—upon conditions established by Him. Thus His Atonement opened the way by which we could be united with Him and with our families eternally. This prospect we esteem as eternal life—the greatest gift of God to man (see Doctrine & Covenants 14:7).

Jesus Christ was the only one who was qualified to make this atoning sacrifice to redeem mankind. President Nelson continued,

The Lord’s second far-reaching objective in mortality was to serve as an example for us. His exemplary life constituted His mortal ministry. It included His teachings, parables, and sermons. It encompassed His miracles, loving-kindness, and long-suffering toward the children of men (see 1 Nephi 19:9). It embraced His compassionate use of priesthood authority. It included His righteous indignation when He condemned sin (see Romans 8:3) and when He overthrew the tables of the money changers (see Matthew 21:12). It also included His heartaches.

It is because of and through His mission and ministry that we receive His gifts.

The Gift of Hope

Our Heavenly Father knew that we would experience good and bad, joy and tragedy during our earthly sojourn. So He sent Jesus Christ to earth to give us the hope of a better world, a brighter future and a better life. But His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). So sometimes this hope does not come in the way we expect. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught,

Hope … is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear. …

 

Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God’s laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.

 

In the language of the gospel, this hope is sure, unwavering, and active. … It is a hope glorifying God through good works. With hope comes joy and happiness. With hope, we can “have patience, and bear … [our] afflictions.”

It is the hope that because Christ came, because He overcame the world, we can overcome the world—and all of its trials and tragedies. It is the hope of good things to come, if not in this life then in the next.

The Gift of Forgiveness

Somewhere in our small town are two grieving families—the family who lost the child and the family of the driver. I can’t imagine the heartache on both sides. This is a time for forgiveness. Forgiving doesn’t always mean assigning blame or admitting doing something wrong. Sometimes we must find forgiveness for the terrible situation. Let me explain.

One of my sisters put my infant relative down for his nap—the nap from which he did not wake up—when we were kids. It took her decades to forgive herself and find peace. What did she do wrong? What could or should she have done differently? Why did God allow this to happen? These questions haunted her. But she had done nothing wrong, and there was nothing she could or should have done differently. And all we know is that Heavenly Father had His reasons. I’m certain that similar feelings exist among the two families in my small town. That is just part of human nature. President James E. Faust taught,

All of us suffer some injuries from experiences that seem to have no rhyme or reason. We cannot understand or explain them. We may never know why some things happen in this life. The reason for some of our suffering is known only to the Lord. But because it happens, it must be endured. …

 

If we can find forgiveness in our hearts for those who have caused us hurt and injury, we will rise to a higher level of self-esteem and well-being. Some recent studies show that people who are taught to forgive become “less angry, more hopeful, less depressed, less anxious and less stressed,” which leads to greater physical well-being. Another of these studies concludes “that forgiveness … is a liberating gift [that] people can give to themselves.”

Finding Forgiveness

It’s easy to talk about forgiving others, but it’s often harder to put into practice. Especially during times of grief and pain. Forgiveness is found in the company of faith. President Faust taught,

Forgiveness comes more readily when … we have faith in God and trust in His word. Such faith “enables people to withstand the worst of humanity. It also enables people to look beyond themselves. More importantly, it enables them to forgive.”

More than a decade ago, a gunman walked into an Amish schoolhouse and shot 10 girls, killing 5 of them, before killing himself. It was a senseless tragedy. But the Amish people reached out to the gunman’s widow and offered her and her family their forgiveness and love. President Faust said,

What can we all learn from such experiences as these? We need to recognize and acknowledge angry feelings. It will take humility to do this, but if we will get on our knees and ask Heavenly Father for a feeling of forgiveness, He will help us. The Lord requires us “to forgive all men” for our own good because “hatred retards spiritual growth.” Only as we rid ourselves of hatred and bitterness can the Lord put comfort into our hearts, just as He did for the Amish community.

It is a gift that we can extend to others at this Christmas season. Recently, I saw a person by whom I feel wronged. I bristled at the sight and realized that I still had animosity toward this person, and I need to forgive. President Faust continued,

Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. … Yet such a delay causes us to forfeit the peace and happiness that could be ours.

The Gift of Repentance

Along with the gift of forgiveness is the gift of repentance. While these may not seem like Christmas topics, they are among the reasons that Jesus Christ came to earth. He performed the Atonement, in part, to give us the ability to forgive others and be healed as well as to repent of the wrongs we have committed. As “no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven” (Alma 11:37), we would have no chance to return to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father without this gift. President Nelson explained,

This gift is not always well understood. As you know, the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language. In passages where the Savior calls upon people to repent, the word translated as “repent” is the Greek term metanoeo. This is a very powerful Greek verb. The prefix meta means “change.” We also use that prefix in English. For example, the word metamorphosis means “change in form or shape.” The suffix noeo relates to a Greek word that means “mind.” It also relates to other Greek words that mean “knowledge,” “spirit,” and “breath.”

 

Can we begin to see the breadth and depth of what the Lord is giving to us when He offers us the gift to repent? He invites us to change our minds, our knowledge, our spirit, even our breathing. For example, when we repent, we breathe with gratitude to God, who lends us breath from day to day. And we desire to use that breath in serving Him and His children. Repentance is a resplendent gift. It is a process never to be feared. It is a gift for us to receive with joy and to use—even embrace—day after day as we seek to become more like our Savior.

The Gift of Light

Jesus Christ also brought us the gift of light. From the star of Bethlehem to the bulbs on the tree, lights are a part of Christmas. Elder David A. Bednar taught,

Many of our memorable and enduring Christmas traditions include different kinds of lights—lights on trees, lights in and on our homes, candles on our tables. Indeed, light has significant meaning as we commemorate the humble birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. …

 

In the Old World, Jesus taught, “I am the light of the world.” And in the New World, the Savior descended from the heavens and declared, “I am the light and the life of the world.” In both of these settings, the words used by the Lord to describe Himself were “the light.”

Christmas lights bring so much sparkle and joy to the world at Christmas. But in times of tragedy, they light the way to peace. Elder Bednar continued,

… Jesus Christ is the “light which shineth in darkness.” In every season of our lives, in all of the circumstances we may encounter, and in each challenge we may face, the Savior is the light that dispels fear, provides assurance and direction, and engenders enduring peace and joy. May the beautiful lights of every Christmas season remind us of Him who is the source of all light.

The Gift of Peace

Above all, Jesus Christ brought to us the gift of peace. The Savior taught,

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).

This doesn’t mean that we won’t have trials or tragedies. President Nelson said,

He can bring peace to those whose lives have been ravaged by war. Families disrupted by military duty bear memories of war, which in my mind were imbedded during the Korean War. …

 

Peace can come to those who are not feeling well. Some bodies are wounded. Others ache spiritually because of missing loved ones or other emotional trauma. … Peace can come to your soul as you build faith in the Prince of Peace. … Peace can come to one who suffers in sorrow. Peace can come to those whose labors are heavy. …

 

Peace can come to those who mourn. The Lord said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” As we endure the passing of a loved one, we can be filled with the peace of the Lord through the whisperings of the Spirit.

 

… Peace can come to all who earnestly seek the Prince of Peace.

Elder L. Whitney Clayton said,

The sweetest gift given at Christmas will always be the one our Savior Himself gave us: His perfect peace. …

 

Even in a world where peace seems far off, the Savior’s gift of peace can live in our hearts regardless of our circumstances. If we accept the Savior’s invitation to follow Him, lasting fear is forever banished. Our future has been secured. These are the “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

The Gift of Love and the Spirit of Christmas

The Savior’s gift of love to us is one that we can share with others at Christmastime. We find the real joy of the season as we make the Savior the focus of it. President Thomas S. Monson said,

Born in a stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from heaven to live on earth as mortal man and to establish the kingdom of God. His glorious gospel reshaped the thinking of the world. He lived for us, and He died for us. …

 

Our celebration of Christmas should be a reflection of the love and selflessness taught by the Savior. Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. We feel more kindly one to another. We reach out in love to help those less fortunate. Our hearts are softened. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than in things. To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ.

Unfortunately, life doesn’t stop because it’s Christmas. Tragedies don’t always wait until after the new year is over. But often, that is where we find the deeper meaning of Christmas. When, as Elder Holland said, we celebrate “not in the absence of hard days and long years…, but because of them.” Because we understand that the true joy of Christmas comes in the hope that the Christ child brought to the world.

Luckily, these injuries weren’t more serious. But each of them had something in common: you couldn’t see them with the naked eye. The effects were apparent, but the injuries weren’t. And it reminded me of the injury that we do to our spirits when we sin. The world portrays serious sin—such as adultery, premarital sex, etc.—as having no consequences. After all, you can’t see the spiritual injury. But it’s there. When my daughter broke her arm, there was little swelling. The only sign that something was wrong was that she wasn’t acting like herself. Instead of screaming in pain and crying, she was pale and quiet and didn’t want to move. It took a mother’s insight to see the change, and then I knew that I needed to take her to the emergency room. It is the same way with our spirits. It may not be apparent to others that we have sustained spiritual injuries due to sin, but the Father of our spirits—our Heavenly Father—can see them. And in His loving concern for us, He has provided a Spiritual Physician for us: the Savior, Jesus Christ. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father has given us not only the tools to avoid sin but also the healing balm that we can use to heal us, as well. When we understand this, we gain a greater appreciation for the Savior’s role as the Great Physician of our spirits—and how much He loves each one of us.

The Savior— the Great Spiritual Physician

When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He walked, talked, preached and ate among the least of the people as well as the greatest. The scriptures teach:

And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

 

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

 

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Mark 2:15-17)

About whom was the Savior speaking? He was speaking of all of us. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught,

Because we have all “sinned, and come short of the glory of God” and because “there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God,” every one of us is unworthy to return to God’s presence.

