Welcome Christmas Season!

Well I am sick as a dog, and Yet I put up the Christmas tree! I needed to have it up! I got in the mood as I prepared all of Weston's Christmas presents and sent them off.  Part of his present was typing up a Christmas stories for each day.  I sure do miss my christmas tree decorator and helper!  The decorations  look really good the way I decorated it ( that is because it is the same as usual!) I love having a 3 foot statue of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in front of the tree, under the statue I have a "good deed" manger in front.  Every time anyone in the family does a act of service or a kind deed then we put a cotton ball in the manger.  Our goal each christmas is to see how many cotton balls we can fill it up with, our goal is to make a soft bed for Jesus with our kind deeds. It is beginning to look alot like Christmas! 


I gave the lesson in Relief Society today. It was a true miracle that I was able to do it! Because yesterday I was so sick. I prayed really hard and asked in faith to be healed so that I may give my lesson. I woke up with a voice and for the most part have felt great. I know that heavenly father answered my prayers. My lesson was on keeping Christ in our hearts at Christmas. It was a great lesson, and a funny part was I asked the question “What are some of your families traditions?” and it was completely silent for at least 30 seconds and no one raised their hand....so.....I started to sing the Fiddler on the Roof song “Trrrraditionnnnns, Traditions, Traaaaditionnnnns, Traditions, then everyone started to laugh and I had several people raise their hands after that. I asked the question

• How can we feel closer to Jesus this Christmas season? (here are a few I thought of)
  Reading our scriptures, especially the verses that talk about the Savior’s birth and mission.
  Sing or listen to Christmas hymns, or sing in a community choir, if possible see the Messiah.
  Give meaningful service, whether it be at home or in the community
  Attend all of your Church meetings, and Christmas programs/functions/dinners.
  Read Christmas stories from Church magazines like the Ensign, New Era and other sources. (just Google Christmas Stories) 
  Display a Nativity as a visual reminder for the reason for the season.
  Pray often with gratitude and praise for the gift of our Savior.
  If funds allow, help with the community angel tree or sub for Santa, (help the less fortunate)
  Seek the guidance of the Spirit in reaching out to others in small acts of service
  Visit or call family or neighbors who are lonely or sick
  Write Christmas card to the members of your family and adding your testimony of Christ
  Visit a homeless shelter or nursing home
  Do the 12 days of Christmas to a family in your neighborhood (We have had this done for our family before and the excitement of our children each night in anticipation for the nightly gift was a wonderful part of Christmas) (One time we also did this for a needy family and we bought a cheap nativity set that had 12 pieces including the manger, each day we gave them a figure of the nativity with a story or 
  poem to go along with the nativity piece, and a treat or gloves, stockings ect. on the 12^th day (Christmas eve) we gave them baby Jesus) 

 I think that as mothers, sometimes we can set the tone of the Christmas spirit in our homes, and I gave a list of several things we could do to keep Christ with us this season. One of the biggest things we need to do is Simplify! I know I am guilty of not doing this! I think as a mother, we want to expose our children to all the wonderful busy things that the season has, and really by doing that sometimes we loose the feeling of Christ in our lives, cause we are too busy to let him in, and to busy to serve others. I think that is one of the biggest way to feel the Christmas spirit is by serving others, instead of thinking of ourselves and give me, I've got to have it, I want it! So I hope you have a great day! I sure hope you are feeling better.  in the December 2010 New Era Magazine President Thomas S. Monson, gave a Christmas Address.  I like what he said and so I felt like I should share it.  It is titled “The Spirit We Feel at Christmastime,” 

Thomas S. Monson says, "Recently as I have reminisced concerning past Christmases I’ve realized that probably no other time of the year yields as many poignant memories as does Christmas. The Christmases we remember best generally have little to do with worldly goods, but a lot to do with families, with love, and with compassion and caring. … My brothers and sisters, finding the real joy of the season comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done or in the purchasing of obligatory gifts. Really, joy comes as we show the love and compassion inspired by the Savior of the world, who said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). …

As we contemplate how we are going to spend our money to buy gifts this holiday season let us plan also for how we will spend our time in order to help bring the true spirit of Christmas into the lives of others.

The Savior gave freely to all. And His gifts were of value beyond measure. Throughout His ministry, He blessed the sick, restored sight to the blind, made the deaf to hear, and the halt and the lame to walk. He gave cleanliness to the unclean. He restored breath to the lifeless. He gave hope to the despairing, and He sowed light in the darkness.

He gave us His love, His service, and His life.

What is the spirit we feel at Christmastime? It is His spirit—the spirit of Christ."