The Book of Mormon in our Homes

"I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity--the pure love of Christ--will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness."

President Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, Apr. 1980, 90; or Ensign, May 1980, 67.

Preparing for Eternal Life

“What can we do to better prepare our children spiritually for their eternal roles? Perhaps the most inclusive answer is: Teach them how to live the principles of the gospel. We prepare each day, right now, for eternal life. If we are not preparing for eternal life, we are preparing for something else, perhaps something for less.”

M. Russell Ballard, “Spiritual Development,” Ensign, Nov. 1978, 65, 66.”

Come Unto Christ

"What can we learn from the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, and the Wise Men, all of whom were favored to come and see the Christ child with their own eyes? As we ponder their faithful responses to the invitation to come to Christ, we can learn to more effectively life ourselves out of our own inversions, out of any gloom and confusion we may be experiencing , and bring ourselves into the clear, pure hope offered by the Light of the World. It is there, with Him, that we come to feel who we really are and where we git into the eternal picture. Our own inversions are reversed, and proper perspective is restored."

Elder Patrick Kearon, "Come Let us Adore Him," Ensign, Dec 2011, 31.

The Breadth of the Condescension

"The wonder of the Lord's condescension is most meaningful when we contemplate how far He descended. The irony of the Jews' rejection of of Him pierces more deeply when we contemplate who He had been for them before He came to earth.

"For example, before the Lord Omnipotent came to earth, He was known as "the Creator of all things from the beginning" (Mosiah 3:8; Helaman 14:12). Contrast that with the Jews' query, "Is not this the carpenter?" (Make 6:3). The Creator of all things became a carpenter.

"Similarly, consider the contrast between "Shepherd" and "Lamb." In the Old Testament the Lord was called the "Shepherd of Israel" (Psalm 80:1). Isaiah described Him as the One who gathers His lambs with His arm (see Isaiah 40:11). In His earthly life, that lamb-gathering Shepherd became God's Lamb, sacrificed for Israel and for the whole world (see John 1:36).

"Consider this difference. Before Jesus came to earth He was called "the Father of heaven and earth" (Mosiah 3:8). On earth He was mistaken as "the son of Joseph" (John 6:42).

"When the Israelites were finally ready to enter the promised land, it was Jehovah who stopped the River Jordan and made it stand in its place so His people could cross on dry ground (see Joshua 3). Contrast His power in performing that miracle with His humility when, as Jesus of Nazareth, He was immersed by John in the same River Jordan (see Matthew 3:13-17).

"In ancient Israel, Jehovah spared thousands and thousands of first born sons on the night of the Passover (see Exodus 12). When He came to earth in the flesh , Jesus raised from the dead the only son of a widow (see Luke 7:12-15).

"The Lord saved thousands. The Lord saved one."

David L. Fischknecht, Curriculum Department, "The Condescension of Jesus Christ," Ensign, December 2011, 52.

Our Gift to Him at Christmas

"Considering all that the Savior has done--and still does--for us, what can we do for Him? The greatest gift we could give to the Lord at Christmas, or at any other time, is to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, worthy to attend His holy temple. And His gift to us will be the peace of knowing that we are prepared to meet Him, whenever that time comes....

"Indeed, wise men and women still adore Him."

Elder Russell M. Nelson, From a devotional address delivered at Brigham Young University on December 10, 2002.

No Room in the Inn

"At that time and place, an Asian inn was not like a modern Holiday or Bethlehem Marriott. A lodging place back then provided accommodations for traveling caravans, including people and their animals. Caravans stayed at what was then known (and is still known) as a caravansary, or a khan. The dictionary defines these terms as an inn surrounding a court in eastern (or Asian) countries where caravans rest at night.

"Such a facility was typically rectangular in shape, composed of a central courtyard for the animals, surrounded by walled cubicles where people rested. These cubicles allowed guests to be elevated slightly above their animals with open doorways so that owners could watch over their animals. The Joseph Smith Translation of Luke 2:7 indicates that there was no room for them in the "inns," suggesting that all of the cubicles of the caravansary were occupied....

"At an Asian caravansary, animals were secured for the night in the corner courtyard. In that courtyard would have been donkeys, dogs, sheep, possibly camels and oxen, along with all the animals' wastes and odors.