 

Even if we were to serve God with our whole souls, it is not enough, for we would still be “unprofitable servants.” We cannot earn our way into heaven; the demands of justice stand as a barrier, which we are powerless to overcome on our own.

This is where the Savior and His love come into our lives—with the Atonement. President Uchtdorf continued,

But all is not lost. The grace of God is our great and everlasting hope.

 

Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the plan of mercy appeases the demands of justice “and [brings] about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.”

 

Our sins, though they may be as scarlet, can become white as snow. Because our beloved Savior “gave himself a ransom for all,” an entrance into His everlasting kingdom is provided unto us.

 

The gate is unlocked!

This, however, is just the beginning. God does not want us to be merely clean. He desires us to be exalted, as He is. President Uchtdorf said,

But the grace of God does not merely restore us to our previous innocent state. If salvation means only erasing our mistakes and sins, then salvation—as wonderful as it is—does not fulfill the Father’s aspirations for us. His aim is much higher: He wants His sons and daughters to become like Him.

 

With the gift of God’s grace, the path of discipleship does not lead backward; it leads upward.

Thus, just as our family doctor is here to help us to healthy—not just here to help us overcome our ailments—Jesus Christ’s role with our spiritual health is the same. He is our spiritual primary care physician who offers us well-child (or well-person) checkups as well as the emergency room doctor who offers us aid for our more serious spiritual injuries. He is “the way, the truth and the light.” He came to earth to set the perfect example that we could follow back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. And through His infinite Atonement, we can repent from our sins when we fall short of the grace of God.

A Spiritually Healthy Life

Because He is the great spiritual physician, Jesus Christ taught us by example how to lead a spiritually healthy life. President Henry B. Eyring taught,

We believe that through living the gospel of Jesus Christ we can become like the Savior, who is perfect. Considering the attributes of Jesus Christ should quash the pride of the self-satisfied person who thinks he or she has no need to improve. And even the most humble person can take hope in the invitation to become like the Savior.

 

… How that wonderful transformation will happen is captured for me in a song written for children.

The song to which President Eyring is referring is called “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus,” and the words are:

I’m trying to be like Jesus; I’m following in his ways.

I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.

At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,

But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

“Love one another as Jesus loves you.

Try to show kindness in all that you do.

Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,

For these are the things Jesus taught.”

Describing a time when he had seen children singing this song, President Eyring said,

It seemed to me that they were not just singing; they were declaring their determination. Jesus Christ was their example. To be like Him was their fixed goal. And their eager looks and their shining eyes convinced me that they had no doubts. They expected to succeed. They believed that the instruction of the Savior to be perfect was not a hope but a command. And they were sure He had prepared the way.

 

That determination and confidence can and must be in the heart of every Latter-day Saint. The Savior has prepared the way through His Atonement and His example.

One of the ways to lead a spiritually healthy life is by obeying the commandments of God. Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught,

Throughout His ministry Jesus gave commandments. And He taught, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15; see also verses 21, 23). He affirmed that keeping His commandments would require His followers to leave what He called “that which is highly esteemed among men” (Luke 16:15) and “the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8; see also verse 13). …

 

Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.

Striving to live a spiritually healthy life requires work. Not only adherence to the commandments but also studying the teachings of Jesus Christ and His commandments as well as praying. We can’t do better if we don’t know how—and we learn by studying His doctrines.

Repentance and Change

Living a spiritually healthy life does not mean that we will be perfect. We all fall short of the glory of God and have need of repentance. Some sins are greater than others, but they are all sins. President Russell M. Nelson said,

The doctrine of repentance is much broader than a dictionary’s definition. … When Jesus said “repent,” He asked us to change—to change our mind, knowledge, and spirit—even our breath. A prophet explained that such a change in one’s breath is to breathe with grateful acknowledgment of Him who grants each breath. …  Yes, the Lord has commanded us to repent, to change our ways, to come unto Him, and be more like Him. This requires a total change.

Repentance allows us to daily and repeatedly turn ourselves to God and strive to become more like Him. Elder Richard G. Scott said,

Repentance is not optional. An angel commanded Adam to “repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.” Each one of us is commanded to both repent and to call upon God continually throughout life. That pattern allows each day to be an unspoiled page in the book of life, a new, fresh opportunity. We are given the rejuvenating privilege of overcoming mistakes of commission or omission, be they small or profoundly serious. Full repentance results in forgiveness with spiritual renewal. One can feel the cleansing, the purity, the freshness that accompanies sincere repentance at any time in life. …

 

Why have our Father and His Son commanded us to repent? Because they love us. They know all of us will violate eternal laws. Whether they be small or large, justice requires that every broken law be satisfied to retain the promise of joy in this life and the privilege of returning to Father in Heaven.

Thus, repenting and turning our will more in line with the Savior’s is the only way to qualify ourselves to live with our Heavenly Father again.

Repentance—a Cure for Spiritual Ailments

Like my children whose physical ailments required medical attention and time to heal, some spiritual ailments require more spiritual attention and work to heal. Elder Scott taught,

Are you taking full advantage of the redeeming power of repentance in your life so that you can have greater peace and joy? Feelings of turmoil and despondency often signal a need for repentance. Also the lack of the spiritual direction you seek in your life could result from broken laws. If needed, full repentance will put your life together. It will solve all of the complex spiritual pains that come from transgression. But in this life it cannot remedy some of the physical consequences that can occur from serious sin. Be wise and consistently live well within the boundaries of righteousness defined by the Lord.

We live in a world where sin is so rampant that it has become the norm, in many cases. This is where things can get tricky for those who are striving to follow the Savior—and it can be difficult to know which side is right. Elder D. Todd Christofferson said,

… We live in a time not long before the advent of Jesus Christ—… the time of preparation for His Second Coming. And … the message of repentance is often not welcomed. Some profess that if there is a God, He makes no real demands upon us (see Alma 18:5). Others maintain that a loving God forgives all sin based on simple confession, or if there actually is a punishment for sin, “God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God” (2 Nephi 28:8). Others … deny the very existence of Christ and any such thing as sin. Their doctrine is that values, standards, and even truth are all relative. Thus, whatever one feels is right for him or her cannot be judged by others to be wrong or sinful.

 

On the surface such philosophies seem appealing because they give us license to indulge any appetite or desire without concern for consequences. By using the[se] teachings …, we can rationalize and justify anything. When prophets come crying repentance, it “throws cold water on the party.” But in reality the prophetic call should be received with joy. Without repentance, there is no real progress or improvement in life. Pretending there is no sin does not lessen its burden and pain. Suffering for sin does not by itself change anything for the better. Only repentance leads to the sunlit uplands of a better life. And, of course, only through repentance do we gain access to the atoning grace of Jesus Christ and salvation. Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it. It points us to freedom, confidence, and peace. Rather than interrupting the celebration, the gift of repentance is the cause for true celebration.

Adhering to these philosophies of the world can lead to serious sins. How can we know if we have fallen prey to false teachings or just gave into temptations? President Boyd K. Packer taught,

Every one of us has at least tasted the pain of conscience which follows our mistakes. … All of us sometime, and some of us much of the time, suffer remorse of conscience from things we did wrong or things left undone. That feeling of guilt is to the spirit what pain is to the physical body.

 

But guilt can be harder to bear than physical pain. Physical pain is nature’s warning system that signals something needs to be changed or cleansed or treated, perhaps even removed by surgery. Guilt, the pain of our conscience, cannot be healed the same way.

 

If you are burdened with depressing feelings of guilt or disappointment, of failure or shame, there is a cure. …

Regardless of the sin or spiritual ailment, repentance is the cure. True repentance requires specific steps on our part. President Nelson said,

What does it mean to repent? We begin with a dictionary’s definition that to repent is “to turn from sin … to feel sorrow [and] regret.” To repent from sin is not easy. But the prize is worth the price. Repentance needs to be done one step at a time. Humble prayer will facilitate each essential step. As prerequisites to forgiveness, there must first be recognition, remorse, then confession. “By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.” Confession is to be made to the person who has been wronged. Confession should be sincere and not merely an admission of guilt after proof is evident. If many persons have been offended, confession should be made to all offended parties. Acts that may affect one’s standing in the Church or the right to its privileges should be confessed promptly to the bishop, whom the Lord has called as a common judge in Israel.

 

The next step is restitution—to repair damage done—if possible. Then come steps to resolve to do better and refrain from relapse—to repent “with full purpose of heart.” Thanks to the ransom paid by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, full forgiveness is given to the sinner who repents and remains free from sin.

The Healing Atonement of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the spiritual physician because we can find healing and peace in His infinite Atonement. Sometimes we think that our sins are so egregious that we are beyond all hope. President Uchtdorf said,

Sin is the willful transgression of divine law. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the gift of God to His children to correct and overcome the consequences of sin. God loves all of His children, and He will never cease to love and to hope for us. The plan of our Heavenly Father is clear, and His promises are great: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world … might be saved” (John 3:17).

 

Christ came to save us. If we have taken a wrong course, the Atonement of Jesus Christ can give us the assurance that sin is not a point of no return. A safe return is possible if we will follow God’s plan for our salvation.

Once we have followed the steps of repentance and changed our ways, we can find the peace that we seek. Sometimes, however, we hold onto our guilt unnecessarily. President Packer taught,

For some reason, we think the Atonement of Christ applies only at the end of mortal life to redemption from the Fall, from spiritual death. It is much more than that. It is an ever-present power to call upon in everyday life. When we are racked or harrowed up or tormented by guilt or burdened with grief, He can heal us. While we do not fully understand how the Atonement of Christ was made, we can experience “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding.”

 

The gospel plan is the “great plan of happiness.” It is contrary to the nature of God and contrary to the very nature of man to find happiness in sin. “Wickedness never was happiness.”

