Monday, December 7, 2015

What Shall We Give to the Babe in the Manger?

​"​In our day the spirit of giving gifts plays a large role in commemorating the Christmas season. I wonder if we might profit by asking ourselves, What gifts would the Lord have me give to Him or to others at this precious season of the year?  

May I suggest that our Heavenly Father would want each of us to render to Him and to His Son the gift of obedience. I also feel that He would ask us to give of ourselves and not be selfish or greedy or quarrelsome​."​ (Thomas S. Monson)

​What shall we give to the Babe in the manger?​ This Christmas season, I would like to give the gift of faith.

I got to do divisions with Hermana Hartley last week and I feel like one of the prominent principles I learned was that of faith. We had the opportunity to visit Celeste, who is going to be baptized on Saturday, and our visit with her gave me a new perspective on faith. Hna Hartley explained to me that Celeste was supposed to be baptized last Saturday, but she missed one church attendance so they had to postpone it a week. This last week, Celeste began to have a lot of doubts about her baptism and felt that she was rushing things, that maybe she should wait a little longer. (I guess one of the members talked in church about how he had to wait two years to be baptized.) I began to agree with her - why the rush? But Hna Hartley wanted her to be baptized this week, and we talked about how we could help her. I began to think about it, and the thought that came to my mind was the principle of faith. Some people need to try their faith by waiting a long time before they can be baptized. But sometimes the trial of faith comes in making the decision to follow the Lord even when (or perhaps especially when) we're full of doubt. Celeste had received her spiritual confirmation that this was the right path, her faith was proven in overcoming her doubts and deciding to go through with the baptism. I'll try to take a lesson from Celeste and keep exercising my faith even when doubts arise.

What shall you give?

Love,
Hermana Watts










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