I LOVE Christmas. Its such a fun time of year! I love the lights, I love the snow, I love the songs, and most of all I love the GIFTS
There is one thing I do not enjoy about Christmas. Growing up, every year on Christmas day I found my self crying. The reasons would change year to year. One year it would be I didn't get what I wanted. the next it would be I wanted what my brother got. One year I was determined not to cry, but after sledding with my family and getting run over by my brothers I found myself crying yet again. Year after Year on Christmas day I would find myself in tears. And every year my family would point it out. "You always cry on Christmas!" "Its like a new tradition!"
Well I didn't like this. I wanted this tradition to end. I was NOT going to cry next Christmas. I had made up my mind. I remember the day well.
Christmas day, 7:00 am and most of the presents had already been unwrapped. I was completely satisfied with all of my gifts. This year it was legos, as it was most years. I as thrilled with all that I had received. There were no complaints to be made! And the best part was knowing that somewhere in our house, I had one last present hidden away. The hidden present was part of the Walters family tradition. The hidden present was always the biggest, the best, and the most exciting present of all, and the excitement and suspense of following clue after clue to find it made it even better. The thoughts were playing through the back of my mind all morning. What would it be? how big was it? how long until we got to go searching? All of this added to my joy that I had not as yet cried this Christmas! It had been the best Christmas of my life!
I remember some one mentioning the smell of something melting. We all gathered around the tree inspecting the ornaments and lights to see what was the cause of the melting plastic smell. Then suddenly my Dad's eyes got wide and he rushed over to the oven, which had just been per heating for Christmas lunch. My Dad then pulled out a crisp burnt Christmas package, the edges singed and the wrapping paper black. And there in the middle of the gift was the name to who it belonged.
TO: REID
The tears could not be stopped. All the joy and gladness from a few moments before was washed away. My great gift had been ruined, as well as was my Christmas. I had cried yet again.
There have been years since then and I still to this day think I have cried at each occasion. The tears flow for different reasons now. Tears of joy, tears from the joy of others. Tears from hearing the sweet voices of my parents and family. Each year I tell myself this year will be the one where I break the tradition. And each year I find myself wiping my eyes. And each year I am brought back to that year Christmas went wrong, all because my gift was ruined. I'm sure I am not the only one who has experienced sadness from having a gift, or surprise be ruined. I'm sure others have felt the same devastation as their gift was stolen, lost, or broken. Even some may have had their gifts taken away, and the feeling is undeniably horrible at the loss of a gift.
I want to now talk about a GIFT that was given to each one of us, that can never be taken away. A GIFT that can not be broken, bought, or burnt. Ruined, robbed, or replaced. The GIFT that I am referring to is the GIFT of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In the Little town of Bethlehem, some 2000 years ago, a baby was born in a stable. This baby whose beginnings were extremely humble would grow up, and one day hang and die on a cross for each of us. His suffering in the garden, his death on the cross, and his rising on the third day makes for each of us, the greatest GIFT we can ever receive. The GIFT of eternal life.(Romans 6:23)
I know that through the atonement of our Savior, we can all live with our Heavenly Father again. I know that He died for me, and that his GIFT is already given. It cannot and will not be taken away. Our Heavenly Father loves us, and as we seek Jesus Christ in our lives, especially during this Christmas season, I promise that you will feel his personal love for you. He is the TRUE meaning of Christmas.
"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."
-Thomas S. Monson
http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-12-0140-the-greatest-gift?lang=eng