But through repentance, we can let go of our guilt. President Packer explained,

We all make mistakes. Sometimes we harm ourselves and seriously injure others in ways that we alone cannot repair. We break things that we alone cannot fix. It is then in our nature to feel guilt and humiliation and suffering, which we alone cannot cure. That is when the healing power of the Atonement will help. …

 

If Christ had not made His Atonement, the penalties for mistakes would be added one on the other. Life would be hopeless. But He willingly sacrificed in order that we may be redeemed. And He said, “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.” …

It is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that repentance is possible. We must do our part, but we can be healed from our spiritual ailments through the power of the Great Physician. Elder Packer said,

The Atonement has practical, personal, everyday value; apply it in your life. It can be activated with so simple a beginning as prayer. You will not thereafter be free from trouble and mistakes but can erase the guilt through repentance and be at peace.

I … have witnessed … what has become over the years the annual commercialization of Christmas. I am saddened to see Christmas becoming less and less about Christ and more and more about marketing and sales, parties and presents.

 

And yet, Christmas is what we make of it. Despite all the distractions, we can see to it that Christ is at the center of our celebration.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my husband and I strive to follow the Savior and teach our children of Him. But it is too easy for the true meaning of Christmas to get lost in all of the tinsel and wrapping paper. President Boyd K. Packer said:

I love Christmas. There is a spirit at Christmastime. It descends upon the world—not just to members of the Church but across the world—a testimony and a witness that Jesus is the Christ.

Christmas is all about Christ. When we lose the true meaning of Christmas, we also lose the spirit of the season. President Monson said:

Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the “spirit of Christmas,” we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the “Spirit of Christ.”

The magic and wonder of Christmas are not found in the lights, trees, ornaments, decorations or brightly wrapped gifts, they are found in the birth of the babe of Bethlehem and in the spirit that He brings to the world. Little children easily find the magic of the season because they exhibit the attributes of Christ. When we see things through their eyes, we can “become as little children” and find the magic and wonder of the season, too.

Without Guile or Hypocrisy

Children are without guile or hypocrisy, as was the Savior Himself. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said:

To be without guile is to be free of deceit, cunning, hypocrisy, and dishonesty in thought or action. To beguile is to deceive or lead astray…. A person without guile is a person of innocence, honest intent, and pure motives, whose life reflects the simple practice of conforming his daily actions to principles of integrity. …

 

As parents know, little children are, by their nature, without guile. They speak the thoughts of their minds without reservation or hesitance as we have learned as parents when they embarrass us at times. They do not deceive. They set an example of being without guile.

I learn much from my children about this. Coming home recently from a day at the ski hill, we passed a car that was stuck in a snowdrift on the side of the road. As we drove by, my kids said, “Mom! Why aren’t you stopping to help that guy?” Their first thought was to help out someone in need. I was thinking in more practical terms, and I didn’t know if I had a tow rope with me.

Children are inherently without guile or hypocrisy. They don’t look for ulterior motives in others, and they don’t have their own. This is just as the Savior is, and this is how the Savior would have us be. When we view Christmas through this lens, we can see the everyday miracles of those who do stop to help just because someone is in need. We see the goodness and beauty around us, and we can feel the spirit of the season.

Meek and Humble

Children are, inherently, meek and humble. These are also attributes of Jesus Christ. The Savior’s birth illustrates the depth of His humility and meekness. The Savior of the world was not born in a lavish home—He was not even born at home. Rather, Mary and Joseph were miles away from home, paying their taxes in a strange city where they could not even find a room in an inn. Of this holy scene, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said,

… They had to descend from human company to a stable, a grotto full of animals, there to bring forth the Son of God.

 

I wonder what emotions Joseph might have had as he cleared away the dung and debris. I wonder if he felt the sting of tears as he hurriedly tried to find the cleanest straw and hold the animals back. I wonder if he wondered: “Could there be a more unhealthy, a more disease-ridden, a more despicable circumstance in which a child could be born? Is this a place fit for a king? Should the mother of the Son of God be asked to enter the valley of the shadow of death in such a foul and unfamiliar place as this? Is it wrong to wish her some comfort? Is it right He should be born here?”

 

But I am certain Joseph did not mutter and Mary did not wail. They knew a great deal and did the best they could. …

 

I have wondered if this young woman, something of a child herself, here bearing her first baby, might have wished her mother, or an aunt, or her sister, or a friend, to be near her through the labor. Surely the birth of such a son as this should command the aid and attention of every midwife in Judea! … But it was not to be so. With only Joseph’s inexperienced assistance, [Mary] herself brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in the little clothes she had knowingly brought on her journey, and perhaps laid him on a pillow of hay.

But there is strength and power in the Savior’s humility. Elder Holland said,

Perhaps these parents knew even then that in the beginning of his mortal life, as well as in the end, this baby son born to them would have to descend beneath every human pain and disappointment. He would do so to help those who also felt they had been born without advantage. …

 

At this focal point of all human history, a point illuminated by a new star in the heavens revealed for just such a purpose, probably no other mortal watched—none but a poor young carpenter, a beautiful virgin mother, and silent stabled animals who had not the power to utter the sacredness they had seen.

The story of the Christ child’s birth is profound and beautiful not from all the trappings and bows, but  from the lack of it. The scene full of such abject poverty radiates the light of the Son of God. Young children find the joy and wonder of this simple, yet profound, scene.

The Spirit of Unconditional Giving

I have to admit that my favorite part of Christmas is the giving of gifts. I send my kids to school with tokens of appreciation for their teachers and the front office staff. Some of my kids are shy about approaching these adults, but they all feel the spirit in the giving. Children love to spread this joy of giving at Christmastime. My Christmas tree is full of homemade ornaments that my kids were so excited for us to unwrap. This spirit of unconditional giving is the spirit of Christ. President Howard W. Hunter said,

Never did the Savior give in expectation of receiving. He gave freely and lovingly, and His gifts were of inestimable value. He gave eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, and legs to the lame; cleanliness to the unclean, wholeness to the infirm, and breath to the lifeless. His gifts were opportunity to the downtrodden, freedom to the oppressed, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing, and light in the darkness. He gave us His love, His service, and His life. And most important, He gave us and all mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life.

 

We should strive to give as He gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift. We give as a remembrance of all the Savior has given.

We can never match the gifts of the Savior, and that’s OK. The important thing is that we give. The greatest gifts are those that come from the heart. I love the age when my children discover the joy of giving. My youngest is still at the stage where he wraps up his toys and gives them out as gifts to me and others in our family. His eyes light up when we unwrap one of his treasures. It is his way of showing his love for his family members. Each of my children has passed through this stage, and I love it. As President Hunter said,

Christmas is a celebration, and there is no celebration that compares with the realization of its true meaning—with the sudden stirring of the heart that has extended itself unselfishly in the things that matter most.

The things that matter most are the gifts of oneself. Freely forgiving another. Showing compassion and love to those in need. Extending a hand of friendship to someone who is struggling. These are the greatest gifts because they are the gifts of Christ.

Spirit of Christ in the Magic of Christmas

The true magic and wonder of Christmas are found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

Think of the simple yet dignified way our Heavenly Father chose to honor the birth of His Son. On that holy night, angels appeared not to the rich but to shepherds. The Christ child was born not in a mansion but in a manger. He was wrapped not in silk but in swaddling clothes.

 

The simplicity of that first Christmas foreshadowed the life of the Savior. Though He had created the earth, walked in realms of majesty and glory, and stood at the right hand of the Father, He came to earth as a helpless child. His life was a model of modest nobility, and He walked among the poor, the sick, the downcast, and the heavy laden.

 

Though He was a king, He cared neither for the honors nor the riches of men. His life, His words, and His daily activities were monuments of simple yet profound dignity.

Humility, meekness, forgiveness, love unfeigned and without guile are the gifts of a King. They are His attributes, and emulating them will bring us closer to Him. The Savior taught that the best way to do this is to become as a little child. (See Matthew 18:2-5.) We can learn so much from children—especially during the Christmas season. Sister Rosemary M. Wixom said:

… Children invite the magic of Christmas into our hearts. We miss something if we don’t see Christmas through a child’s eyes, for children see the lights, they hear the music, and they smell the fragrance of Christmas trees and candy canes with real anticipation. We see their rosy cheeks and little noses pressed against the glass of store windows as they dream of Christmas morning, and their tiny fingers count the days until December 25. Parents also count the days until December 25. They dream of being ready for Christmas morning as they plan and create surprises for their children.

Christmas only lasts for a day, and children are only young for a few short years. But it’s important for us to remember that the magic of Christmas doesn’t end on December 26, nor does it end with the teen years. Sister Wixon said,

The wonder and awe of Christmas is just a beginning. Christmas reminds us that the babe born in Bethlehem has given us purpose for living, and what happens next to us largely depends on how we embrace our Savior, Jesus Christ, and follow Him. Every day we invite His Spirit into our lives. We see light in others; we hear the joy of children’s voices that bring hope and anticipation for the future. We look for reasons to gather, to include, to serve, and to lift, while we learn what it really means to know our Savior, Jesus Christ. We find ourselves counting the days until the events in our lives when we more intently feel His influence—for example, the birth of a baby, a child’s baptism, a missionary departing, a marriage solemnized in the temple, and partaking of the sacrament each week. Through Christlike and childlike faith we seek Him and we feel His influence.

When we see through the eyes of a child, we can see the wonder and magic in the Christmas season. And if we continue to humble ourselves, we can keep the spirit of Christmas—which is the spirit of Christ—with us throughout the year and through the years.

[One of the greatest things about speaking in church, as I’m sure you will all agree, is having an undivided audience who cannot leave. It’s why I talk to strangers in elevators= you just simply can’t get away from me.

