Comments on: Christmas Devotional 2008

By: Mrs. M

Mrs. M — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:15:15 +0000

I attended an Advent gathering just before going to the Christmas devotional, so it was interesting to hear talk of Advent there. A family in our ward celebrates Advent and invites different people over every Sunday to sing Christmas carols, eat treats, light the candle, and read Christmas stories (not in that order). It was nice.

By: Lou

Lou — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:25:59 +0000

I wasn’t sure what to make of Pres. Monson referring to the pregnant Mary as “ill.” Was he referring to her pregnancy?

By: Adam Greenwood

Adam Greenwood — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:09:35 +0000

Sending the angels to the rich would be an affirmation of a temporal and mortal scale of values. But if you are already doing well by that standard but still feel hollow, you don’t want those values affirmed. You want to think that eternity has something more important in mind.

By: Kent Larsen

Kent Larsen — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:53:49 +0000

President Uchtdorf said that the angels came to the shepherds, the poor, not to the rich. At one point in my life that would have bugged me. Today I realized that the rich should want it that way. If you’re wealthy and still looking for something, you don’t want to be told that your wealth is all there is.

I don’t understand, Adam. Why would the Angels coming to the poor instead of the rich bug you? Are you saying that the rich should be just as blessed as the poor? Or that it bugged you that Pres. Uchtdorf would suggest that the poor should get benefits that the rich don’t, like some kind of wealth redistribution program?

What do you mean?

And I’m not quite sure what you mean “you don’t want to be told that your wealth is all there is.” How would the angels coming to the poor instead of the rich tell the rich that their “wealth is all there is?”

I don’t understand what you mean at all!!

By: Kenny F

Kenny F — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:37:10 +0000

Carol F,

Is a hungry child asking for a bowl of oatmeal a childhood whim? One reason why “most every orphan/farm boy orange-in-the-toe-of-the-stocking Christmas story out there” is inspirational is because they are examples of an important gospel principle.

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

By: Carol F.

Carol F. — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:38:38 +0000

rd, Wait! I am an adult also, with four children also, and I do not consider the whims of children to be deeply held dreams. Everyone speaks from their own history. We can probably safely say, though, that your Christmas will be more fun than ours. :)

By: WMP

WMP — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:38:30 +0000

I was struck by President Monson becoming visibly emotional when discussing the widow waiting patiently and hopefully for the son who never comes, and never calls. We watched his talk again last night for FHE (our kids were asleep during the original broadcast) and I wondered if that part of the talk was improvised (not in his original written remarks). In any event, I got a very vivid sense of how the Lord might feel about such matters.

Great talks, all three.

By: rd

rd — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:50:47 +0000

Carol F.

As a father of four, I say without reservation that what we adults view as the “whims” of children are in fact deeply-held dreams. Culturally-derived or not, those dreams are real. Children feel the season, eagerly anticipate a fruitful Christmas morning, and any effort to charitably fulfill their dreams–even if slightly–is an inspiration. Particularly efforts rooted with love.

I watched these messages last night and was fully inspired.

By: maxgomes

maxgomes — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:08:42 +0000

Guys, what kind of spirit are here?
In a self centered society where gifts are more important than the core message of christmas it will be and always will be reasonable to remember that gifts from heart are much more valuable.

Replying Mark D, …, the shepherds were not governors or had participation in the sinedrium or in any other leading group during that time. Shepherds were at any time the symbol of humble workers that give too much and receive too little.

I know that many things are not perfect, but lacks light here.

By: Jones

Jones — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:12:32 +0000

And, President Uchtdorf talked about drinking warm/hot herbal tea. It sounded like he made a _pregnant_ pause before saying_herbal tea_ but I certainly caught the reference. Many herbal tea drinkers gave a sigh of validation.