Category: Jesus Christ

Advent Day 17

Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

Doctrine and Covenants 123:17





Good people all, this Christmas time
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved son





With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born





Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God’s angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear,





‘Prepare and go,’ the angels said
‘To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you’ll find, this happy morn
A princely babe, sweet Jesus born’





With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went, this babe to find
And as God’s angel had foretold
They did our saviour Christ behold





Within a manger he was laid
And by his side the virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of life
Who came on earth to end all strife





Good people all, this Christmas time
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved Son





With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas day
In Bethlehem upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born

	


	
	






	
	

		
Advent Day 15
	


	

		

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
1 Peter 3:15





In deciding what to post this month, I realized my perfectionism paralysis about posting my violin recordings was NOT the meekness and fear Peter is talking about. When I play the violin for people, it is one way I share hope and testimony, but probably never perfection.





The memory of playing this song with Daniel is perfect. We played this in 2016 in church and also in people’s homes that Christmas. I have sweet memories of Daniel and me loading and unloading his keyboard into the trunk to carry it through the snow into homes of the elderly in the neighborhood so we could play this song. I cherish those moments with my friends that I will not have this year, but at least now I have a link I can share with them. I think Peter is asking us to be be brave and give, right through our fears.






	


	
	






	
	

		
Advent Day 13
	


	

		

And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.
Ether 12:32





In ancient Jewish tradition, an engaged bridegroom would build or prepare his own home within his father’s property, a house in the “mansion of his father” to present to his bride. In figurative terms in the scriptures, Christ is the bridegroom, and his church is his bride.





About the custom of building a home for the bride,





“The new home was built under the direct personal supervision of the groom’s father. In that culture, a son is considered to be a representative of his father, and everything that the son does reflects either favorably or unfavorably on the father. Every aspect of the son’s daily life was considered an extension of his father’s training and teachings.” (Beloved Bridegroom by Donna B. Nielsen, p. 34.)





The house he prepares for us is with the toil of His Atonement. As the bride, we are to watch and wait in worthiness for his coming. In Jewish tradition, the arrival of the bridegroom was a surprise, as the coming of the Savior will be someday. Our task is to wait, with hope, for all the good things he has prepared for us.

	


	
	






	
	

		
Advent Day 12
	


	

		

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33





I have always loved this scripture, and recently, I studied what “things he [had] spoken unto [them]” so they could have peace and be of good cheer. His teachings leading up to this statement of be of good cheer are all about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost coming to our aid. I like this quote from Elder Holland,










“Jesus held on. He pressed on. The goodness in Him allowed faith to triumph even in a state of complete anguish…Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations … is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: ‘I will not leave you comfortless: [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].’ (John 14:18)”





-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “None Were With Him,” Ensign, May 2009.

	


	
	






	
	

		
Advent Day 11
	


	

		

Today, here is hope in the form of dance. Covid has unleashed new ways to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. The dancers in this video are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and this is a tribute to a sister missionary who passed away recently. It’s also an expression of their testimonies. Whether you like the style of dance or not, I think it’s a beautiful way to share hope.





I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
Doctrine and Covenants 84:88









	


	
	






	
	

		
Advent Day 10
	


	

		

Mormon’s Miraculous Book by Joseph Brickley





My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may the showing of his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.
Moroni 9:25





I really love this video. I like how they convey music transporting them to another time, and experiencing the same feelings as the shepherds and wise men. “May Christ lift thee up.”









	


	
	






	
	

		
Advent Day 8
	


	

		

This December, my Advent theme is Hope. It’s my plan to share something each day leading up to Christmas. Today, I include some words by Elder Jeffrey R Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.





That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 6:18-20










“Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better. Moroni spoke of it in the Book of Mormon as ‘hope for a better world.’ For emotional health and spiritual stamina, everyone needs to be able to look forward to some respite, to something pleasant and renewing and hopeful, whether that blessing be near at hand or still some distance ahead. It is enough just to know we can get there, that however measured or far away, there is the promise of ‘good things to come.’





“My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need. There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the ‘light that is endless, that can never be darkened.’ It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo’s reach, we say, ‘What light through yonder window breaks?’ It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His ‘more excellent ministry’ with a future of ‘better promises.’ He is your ‘high priest of good things to come.‘ -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign, November 1999






	


	
	








	
	

		
Advent day 1
	


	

		

This December, my Advent theme is Hope. It’s my plan to share something each day leading up to Christmas. Today, I share a scripture and a beautiful piece of music.





Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13









	


	
	






	
	

		
Join me for YouTube church tomorrow
	


	

		






As far as I can tell, they leave the meeting up on YouTube for a while after the meeting, so you can watch at your convenience. If you do watch, I hope you will let me know. I will be speaking to just a few people and a camera. As a young friend said as he spoke to the camera from the pulpit, “I never thought I would be a televangelist!” 😁