Some of you here know me, you know my background, my story. An even smaller amount of you understand my humor and my quirks. But for those of you who have no idea who I am: simply some strange woman who delights in public speaking and conversing with people who can’t readily escape — for those few I should probably explain myself a little more clearly: I am a Steyskal.

I share all of the Steyskal traits: humility, passivity, and debilitating shyness. We are a quiet group and not prone to pomp or embellishment. We come from a rich lineage of meekness and we shall inherit the earth: forthwith.

I am the middle child and am prone to bursts of randomness but it always makes sense in the end. I currently work for Providence Medical Group and have been in pharmacy for the last 15 years. Recently I decided that I’m a writer and have been spending my free time writing for anybody that will let me — currently a couple of websites and my own personal blog.

I have a son Braden who is nine years old and is rather chillaxed and pretty cool. We are both thriving in the Gladstone Ward thanks to some pretty remarkable friends, church leaders and an abundance of family. Seriously though, the Steyskal clan is slowly taking over your ranks; which everyone knows is the first step to world domination.  If we fail, surely it won’t be from lack of determination…just lack of meekness.]

Your Relationship with Christ in Pre-Mortality

Light of the World, by Brent Borup

I was asked to reflect on gratitude today, but I wanted to dive a little deeper and focus on gratitude as it pertains to our own personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Let me set the stage for you:

There is a particular moment from girls’ camp that I go back to every once in awhile. A small group of us had taken our free time to venture out into the forest, and after finding the perfect spot to take in the natural beauty and summer sunshine, we began to speculate on our own contributions to the creation of this beautiful world.

“What flowers do you think you made?” one of the girls asked me.

I had never thought about it before, it almost seemed blasphemous to assume I had anything to do with the creation — that was all on God, surely I had no say in the matter.

But what if I did? What if we all did?

At that ah-ha moment my imagination ran rampant. I like to think that I was personally responsible for the Venus Fly Trap, if anything to add a little macabre to the mix of pink tulips, romantic roses and happy sunflowers that the other girls were bragging about.

There have been many times since then that I have meditated further on that idea: that there I was in pre-mortality: sitting next to my Brother (Jesus Christ) talking quietly about flowers. He explaining the concept and me doing my best to appreciate His vision, the world He would create for me.

Why wouldn’t it have happened like that?

Is it too much to theorize that we each had a personal relationship with our Savior in pre-mortality? That we had our own individual time with Him where we would converse and share our feelings? Time spent of Him learning about and delighting in my personality, my ever evolving character, and seeing my many strengths and weakness unfold, He saw in me the person I was meant to become and He encouraged me to always turn to my Heavenly Father for guidance.

We spoke face to face. He explained His plan to me and why it was important that I chose for myself. There was no mass conference meeting with a Power Point presentation of the Plan of Salvation. I was taught the plan from Him personally, and He asked me how I felt about it.

I know how I felt: simply by being here I know I chose to follow Him.

I was there, I made my voice heard, and I chose to follow Jesus. He was never a figure in the crowd; a celebrity out of reach that would walk by: with me fighting amongst raging teenage fan-girls trying to get a selfie with Him. He wasn’t someone I heard of, He was someone I knew. And He knew me.

I feel very strongly that right before I came to Earth, He asked me how I felt about the upcoming departure: was I excited? Was I scared? Was I anxious?

Then He comforted me: telling me that because He knew me, He chose the perfect Earthly companions for me: that I would need strong, courageous and loyal brothers…a lot of them. He gave me sweet yet feisty sisters who understand me. Because He knew me, He knew who my parents should be. And because He loved me, He chose for me the friends and extended family that I needed the most and who needed me as well: quirks and all.

Haven’t you ever wondered about that? How you came to know Him, to trust Him, to love Him enough to choose Him? But most importantly, have you ever wondered how you can know Him now?

Being veiled from the Heavenly plane was never the end of our relationship with Jesus, it was simply another step. I can’t recall the moment when He told me that by choosing His plan I would not remember Him. But I can only assume that it was said with love and received with hope.

Reconnecting with Christ on Earth

So here we are, journeying through, and we have an opportunity to know Him again. To rebuild our personal relationship with our Brother, our Savior: Jesus Christ.  If He was to enter through those chapel doors right now, how many of us would recognize Him? Our earthly senses will not be able to help us: the pictures depicting Christ are only just that — depictions. We need to have an instinctive pull so secure that we feel His presence before we can even see Him.

About five years ago after my divorce I had moved out into my own apartment. After talking with my sisters-in-law, I explained that if I came home too late there are often no places for me to park, making me have to park two blocks away on the main street next to the railroad tracks.

My sisters, to say the least, were concerned for my safety, and that night after our family dinner I was told to text them as soon as I got home so they knew I made it inside safely. By the time I got home I had completely forgotten, as I was more concerned with my cell phone battery being dead: I connected the charger and went about my nightly routine to get ready for bed. An hour later I had a knock at the door and instinctively knew both of my brothers were there.  I ran to the door and saw them not exactly looking thrilled to be there. 

Brad was the first to speak, saying that I had received several texts from his concerned wife and had failed to respond to any of them. “Oh, my battery was dead,” I explained.

“You don’t say? Allison told me she was worried about you and that she wasn’t going to get any sleep until she knew you were safe; which meant that I wasn’t going to get any sleep until she knew you were safe,” Brad said.

Seth quickly interrupted: “And since Brad wasn’t going to get any sleep, it meant that I wouldn’t either [Brad never suffers alone] so here we both are.” 

My brothers came in and gave a blessing for my apartment to keep me and my son safe and secure. There have been many knocks on my door since then, and I have always known when my brothers were on the other side.

Our spiritual connection needs to be so strong that when Christ knocks we instinctively know it is Him and are willing to let Him in. For the past several years I have heard Him knocking but couldn’t answer. My guilt, grief and shame kept me from facing my Savior. The paradox: that no unclean thing can live with Him and here I was a flawed human.  I just couldn’t answer. It wasn’t until I allowed the Atonement into my life that I was able to open the door. The Atonement acting as the door handle that enables us to open our hearts to Christ. 

To expand further on how to reconnect with our Savior, I have three major points I’d like to discuss:

1. How we can learn about him through scripture both past and present: from the Prophets and Apostles called as special witnesses.
2. How we can serve others in His name.
3. How we can develop gratitude from understanding and utilizing the Atonement.

Firstly: scripture study of the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price are also to be studied along with teachings from Latter-day Prophets. “Ponderizing” the scriptures became a social media craze brought on by Brother Devin Durrant (at the October 2015 general Conference) who challenged us to memorize and ponder a scripture each week. The idea is simple, yet can have everlasting effects, as we take to the scriptures to better understand who we are and where we came from.

Sincere prayer before reading can open our minds and spirit to hear the messages Christ has for us.  We have prophets witnessing to each of us of Christ’s love and sacrifice. They are spiritually guided, and Heavenly Father continues to reveal to them what we need to hear, what is relevant to us in these times. By pondering the words of these prophets we can obtain wisdom of who Jesus is and why He would sacrifice His life for us.

Service In His Name

Secondly, we have been taught that service to our fellow man is service to our Lord. When asked: “What message may I take from you to the young people in Zion?” President Spencer W. Kimball earnestly answered: “Tell them to keep their lives so full of good works that there will be no room for evil.”

But we are not just to serve our family, friends and community. We are to serve in His name; that Christ-like love can be felt by both those that receive service and for those that give. How wonderful is it that the prophets have set a standard that blesses all who participate.  A never-ending circle of giving, the pay-it-forward aspect that reaches so many. President Kimball has also prophesied that “God does watch over us and does notice us, but it is usually through someone else that He meets our needs.”

He continues with: “The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others — indeed, it is easier to ‘find’ ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!”

If I can add onto his message I would say: “Giving of ourselves helps us to better understand how much Jesus gave of Himself.”

Understanding And Utilizing The Atonement On A Personal Level

Jesus Suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane, by Paul Mann

In Alma Chapter 7 verse 11 it says: “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sickness of his people.”

As we personalize the Atonement, we ask “Can the Savior really understand what I’m experiencing?”

Because He suffered every manner of affliction on Earth, He truly does understand.

And this is what I hinted to at the beginning, when I spoke of Christ knowing us. As He knelt before His Father in Gethsemane He saw each of us: He knew me, and because of this, He suffered for the guilt, the grief, the sorrow and the pain He knew I would face. It was so much more than sin, He took upon Himself all of my hardships. With my name spoken He felt the humiliation I would feel, the mental, emotional and physical torments each of us goes through.

He had no debt to pay. He committed no wrong, yet there He bled, willingly: for me, for all of us.

Brothers and sisters, I testify that to fully appreciate the many depths of the Atonement we need to first understand why He would suffer for us. And that is something you each need to answer for yourself. An authentic relationship with our Savior is a sweet and sacred desire. Through this journey reflect on your life: the moments that bring you joy, the faith that brings you comfort and the Savior that brings us all hope.

Our Redeemer took upon Himself all the sins, pains, infirmities, and sicknesses of all who have ever lived and will ever live. No one has ever suffered in any degree what He did. He knows our mortal trials by firsthand experience. It is a bit like us trying to climb Mount Everest and only getting up the first few feet. But He has climbed all 29,000 feet to the top of the mountain. He suffered more than any other mortal could. (Italics added.)

Jesus Christ took upon Himself our heartaches, trials, tragedies and triumphs—and in doing so they became personal for Him. It is often through these experiences that the Savior becomes personal for us. When we begin to understand this, we begin to more fully understand the Savior Himself. And when we more fully understand the Savior, we gain a greater appreciation and a greater ability to apply these lessons in our own lives. Here are four truths that helped me more fully understand the love that the Savior has for me, personally.

