Monday, December 25, 2006

   Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
"We honor His birth. But without His death that birth would have been but one more birth. It was the redemption which He worked out in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross of Calvary which made His gift immortal, universal, and everlasting. His was a great Atonement for the sins of all mankind. He was the resurrection and the life, 'the firstfruits of them that slept' (1 Cor. 15:20). Because of Him all men will be raised from the grave.
"But beyond this He taught us the way, the truth, and the life. He gave the keys through which we may go on to immortality and eternal life.
"We love Him. We honor Him. We thank Him. We worship Him. He has done for each of us and for all mankind that which none other could have done. God be thanked for the gift of His Beloved Son, our Savior, the Redeemer of the world, the Lamb without blemish who was offered as a sacrifice for all mankind."
(Gordon B. Hinckley, "A Season for Gratitude," Ensign, Dec. 1997, 4 )

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Xihuitl: Just a short note, to say Merry Christmas without pulling you away from your family and friends for long. We love you. More importantly, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love yoU!

Equus: We hope you're doing what we are, or something similar--enjoying the Nativity, a Christmas tree, movies, love-filled gifts, warm fires, treats and good food, and love from the people in your lives and God and Christ.

Kurama #3: Here are your pocket hugs and glomps, and some Christmas cookies.

Kyo-clone: Merry Christmas.

Kakashi #8: Happy New Year.

Haru #8: Take care.

Emeraulde: Love to you all!

Sano: Remember all the blessings in your life.

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Luke 3
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

John 3: 16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Isaiah 9: 6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 14: 15
If ye love me, keep my ccommandments.

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Fact of the day: “Collie” actually used to just mean “working dog.”

"Great gift-giving involves three things: you feel what the other feels, you give freely, and you count sacrifice a bargain. . . .
"It will take some practice, more than one holiday, to learn how to be touched by what's inside others. And giving freely and counting sacrifice as joy will take a while. But we could at least start this Christmas being a good receiver. We have the power to make others great gift-givers by what we notice. We can make any gift better by what we choose to see--and we can, by failing to notice, make any gift a failure. Gift giving takes a giver and a receiver. I hope we use this theory not to criticize the gifts and giving that come our way this year, but to see how often our hearts are understood and how often gifts are given joyfully, even with sacrifice."
(Henry B. Eyring, "Giving with Joy," Liahona, Dec. 1996, 12)

And lo, a star appeared, shining in the east.

A gift of love it led to. Remember God the Father and Jesus Christ, and hearken to the Holy Ghost. Love one another.

God be with you.

"I declare that God has through His Only Begotten Son lifted the famine of which Amos spoke. I testify that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life and a Well of Living Water springing up unto eternal life."
—Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, Nov. 1997, 65
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