My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Because of COVID-19 restrictions our Annual Christmas devotion will be a video presentation from some of the wonderful talent found within The Mesquite Nevada Stake. The link will be activated Sunday, 13 December 2020, at 6 pm.
Links:
There will be a direct link from the Stake Website https://www.mesquitenvstake.org/
Stake YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBsoDPtP-BpDJz53J37yyEw/featured?view_as=subscriber
At this season of remembering the Savior, we find ourselves in a very interesting and opportune time in my memory of the Christmas season. For many years Christmas has, for many, been a time of hustle and bustle—running from store to store, and being so busy as President Thomas S. Monson said: “We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we’re doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the “thick of thin things.” In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes”. (October 2009, What Have I Done For Someone Today)
Several decades ago, business, governmental, and scientific leaders were forecasting that, with the increase of technology, the time demands on American workers would decrease, leaving them with more time to pursue personal and family interests. However, just the opposite has been happening. Instead of spending less time earning “our daily bread”, the length of the work week and the hours of labor expected is increasing, pushing into evening hours and weekends to a greater and greater extent.
And then along came COVID-19. Businesses were shut down, families were quarantined and we finally had the time to spend pursuing personal and family interests. We have had time to worship as a family. We have had time to consider what is of greatest value in our lives. We have had the opportunity to hearken to the Savior’s request to “come follow me“. How have we done?
When Moses and Aaron first went into the presence of Pharaoh, they did not demand the full freedom of the children of Israel. They delivered the words of the Lord to the Egyptian king, which were initially a request for some time off to “serve” the Lord and to “hold a feast unto [him] in the wilderness.” (Exodus 4:23; 5:1.) Pharaoh replied, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:2.)
Like the children of Israel, many of us have got so wound up in building pyramids and providing for pharaoh that we forget that the Lord just wants us to serve each other, love each other and worship Him.
A second time the request was made for time to worship: “Let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God.” (Exodus 5:3.)
Pharaoh's solution to this request for freedom to worship and sacrifice to God was an effective one: “Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. ...the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. ...Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.” (Exodus 5:4–5, 9.)
Pharaoh knew that if the people left their burdens, they may find time to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He wanted to keep them so busy that they didn’t have time to regard the “vain words“.
I invite you to immerse yourself in what the pharaohs of this world refer to as “vain words”. Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. (2 Nephi 32:3)
I join with Moroni and The Wise Men and extend this invitation:
And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen. (Ether 12:41)
Please have a Merry Christmas - invite the spirit of the Savior and His love into your life.
President David Jay Anderson, Stake President.