Jesus Christ is Concerned with the One

The scriptures teach that Jesus Christ “numbereth His sheep, and they know Him” (1 Nephi 22:25). It must follow that the Savior knows each one of His sheep—how else could He know if one was lost? For me, this is hard to comprehend. It’s easy to believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us—as in all of Our Heavenly Father’s children— but do They really know and love me? After all, with the billions and billions of people who have ever lived, live now or will ever live, how can They have a personal knowledge of one individual? Elder M. Russell Ballard said:

Sadly, in today’s world, a person’s importance is often judged by the size of the audience before which he or she performs. That is how media and sports programs are rated, how corporate prominence is sometimes determined, and often how governmental rank is obtained. That may be why roles such as father, mother, and missionary seldom receive standing ovations. Fathers, mothers, and missionaries “play” before very small audiences. Yet, in the eyes of the Lord, there may be only one size of audience that is of lasting importance—and that is just one, each one, you and me, and each one of the children of God. The irony of the Atonement is that it is infinite and eternal, yet it is applied individually, one person at a time.

This statement brings into focus how profoundly individual the love of the Savior is for each one of us. The scriptures also teach us of the love that the Savior has for us. The New Testament records that “Jesus wept” after seeing the despair and sorrow of Mary and Martha upon the death of their beloved brother Lazarus. (See John 11:1-45.) Of this story, Sister Linda S. Reeves, at the time a counselor in the General Relief Society presidency, said:

Apostle James E. Talmage wrote, “The sight of the two women so overcome by grief … caused Jesus to sorrow [with them] so that He groaned in spirit and was deeply troubled.” This experience testifies of the compassion, empathy, and love that our Savior and our Heavenly Father feel for each of us every time we are weighed down by the anguish, sin, adversity, and pains of life.

 

… Our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know us and love us. They know when we are in pain or suffering in any way. They do not say, “It’s OK that you’re in pain right now because soon everything is going to be all right. You will be healed, or your husband will find a job, or your wandering child will come back.” They feel the depth of our suffering, and we can feel of Their love and compassion in our suffering.

One experience that has helped me feel the individual love of the Savior is in the partaking of the sacrament during our Latter-day Saint Sunday worship services. The Savior instituted the sacrament during His Last Supper in Jerusalem, when he blessed and passed the bread and wine to His Apostles. It is an individual renewal of the covenants made at baptism, one of which is that we will always remember the Savior. But in the last year and a half, this has become even more personal for me. Because now, I can’t have regular bread. So during the passing of the bread, one of the young men must make a special trip back to the table where the bread is blessed and bring me the tray with gluten-free bread. Every time this happens, it is a symbolic reminder to me that the Savior knows and loves me. And each time, I feel the special love that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father have for specifically for me.

Prayer is Our Individual Communion with God

When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He taught us how to pray. (See Matthew 6:9-13.) Why is this? Because prayer is our personal communication with God in the name of His Son. Elder Richard G. Scott said:

Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father. Actually, because He knows how desperately we need His guidance, He commands, “Thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.”

 

It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer.

Through our individual prayers, we can commune with our Father in Heaven in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and come to know Them as They know each one of us. Often we are the ones who distance ourselves from Them—because sometimes it’s difficult to imagine Them always reaching out for us. But They are. Elder Scott said:

Don’t worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your compassionate, understanding Father. You are His precious child whom He loves perfectly and wants to help. As you pray, recognize that Father in Heaven is near and He is listening. …

 

Should you ever feel distanced from our Father, it could be for many reasons. Whatever the cause, as you continue to plead for help, He will guide you to do that which will restore your confidence that He is near. Pray even when you have no desire to pray. Sometimes, like a child, you may misbehave and feel you cannot approach your Father with a problem. That is when you most need to pray. Never feel you are too unworthy to pray.

 

I wonder if we can ever really fathom the immense power of prayer until we encounter an overpowering, urgent problem and realize that we are powerless to resolve it. Then we will turn to our Father in humble recognition of our total dependence on Him.

We pray to the Father in the name of His Son because Jesus Christ is the intermediary between us and our Heavenly Father. Prayer bridges the spiritual gap between us and God. As we do so, we strengthen our relationship with both the Father and the Son.

Coming to Know and Love God Through Our Suffering

I often wonder at the purpose of trials in our lives. Sometimes the hurt and heartache just seem mean. But the Savior said, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17). Not only are we all sinners, but we are also all sick, to one degree or another. Sin, pain, weakness, hurt, heartache, tragedy—all are part of the human experience. And all require the Great Physician, Jesus Christ Himself, to heal us.

In the New Testament, the Savior tells of a creditor who had two debtors. One owed 500 pence and the other 50. When they had nothing to pay, the creditor forgave them both. Then the Master asks the question, “Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?” (See Luke 7:41-42.) The same is true of us. The more we come to realize our dependence on our Savior, the more we will appreciate and love Him. Often, nothing brings this complete reliance into focus like our trials and challenges.

The late President Gordon B. Hinckley told a story many years ago about a little one-room schoolhouse in the Virginia mountains where the boys were so rough that no teacher had been able to handle them. Then one day an inexperienced young teacher applied for the position. He was warned about the unruly nature of the boys, but the young teacher accepted the risk. On the first day of school, the teacher asked the class to come up with ten rules and consequences for breaking the rules. They did so, and the penalty was 10 lashes across the back with no coat on. Not too many days later, someone stole the lunch of a big boy named Tom. The thief was located, and it was a scrawny little 10-year-old boy named Jim. As little Jim came to take his licking, he pleaded to keep his coat on. But the teacher said, “You helped to make the rules, and you must abide by them.”

So little Jim took his coat off, revealing no shirt and a bony, crippled body. As the teacher hesitated, Big Tom jumped up and offered take the beating instead. The teacher said, “Very well, there is a certain law that one can be a substitute for another. Are you all agreed?” All agreed, and Big Tom removed his coat. The teacher began hitting Big Tom with the rod, but the rod broke after the fifth strike. The class was sobbing. President Hinckley concluded:

Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. “Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!”

Then President Hinckley quoted Isaiah:

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrow: . . . He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5.)

Each one of us is, at one point or another, Little Jim. We need something that only the Savior can give. And He has willingly offered Himself as a sacrifice for us. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:

That first Easter sequence of Atonement and Resurrection constitutes the most consequential moment, the most generous gift, the most excruciating pain, and the most majestic manifestation of pure love ever to be demonstrated in the history of this world. Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from death in order that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp us as we fall, hold us with His might, and through our obedience to His commandments, lift us to eternal life.

As we more fully appreciate what the Savior did for us, we become—in our limited capacity—more like Him. And in doing so, we love Him even more. Elder David A. Bednar said:

There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens.  And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power.

Service—Following in the Footsteps of the Savior

Jesus Christ taught that the two great commandments are to love God and each other. Elder Ballard said:

It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors through acts of kindness and service—the way that the Savior would love and serve all of us if He were among us today.

 

When this pure love of Christ—or charity—envelops us, we think, feel, and act more like Heavenly Father and Jesus would think, feel, and act. Our motivation and heartfelt desire are like unto that of the Savior.

In our journey to come to know God, we cannot forget to serve one another. That is how our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us so well—because They have served us. And when we serve others, we are following in Their footsteps. Elder Ballard said:

I believe that if we could truly understand the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, we would realize how precious is one son or daughter of God. I believe our Heavenly Father’s everlasting purpose for His children is generally achieved by the small and simple things we do for one another. At the heart of the English word atonement is the word one. If all mankind understood this, there would never be anyone with whom we would not be concerned, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or social or economic standing. We would strive to emulate the Savior and would never be unkind, indifferent, disrespectful, or insensitive to others.

 

If we truly understood the Atonement and the eternal value of each soul, we would seek out the wayward boy and girl and every other wayward child of God. We would help them to know of the love Christ has for them.

It’s one thing to have a personal knowledge that the Savior lives and loves us. But it’s another to know that He lives and loves me personally. When we understand these truths, we can more fully understand and appreciate that Jesus Christ is not a distant being but a close and personal Friend—and Savior.

These virtues aren’t just powerful in the movies—they are superpowers in the real world, too. The scriptures as well as modern prophets and Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provide excellent examples of these virtues in action. But at the end of the day, do we really understand how powerful these virtues are in our own lives?

Kindness—Not Just for Cinderella

Cinderella is famous for her friendships with the mice in her house and other animals around her. She is kind to everyone, even when that kindness is not reciprocated. Cinderella’s mother, on her deathbed, told Cinderella that kindness is a power that few people truly understand. The late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin agreed. He said:

Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.

 

Kind words not only lift our spirits in the moment they are given, but they can linger with us over the years. … Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes.

Jesus Christ set the example of kindness for us. Elder Wirthlin said:

Jesus, our Savior, was the epitome of kindness and compassion. He healed the sick. He spent much of His time ministering to the one or many. He spoke compassionately to the Samaritan woman who was looked down upon by many. He instructed His disciples to allow the little children to come unto Him. He was kind to all who had sinned, condemning only the sin, not the sinner.

Elder M. Russell Ballard said:

The love the Savior described is an active love. It is not manifested through large and heroic deeds but rather through simple acts of kindness and service. There are myriad ways and circumstances in which we can serve and love others.

One way that we can show kindness is in the way we speak to others. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:

… In this long eternal quest to be more like our Savior, may we try to be “perfect” men and women in at least this one way now—by offending not in word, or more positively put, by speaking with a new tongue, the tongue of angels. Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity, the three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the world today.

Another way that we show kindness is in the way we treat others. Elder Wirthlin said:

Each one of us will travel a different road during this life. Each progresses at a different rate. Temptations that trouble your brother may not challenge you at all. Strengths that you possess may seem impossible to another.