"Because the guest chamber surrounding the courtyard were filled, Joseph may have made the decision to care for Mary's delivery in the center courtyard of a caravansary, along with the animals. It is entirely possible that in such a lowly circumstance the Lamb of God was born."

Elder Russell M. Ballard, From a devotional address delivered at Brigham Young University on December 10, 2002.

A Decree to be Taxed

""And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed" (Luke 2:1).
This was really a capitation tax, a census, and an enrollment--a registration of the citizenry of the empire of Rome. King Herod had directed that people be counted in the land of their ancestors. Mary and Joseph, then living in Nazareth, had to travel southward to the city of David, a distance of approximately 90 miles. Perhaps they traveled even farther if they had to go around the hostile intermediate province of Samaria."

Elder Russell M. Nelson, From a devotional address delivered at Brigham Young University on December 10, 2002.

Strengthening Families by Increasing Spirituality

“There has grown in me an overwhelming testimony of the value of daughters of God. . . . I have felt that there has never been a greater need for increased faith and personal righteousness. There has never been a greater need for strong families and homes.

“The ability to quality for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. Qualifying for the Lord’s Spirit begins with a desire for that Spirit and implies a certain degree of worthiness. Keeping the commandments, repenting, and renewing covenants made at baptism lead to the blessing of always having the Lord’s Spirit with us. Making and keeping temple covenants also adds spiritual strength and power to a woman’s life. Many answers to different questions are found by reading the scriptures because the scriptures are an aid to revelation. . . . Daily prayer is also essential to having the Lord’s Spirit with us.”

Julie B. Beck, “And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2010, 10, 11. 

The Achilles Heel

“The adversary knows the Achilles’ heel of your loved ones, your friends, your roommates, your brothers and sisters, and your parents. Do you understand your Achilles’ heel? Do you know the situations you have to stay away from and what your weaknesses are? The secret of a happy marriage is to protect the Achilles’ heel and not take advantage of the weaknesses of those you know that best, love the most, and ultimately can hurt the most.”

Elder Robert D. Hales, “A Little Heaven on Earth,” Ensign Sept 2011, 48.

Don’t Discount a Message Merely because It Sounds Familiar

“Prophets have always taught by repetition; it is a law of learning. You will hear repetition in themes and doctrines in general conference. Let me reassure you: this is not due to a lack of creativity or imagination. We continue to hear messages on similar issues because the Lord is teaching and impressing upon our minds and hearts certain foundational principles of great eternal importance that must be understood and acted upon before we can move on to other things. A wise builder first lays the foundation before erecting the walls and the roof…It is our responsibility to listen and then apply the messages the Lord provides for us.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “General Conference – No Ordinary Blessing,” Ensign, Sept 2011, 4-5.

Free Genealogy Classes from FamilySearch

FamilySearch.org now offers more than 140 classes online free of charge to help people with family history. Courses ranging from beginning to expert skill level include half-hour filmed sessions taught by experts as well as electronic handouts.

Ensign, August 2011, 78.

Remember When?

Although our children are grown and have families of their own, my wife and I still look for ways to have meaningful family home evenings with them. One way we have found to do this is by holding a special family home evening once a year in which we invite all of the family members to share their memories.

Before they come to this special family home evening, we ask them to write down three stories from their lives. We call these “I remember when” stories. During family home evening, each family member takes a turn telling or reading their stories.

We laugh and cry for hours about the experiences. When we are done we collect the written stories and compile them in our family history book. It is a good way for us to continue building our relationships as a family while creating a family history at the same time.

Douglas Andrew, Ensign, August 2011, 73.

Suggestions for Lifelong Learning

· Read a good book.

· Take up a hobby you’ve always wanted to try.

· Attend wholesome cultural events.

· Study the assigned general conference talk or chapter in the Gospel Principles manual for Sunday lessons.

· Visit museums and historic sites.

· Observe the world around you: walk around your neighborhood, stargaze, watch animals in your area.

· Do family history work.

· Learn a new skill or sport.

· Visit the library to research a topic of interest.

Ensign, August 2011, 72.