Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

By Jim Greer

LW contributor

Speaking at the recent First Presidency Christmas Devotional, President Russell M. Nelson declared,“we know the life of that babe of Bethlehem did not begin there, nor did it end on Calvary.” He affirmed that Jesus was anointed by his father to be the Messiah, the Christ, the savior and the redeemer of all humankind.

“He was foreordained to atone for us,” he said. “He came to make immortality a reality and eternal life a possibility for all who would ever live. That means every one of us will be resurrected — including those dear to you who have departed during this turbulent year, and who now live on the other side of the veil.”

The Prophet explained why the Lord was born in such an obscure village. “Jesus was born in Bethlehem.That word in Hebrew, bet lehem, means ‘house of bread.’ How appropriate that he, the ‘bread of life,’ would come from the ‘house of bread.’” Born during Passover, the newborn ‘Lamb of God’ was surrounded by animals prepared for Paschal sacrifice. And years later, he would be ‘brought as a lamb to the slaughter,’ making Jesus both the lamb and the shepherd.

“At the birth of him who is called the ‘good shepherd,’ shepherds were the first to receive the announcement of his holy birth. At the birth of him, who is called the ‘Bright and Morning Star,’ a new star appeared in the heavens. At the birth of him who called himself the ‘Light of the World,’ darkness was banished worldwide as a sign of his holy birth.” Baptized in the lowest body of fresh water on earth, his atonement symbolized “the depths to which he would go in order to save us, and from which he would rise above all things to save us.”

Jesus’ example teaches us that we can rise from the “depths of our challenges—our sadness, weakness, and worries, to reach the heights of our own glorious potential and divine destiny. All this is possible by virtue of his mercy and grace.”

Before being called as an apostle, Russell M. Nelson accompanied an ailing Elder Mark E. Petersen to the Holy Land. In the last stages of cancer, Petersen found it challenging to eat and drink, and after a tough night, spoke from the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Within his speech, Peterson encouraged all to “hunger and thirst after righteousness” and asked, “do you know what it is really like to hunger and to thirst?” Peterson, who knew, challenged all, “when you can really hunger and thirst after righteousness, then you can become more Christlike.”

In closing, Nelson invoked a blessing, “May you and your families be blessed with peace, with an increased ability to hear the voice of the Lord, and receive revelation with an enhanced capacity to feel how much our father and his son love you, care for you, and are ready to guide all who seek after them.”