 

Never look down on those who are less perfect than you. Don’t be upset because someone can’t sew as well as you, can’t throw as well as you, can’t row or hoe as well as you.

 

We are all children of our Heavenly Father. And we are here with the same purpose: to learn to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

The Courage of a Queen

The other piece of advice that Cinderella’s mother gave her as she lay dying was to have courage no matter what. Courage is another virtue that carries a lot of power. Elder Lynn G. Robbins said:

Courage is not just one of the cardinal virtues, but as C. S. Lewis observed: “Courage is … the form of every virtue at the testing point. … Pilate was merciful till it became risky.” King Herod was sorrowful at the request to behead John the Baptist but wanted to please “them which sat with him at meat” (Matthew 14:9). … Many of the New Testament chief rulers “believed on [the Lord]; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42–43). The scriptures are full of such examples.

The scriptures are also full of examples of those who showed great courage in the face of adversity, such as Queen Esther in the Old Testament. Esther was raised by her cousin Mordecai, who worked for the king, after her parents passed away. She pleased the king, and he made her his queen. (See Esther 2:17.) She never disclosed that she was Jewish, per Mordecai’s instructions. Not long afterward, Mordecai angered Haman, one of the leader’s in the king’s court, by refusing to kneel before him. In retaliation, Haman plotted to destroy not only Mordecai but all of the Jewish people.

Sister Mary Ellen Smoot, at the time the LDS General Relief Society President, said:

Realizing the grave danger which loomed over his people, Mordecai pled with Esther to seek help from the king: “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

 

Consider Esther’s dilemma: It was against the law to approach the king without being summoned. Such an act was punishable by death. If she were to remain quiet, she would likely enjoy a life of luxury and ease. She could live the life of a queen or risk her life to save her family and her people. She counted the cost and chose to heed the longings of her people and of her heart.

Esther asked Mordecai and the Jews to fast for three days, and she and her handmaids did the same. She declared:

… So will I go into unto the king, which is not according to law: and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16).

President Thomas S. Monson said:

Esther had gathered her courage and would stand firm and immovable for that which was right.

 

Physically, emotionally, and spiritually prepared, Esther stood in the inner court of the king’s house. When the king saw her, he held out his golden scepter, telling her that he would grant whatever request she had. She invited the king to a feast she had arranged, and during the feast she revealed that she was a Jew. She also exposed Haman’s underhanded plot to exterminate all of the Jews in the kingdom. Esther’s plea to save herself and her people was granted.

 

Esther, through fasting, faith, and courage, had saved a nation.

Esther could truly be described as a scriptural Cinderella (minus the wicked relatives). Raised as the daughter of someone who worked for the king, she found favor with the king and was chosen to be his queen. But her greatness came not in being elevated to the status of royalty but in being willing to sacrifice her status to help save a nation—her people—from destruction. President Monson said:

The call for courage comes constantly to each of us. Every day of our lives courage is needed—not just for the momentous events but more often as we make decisions or respond to circumstances around us. Said Scottish poet and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson: “Everyday courage has few witnesses. But yours is no less noble because no drum beats for you and no crowds shout your name.”

The Magic of Work

Cinderella’s stepmother put her to work in the house, saying that it would help keep her mind off of her sorrow. Ironically, Cinderella’s stepmother was absolutely right. I have to wonder how differently Cinderella’s stepfamily would have turned out had they heeded their own advice. Bishop H. David Burton said:

Today, many have forgotten the value of work. Some falsely believe that the highest goal in life is to achieve a condition in which one no longer needs to work. President David O. McKay (1873–1970) was fond of saying, “Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that power to work is a blessing, that love of work is success.”

 

Work is not a matter of economic need alone; it is a spiritual necessity. … To work—honestly and productively—brings contentment and a sense of self-worth.

Work is not just doing things for ourselves but also reaching out to help others. This is another example that Jesus Christ set for us. Elder James B. Martino said:

Christ was the epitome of service. His life was filled with examples of helping and serving others, and His greatest gift of all was what He did for us. … When we serve others, we forget our own problems, and by working to relieve the pain or discomfort of others, we strengthen ourselves.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said:

God has designed this mortal existence to require nearly constant exertion. I recall the Prophet Joseph Smith’s simple statement: “By continuous labor [we] were enabled to get a comfortable maintenance” (Joseph Smith—History 1:55). By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience. Hard-earned achievement brings a sense of self-worth. Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God. A consecrated life is filled with work, sometimes repetitive, sometimes menial, sometimes unappreciated but always work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires.

Cinderella benefitted from the magic of work while her stepmother and stepsisters languished in vanity, misery and spiritual poverty. She lost herself in the work of serving others, and thus in so doing rose above her circumstances.

Forgiveness is Freeing

Through the love of the Savior, Jesus Christ, we can find the strength to forgive those who have trespassed against us.

In the end, Cinderella frankly forgave her stepmother and stepsisters of their trespasses. She didn’t want to be burdened by the weight of animosity and bitterness that beset her stepfamily. They were ravaged by resentment, disappointment, grief and pride. Unable to see beyond their own circumstances, they sought to elevate themselves by destroying Cinderella. In the end, they did just the opposite. This is true in our own lives as well. If we seek to elevate ourselves by ruining another, we will only succeed in destroying ourselves.

President Boyd K. Packer told the story of a man who lost his wife after the birth of their first child due to the negligence of the traveling country doctor. The man was grief-stricken and angry at the doctor. President Packer continued:

A grieving, heartbroken young man went to see his spiritual leader. … The counsel from this wise servant was simply: “John, leave it alone. Nothing you do about it will bring her back. Anything you do will make it worse. John, leave it alone.”

 

My friend told me then that this had been his trial, his Gethsemane. How could he leave it alone? Right was right! A terrible wrong had been committed, and somebody must pay for it.

However, the man finally decided to get hold of himself and follow the counsel that he had been given. President Packer said:

Then [the man] told me, “I was an old man before I finally understood. It was not until I was an old man that I could finally see a poor country doctor—overworked, underpaid, run ragged from patient to patient, with little proper medicine, no hospital, few instruments. He struggled to save lives, and succeeded for the most part.

 

“He had come in a moment of crisis when two lives hung in the balance and had acted without delay.

 

“I was an old man,” he repeated, “before finally I understood. I would have ruined my life,” he said, “and the lives of others.”

 

… And that is my counsel to you. If you have festering sores, a grudge, some bitterness, disappointment, or jealousy, get hold of yourself. You may not be able to control things out there with others, but you can control things here, inside of you.

In life it is easy to see things from our own points of view, but we can’t always see the whole picture. However, our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ can. It is for this reason that the Savior said, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (Doctrine & Covenants 64:10). Elder David E. Sorenson said:

This is not to say that forgiveness is easy. When someone has hurt us or those we care about, that pain can almost be overwhelming. It can feel as if … we have no choice but to seek vengeance. But Christ, the Prince of Peace, teaches us a better way. It can be very difficult to forgive someone the harm they’ve done us, but when we do, we open ourselves up to a better future. No longer does someone else’s wrongdoing control our course. When we forgive others, it frees us to choose how we will live our own lives. Forgiveness means that problems of the past no longer dictate our destinies, and we can focus on the future with God’s love in our hearts.

This is the beauty and miracle of forgiveness. And it is found only in and through the example and Atonement of Jesus Christ. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each other.

Our Choices Define Who We Are

At the end of the day, our choices define who we are. Like Cinderella’s wicked stepfamily, we can choose to be miserable in our circumstances. Or we can choose to be happy, as did Cinderella. Into each life, some rain will come. But it’s how we choose to deal with the rain and mud that defines our character. Elder L. Tom Perry said:

Those of us who have been around a while … have recognized certain patterns in life’s test. There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness, and times of plenty as well as scarcity. When our lives turn in an unanticipated and undesirable direction, sometimes we experience stress and anxiety. One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us—to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic. Perhaps when difficulties and challenges strike, we should have these hopeful words of Robert Browning etched in our minds: “The best is yet to be” (“Rabbi Ben Ezra,” in Charles W. Eliot, ed., The Harvard Classics, 50 vols. [1909–10], 42:1103).

Each of us has a little bit of Cinderella in us—and some of her stepfamily, too. But ultimately, it’s up to each one of us to decide how our fairy tales will end. As President Monson said:

It has been said … that history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. Our lives will depend upon the decisions which we make—for decisions determine destiny.

Watch these videos online at the above link, or download the free Android or iOS Apps. The videos are also available on DVD for purchase. Online, the LDS Church has also made images available from the series from which to create memes or to share online.

Here are a few videos. Follow the link to see others.

“As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we need to place unreserved confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we accept as the Son of God. Until the world accepts Him as the Savior of mankind, lives His teachings, and looks to Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life in all phases of our lives, we shall continue in our anxiety about the future and our ability to cope with the challenges that mortality brings to each of us.”

Our Lord and Savior (Joseph B. Wirthlin, Mormon Apostle):

“The only way to find peace, happiness, and security and to overcome the evils of the world and temptations of this generation is in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Jesus is the head of his church, the Creator of the universe, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind, and the Judge of the souls of men. Who he is and what he does affected each of us before we were born and will affect us each day of our mortal lives and throughout the eternities. Much of what he is and does is beyond finite human ability to comprehend, but the Holy Ghost has borne witness to my soul of their reality.”

Followers of Christ (Dallin H. Oaks, Mormon Apostle):

“Jesus’s teachings were not meant to be theoretical. Always they were to be acted upon. Jesus taught, “Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man” (Matthew 7:24; see also Luke 11:28) and “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing” (Matthew 24:46).

“Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.”

Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ (John M. Madsen, Mormon Seventy):

“In His great Intercessory Prayer, the Savior gives to all mankind the key to obtaining eternal life: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

“But how can man come to know the only true God?

