President Uchtdorf: Seeking Christ at Christmas Time

In this message Preident Uchtdorf hits home.  We seek Christ.  President Uchtdorf describes others who sought Christmas at his birth.  The shepherds, were not seeking Jesus, but when the heard of his coming their hears were touched, and the went to see.  The wise men represents those who are intellectual, and seek Jesus through their knowledge.  Though academic study pointed them towards the Lord, but their faith was no only academic, for when the signs appeared, the traveled to worship Jesus.  Those who met Jesus at the temple, Simeon and Anna had sought Jesus spiritually, and when he was presented at the temple, though a babe the recognized him and worshipped him.  Lastly, there are those in the new world, who believed the words of Samuel the Lamanite, and looked for the signs of his birth.  Despite persecution and threat of death, they held firm to their testimonies.  We seek Jesus and especially at this time of year.  We seek Him with our hearts and souls, so we may worship Him.

Dec 24: Jesus Cared for His Loved Ones and So Can You

We have decided to let the children put on the nativity tonight.  Tony is 9, and the oldest nephew here will be 4.  It should be fun.  Here are pictures from a couple years ago.  And here are some pictures from last year.  Here is another article from the Ensign which talks about caring for elderly loved ones.

Ensign Article Review: Preparing a Place for the Lord

This article, Preparing a Place for the Lord,  by Bishop Gerald Causse, the Presiding Bishop, appears in this month's Ensign.  In it he mentions four keys to preparing to receive the Lord upon his Second Coming.  In this case, I use his four points as a way to review my own life and how I am doing.
1. Go to the Temple.  I have been lamenting that i am not getting to the temple as much as I would like.  I also am not getting done the work I have reserved, so I am sharing it with the Temple, which means it will get done on their schedule rather than mine.  However it will get done.  The temple is always very good at that.  I think a minimal goal for me would be to be at the temple at least monthly, and at least quarterly doing sealings.
2. Prepare Your Home.  Here he suggests asking ourselves if our homes are a place where the Savior would feel comfortable in visiting.  here the key is not that the home be large or spacious, but that it safe, peaceful and filled with the Spirit; a place of faith.
3. Gather the Elect.  Sometimes we must leave the comfort of our homes to gather those seeking the gospel.  Missionaries have always been willing to do this.
4. Help those in need.  Members of the church have at times been refugees.  This includes when they were escaping the extermination order of Missouri, and were taken in my residents of Quincy, Ill.  Likewise today there are opportunities to reach out to people in similar circumstances.  This can be done through donations to the Church Humanitarian Aid programs.  We can welcome the stranger and destitute and those in need.
In these four tasks, we can become closer to the Lord, and prepare a place for him.