“The Savior answers: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

“I testify that the only way we and all mankind can come unto our Heavenly Father and know Him, and thus obtain eternal life, is to come unto the Lord Jesus Christ and know Him.”

Is Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ Written in our Hearts? (Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President):

“We, with you, bear witness of the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Our testimonies, like yours, have been written in our hearts as we have faced assorted soul-stretching challenges and adversities. Without an understanding of Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of happiness and the Savior’s Atonement as the central feature of that plan, these challenges could seem unfair. We all share in the trials of life together. But in faithful hearts is written, ‘All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.’”

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ (D. Todd Christofferson, Mormon Apostle):

“Having satisfied the demands of justice, Christ now steps into the place of justice; or we might say He is justice, just as He is love. Likewise, besides being a ‘perfect, just God,’ He is a perfect, merciful God. Thus, the Savior makes all things right. No injustice in mortality is permanent, even death, for He restores life again. No injury, disability, betrayal, or abuse goes uncompensated in the end because of His ultimate justice and mercy.

“By the same token, we are all accountable to Him for our lives, our choices, and our actions, even our thoughts. Because He redeemed us from the Fall, our lives are in reality His. He declared:

Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works.”

Read more about Christ at LDS.org and Mormon.org.

• How Great Thou Art
• Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
• All Creatures of our God and King
• A Mighty Fortress is our God
• How Firm a Foundation
• Be Still my Soul
• Rock of Ages
• God Be with You Till We Meet Again
• Christ the Lord is Risen Today
• Faith of Our Fathers

…and traditional Easter and Christmas hymns.

Come Thou Found of Every Blessing is not in the current hymnal, but it is a popular song for Mormon choirs to sing. Here it is by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:

And here is Amazing Grace as sung by the Choir:

Other hymns sung by Mormons show our love for Jesus Christ:

• Abide with Me!
• Again, Our Dear Redeeming Lord
• As I Have Loved You, Love One Another
• Before Thee Lord, I Bow My Head
• Behold the Great Redeemer Die
• Come Unto Jesus
• Come, O Thou King of Kings
• I Believe in Christ

Mormon children sing of their love for the Savior:

• All Things Bright and Beautiful
• Beautiful Savior
• Did Jesus Really Live Again?
• He Died that We Might Live Again
• I Feel My Savior’s Love
• When He Comes Again
• I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus
• Jesus Has Risen

Mormons love the Savior and praise Him through song. Mormon hymns and songs from the Children’s Songbook are online.

I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods (Teachings, p. 370, see also History of the Church, 6:474).

Bruce R. McConkie states concerning the Godhead:

Three glorified, exalted, and perfected personages comprise the Godhead or supreme presidency of the universe…. Though each God in the Godhead is a personage, separate and distinct from each of the others, yet they are one God (Testimony of Three Witnesses in the Book of Mormon), meaning that they are unified as one in the attributes of perfection. For instance, each has the fullness of truth, knowledge, charity, power, justice, judgment, mercy and faith. Accordingly they all think, act, speak, and are alike in all things; and yet they are three separate and distinct entities (Mormon Doctrine, p. 319).

In a latter work, McConkie confirmed that “…the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one…. They are one in plan, one in possession of the attributes of godliness, and one in every good thing. The whole system of salvation is so ordained that we may become one with Deity. If we do not, we are not like him….” (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrines of the Restoration, p. 380). Thus, the oneness of the Godhead is a perfect example of the unity that should exist among the saints (3 Nephi 28:10-11; Doctrine & Covenants 35:2, Teachings, pp. 311-312; Lectures on Faith, Lecture 5).

Although the Bible contains numerous examples of the separate nature of the Father and the Son (see below), there are only a few instances where all three members of the Godhead are described as separate and distinct. The best example is the baptism of Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-32). In all but John’s account, all three members of the Godhead are identified: the Father bearing witness “from heaven” (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22), the Son “coming up out of the water” (Mark 1:10), and the “Holy Ghost descending in a bodily shape like a dove” (Luke 3:22). All three members of the Godhead are clearly separate entities who, in this instance, are physically separated also.

John provides another scriptural witness that “there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Holy Ghost” (1 John 5:7). John adds that “these three are [actually] one,” apparently meaning one witness because they, like the witnesses of the spirit, the water, and the blood, “agree in one” (1 John 5:8). Bible scholars have noted that 1 John 5:7 and 8 are not found in the early Greek manuscripts and may therefore be of questionable authority. Whether or not these verses are authentic, it is clear from other Bible passages that the Father and the Son are in fact separate witnesses. John himself records in John 8:17-18, 28-29 that Jesus taught:

It is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me… I do nothing of myself; but as my Father taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him.

Many who espouse the Triune concept point to Old Testament scriptures as proof that there is only one God (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 43:10-12; 44:6, 8; 46:9) but these verses, as originally written, made no such claim. Although our King James Version (KJV) states in Genesis 1:1 that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” the Hebrew identified Eloheim as the creator. Eloheim is the plural form of eloah (as used in Isaiah 44:8), which means God or Deity. Thus eloheim literally means Gods or Deities and Genesis 1:1 could be translated: “In the beginning Gods created the heavens and the earth.” (See Abraham 4:1.) Use of “us” and “our” in Genesis 1:26 further justifies this conclusion.

Examination of the Hebrew text also helps us understand Isaiah’s references (chapters 43 and 44) to one God. Isaiah 43:10-12 in the KJV reads: “Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord [Jehovah in Hebrew]… understand that I am he: beside me there was no God [Eloheim in Hebrew] formed neither shall there be after me. I even I am the Lord [Jehovah] and beside me there is no saviour…. ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord [Jehovah], that I am God [El].” Knowing that Jehovah was Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 10:4), we are confronted with a contradiction. Paul the apostle later taught that “there is but one God, the Father… and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things…” (1 Corinthians 8:6; see also 1 Timothy 2:5).

If Jesus as Jehovah was saying that He was the only God then the Father could not logically also be the only God and still be separate from Jesus Christ. The Hebrew wording clarifies the meaning of these verses. The last portion of Isaiah 43:10, for example, reads: “who has formed a god or poured out an image [i.e. idol] to no profit?” (Hendrickson Interlinear Bible) Thus, the Lord is not claiming to be the only God in existence but is warning Israel not to uselessly worship false idol gods. (See also Isaiah 17:7-8; 42:8, 17; 43:12; 44:6-18.)

When these chapters are read in context in the KJV, it is clear that Isaiah’s reference to forming god is speaking of graven images of metal and wood. Isaiah 44:8-18 makes it unmistakably clear that the prophet is condemning idolatry and not a belief in more than one god.

Isaiah 43:12 is also clarified when examined in Hebrew. The Hebrew reads:

Ye are my witnesses saith Jehovah, I (or I AM), El (short form of Eloheim) and no other eloheim [gods; in this case false gods] no none are like me.

This verse actually uses three names for deity together. The contraction of Jehovah-Eloheim (translated LORD God in the KJV) is a similar, commonly found grouping of names found in the Hebrew Old Testament. It appears that these compound name-titles were an attempt by ancient writers or scribes to refer to more than one member of the Godhead by a compound name (Articles of Faith, p. 49). Thus the Hebrew of the above verse might more accurately be translated: “Ye are our witnesses saith Jehovah and Eloheim and no other gods are like us.”

Although the New Testament also speaks of the “oneness” of the Godhead (John 10:30; 17:11, 21, 22; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 John 5:7), the context of the verses generally provides the key to a correct interpretation. John, for example, quotes the Savior’s reference to his own oneness with the Father but also indicates that the disciples need to be one (using the same Greek word) with Himself, God, and other believers (John 6:56; 14:20; 17:11, 21-22; 1 John 3:24; 4:13, 15). The context of many of Paul’s references to oneness make it clear that he is speaking of a oneness of mind and spirit. Paul speaks, in 1 Corinthians 2:16, of having “the mind of Christ.” He likewise tells the Philippians to “stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). (See also Galatians 5:22-25 and 1 Corinthians 1:10.)

Paul also made frequent reference to a oneness of the saints (again using the same Greek word) with God and Christ as well as with other members (Romans 8:1; 12:16; 15:6; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:17; 10:17; 12:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 6:16; Galatians 2:20;3:28; Ephesians 1:10; 3:17; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:27; 2:10; Hebrews 2:11). It is especially significant that Paul used the same verbal construction as Christ used in saying, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30) to describe his relationship to Apollos. He wrote, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase…. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one…” (1 Corinthians 3:6, 8). From the above cited references it should be clear that both John’s and Paul’s concept of “oneness” was not that of a merging of substance but was an expression of unity of purpose, mind, and heart. Modern scripture also confirms this interpretation (Doctrine & Covenants 35:2; 50:43; 130:22).

The early church fathers Hippolytus, Origen and Tertullian also affirmed that God the Father and Jesus Christ were separate and distinct personages with unity of purpose and power. Hippolytus taught that Christ and the Father “are one… but it refers to two persons and one power… and disposition of unity of mind… God the Father Almighty, and Christ Jesus the Son of God, who being God, became man… and the Holy Spirit… are three” (Hippolytus, Against the Heresy of Noetus, 7, 11 as quoted in James L. Barker, Apostasy from the Divine Church, p. 44). Origen wrote that the Father and Son “are two separate persons, but one in unity and concord of mind and in identity of will…” (Henry Bettenson, The Early Christian Fathers, p. 336), and Tertullian declared that “the Father is one, and the Son one, and the Spirit one, and that They are distinct from Each other.” [(The Anti-Nicene Fathers, 3:603) See also James L. Barker, Apostasy from the Divine Church, pp. 42-44 for further quotes on this subject.]

Are Latter-day Saints Polytheists?

Some outside the Mormon Church contend that the LDS belief that there are three Gods in the Godhead make us polytheist. Though dictionaries generally define polytheism as a belief in the existence of more than one god, most Latter-day Saints refuse to accept this term as descriptive of our religious worship. The reason for this is the commonly accepted meaning that most people give this term despite its technical definition. Polytheism is commonly associated with a multiplicity of deities as worshipped by primitive pagan religions. This system of gods is totally foreign to LDS beliefs and is considered by Church members to be an apostate perversion of the original truths revealed to Old Testament prophets beginning with Adam.

Although Latter-day Saints do believe in a plurality of gods and may properly be called henotheistic (i.e. worshipping one God without denying the existence of others) or as Social Trinitarian (three divine persons whose unity consists of a loving relationship), we reserve our “worship in the true and saving sense” for God the Father (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrines of the Restoration, p. 60).

Our worship of Christ is of an entirely different nature. Although we are “reverently grateful to Him who has redeemed us” (Ibid.) and love and respect Him for the perfect example He has given us, yet we reserve our most profound worship for God the Father. LDS prayers, for example, are always addressed to our Father in Heaven and are closed “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Bible scripture speaks of a “God of gods and Lord of lords” (Deuteronomy 10:17) and Paul taught that while there were many gods, mortals of this earth should worship only “God the Father” (1 Corinthians 8:6). Members of the LDS Church do in fact worship God the Father in the name of Christ as is taught in both ancient and modern scripture (Matthew 6:9; John 15:16; Colossians 3:17; 2 Nephi 32:9; Jacob 4:5; 3 Nephi 18:19; Moroni 10:4; Doctrine & Covenants 18:40; 20:19, 29; Moses 1:17; see also Exodus 15:11; 18:11; Psalms 97:9; 135:5; 136:2; 138:1; Daniel 11:36).

Are God and Christ Separate Beings?

Joseph Fielding Smith leaves no doubt that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct beings. He has declared:

How plain it is that the Father and Son are separate Personages, yet one in power, wisdom and unity. Hence they are, with the Holy Spirit which carries out their will— one God or Presiding Council! (Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:4).

Jesus Christ likewise taught: “And now… I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one [in purpose and unity] as we are” (John 17:11).

The scriptures are replete with examples of the separate nature and substance of the Father and the Son. Consider the following:

1.  God spoke from heaven while Christ was on the earth— Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; John 12:28-30.

2. God is a separate witness of Christ— John 5:36-37; 8:17-18.

3. Christ was “with” God in the beginning— John 1:1-3, 10, 14; 6:38; 16:28; 17:3, 5, 24;20:21; 1 John 4:14; Ephesians 3:9.

4. Christ is God’s Son— Mark 9:7; John 3:16; 9:35-37; 17:1; 20:17, 21, 31; Ephesians 3:14; Hebrews 1:6; 5:5.

5. Christ prayed to his Father— Matthew 6:6-9; 26:39; 27:46; Luke 23:34; John 12:27-28; 16:26; 17:10-11.

6.  Christ was seen standing at the right hand of God— Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33; 7:55-56; Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 10:12; 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 3:21.

7. The Father committed all judgment unto the Son— John 5:17-20, 22-23; Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:1.

8. God anointed Jesus Christ— Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:9.

9. God honored, blessed and glorified Christ— Matthew 12:18; John 5:26; 12:23; 17:1, 24; Acts 3:13; 5:30-31; 2 Peter 1:17-18; Philippians 2:9.

10. Jesus was raised up by God— Acts 5:30-31; 1 Peter 1:21.

11. God and Jesus are plural (we, our, us)— Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 6:8; John 14:23; 17:11, 22.

12. God “sent” Christ to atone for us— Mark 9:37; John 3:16; 5:24; 6:38; 7:28-29; 8:42; 12:44-45; 17:3-4, 6-10, 18, 25; 20:21; 1 John 4:14.

13. Christ asked men to pray to God in His name— Matthew 6:6; Colossians 3:17; Hebrews 7:25-26.

14. Christ spoke of His Father in heaven— Matthew 10:33; 16:15-19; John 14:12; 20:17.

15.Only God knew the exact time of the end; Christ did not then know— Mark 13:32; Matthew 24:36.

16. God the Father is Christ’s God— Mark 15:34; John 20:17; Ephesians 1:17; 1 Peter 1:3.

17. Christ’s will and doctrine were separate from God’s— Matthew 26:39-42; Luke 22:41-42; John 5:30; 7:16-17; 14:10.

18. Christ did His Father’s work, not His own— Luke 2:49-50; John 17:3-4.

19. Christ came in His Father’s name— John 5:43.

20. Christ came from and returned to God— John 14:12; 16:27-28, 30; 1 Peter 3:21-22.

21. The Father was “greater than” the Son— John 10:29; 14:28; 1 Corinthians 15:28.

22. We come to the Father only by the Son— John 14:6.

23. Christ will deliver up the kingdom to God— 1 Corinthians 15:24

24. Christ is mediator between God and men— 1 Tim. 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 9:5; 12:24.

Since proponents of the “one substance” doctrine have never been able to explain how God can be His own son, stand by Himself, or why He would pray to Himself, they must describe it as a mystery. A mysterious God is not the God that Christ taught us we should come to “know” (John 17:3). (See also James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, chap. 2.)

Do Latter-day Saints Believe in the Trinity?

Jesus Christ praying, artwork by Del Parson.

The answer to this question depends entirely on the inquirer’s definition of Trinity. Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word Trinity as “the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead….” The Random House College Dictionary adds to this definition a second alternative which allows also “the threefold personality of one Divine Being.” Although Webster’s definition would be considered a valid LDS description of the Godhead, the second Random House alternative definition would be considered by Mormons to be an apostate view.

Some today assert that belief in a mysterious unknowable Trinitarian god is essential to a claim of Christianity, but this requirement is not biblical. Colossians 2:9 is, at times, used to prove a Trinitarian concept. It states that “in him [Christ] dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Though this scripture appears to vindicate belief in a Trinity, the Greek text does not justify this interpretation. The Greek word translated as Godhead in this verse is “theotes.” This word actually means divinity and is translated as such in many modern Bible translations. Accurately translated, this verse should read “in Christ the fullness of divinity dwells in bodily form” (see New International Version). Thus God is manifest to us in Christ but Christ is not God the Father.

It is important to note that the word Trinity appears nowhere in the King James Version nor any other reputable translation of the Bible. The term Godhead, on the other hand, is an accepted biblical term (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9) and the preferred title in the LDS Church (History of the Church, 6:473; Lectures on Faith, Lecture 5; A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, pp. 58-59). References to the Godhead as the Trinity are found in Church literature (Articles of Faith, pp. 39-41; Journal of Discourses, 6:95; History of the Church, Vol. 1, Intro., 80-81), but such usage clearly denotes a three-person Godhead and not a one-being concept (See also Van Hale, Defining the Mormon Doctrine of Deity, brochure, Mormon Misc. Reprint #6, p. 9).

The latter concept seems to have originated under the influence of Greek and other oriental philosophies during the period of apostasy following the death of the apostles (History of the Church, Vol. 1, Intro., 82-87). A study of Christianity prior to A.D. 325 reveals that the LDS interpretation of the Godhead was then the prevailing belief. Church fathers such as Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Origen, Athanasius and others argued that the Godhead consisted of separate Beings (see J. D. N. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, San Francisco, 1978, Harper and Row, pp. 93, 96, 129, 233). The first person to use the term Trinity appears to have been Tertullian in about A.D. 200. He used the term to refer to ideas which mentioned three and one.

Over a century later in A.D. 325, Emperor Constantine convened a delegation composed of about one-sixth of the bishops from throughout the Roman Empire. The stated purpose of this Council of Nicea, as it was called, was to achieve unity among the factions then existent. The three major groups with differing views regarding God’s nature, at length became two factions. The eastern (Arian) Christian view favored a three God concept while the western (Roman) view favored one supreme God, to whom all others were subordinated. Under extreme intimidation by the emperor, the Arian group was forced to go along with the Roman view. Arius and the bishops and priests who opposed the Nicean Creed and the “one substance” terminology adopted by the council were exiled. Constantine, in order to ensure future unity, also commanded that the writings of these men be burned (Journey to Eternal Life and Distractions Along the Way, James K. and Rose Seastrand, 1990, p. 132; History of the Church, Vol. 1, Intro., pp. 79-90).

The Nicean Creed stated that there was “one God and one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God…” who was “one substance with the Father.” The Athanasian creed, which was an outgrowth of the Nicean Creed, typifies the modern concept of the Trinity. It speaks of an “incomprehensible” God which is completely foreign to Christ’s teachings. Jesus taught that “this is life eternal that [we] might know… the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom [God had] sent” (John 17:3). (See also Jeremiah 31:34; John 8:19; 14:7-9; Hebrews 8:10-11; 1 John 2:3-4; and 1 John 3:1-2, 6; 5:20.)

Thus the accepted Trinitarian concept of deity is the result of a compromise achieved without the benefit of apostles, prophets, or revelation and arrived at only when extreme pressure was exerted by a then-pagan emperor. The true concept of God is not that of an “unknown” or unknowable God (Acts 17:23) but one whose offspring we are (Acts 17:28-29) and in whose image we were created (Genesis 1:26-27). Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to know Him and become like Him (Matthew 5:48; 1 John 3:1-2). (See also Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:165-169.)

Michael Hickenbotham is the author of Answering Challenging Mormon Questions, which is still in print after 20 years.  He grew up in Southern California and has served full-time missions to France and the Brussels, Belgium/Netherlands Mission. He studied at Brigham Young University, where he met and married Kathy Walker and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also earned an MBA from Florida State University. He served in the US Air Force for 20 years and has filled numerous callings in the Church for over 45 years.  He and Kathy have 5 children and 17 grandchildren.