Elder John A. Widtsoe on perspective in giving of Christmas gifts

Elder John A. Widtsoe (1872-1952) was born in Norway. He was raised by his widowed mother who immigrated to Utah when John was 11. He was educated at Harvard and in Europe, and had formative roles in programs in several Utah universities including BYU. He served as an apostle from 1921 to his death in 1952.

"Christmas gifts should be in memory of the divine gift, the life of Jesus Christ. His gift gave us eternal life: our gifts should enliven with joy those who receive. His gift was the sacrifice of his earthly life: our gifts should represent personal sacrifices on our part.

"It is easy to give to our own, those whom we love. Their gladness becomes our joy. We are not quite so ready to give to others, even if they are in need, for their happiness does not seem so necessary to our happiness. It appears yet more difficult to give to the Lord, for we are prone to believe that he must give and ask nothing in return.

"We have foolishly reversed the proper order. Our first gift at Christmas should be to the Lord; next to the friend or stranger by our gate; then, surcharged with the effulgence from such giving, we would enhance the value of our gifts to our very own. A selfish gift leaves a scar upon the soul, and it is but half a gift."

- John A. Widtsoe, "The Gifts of Christmas," Ensign, December 1972, p. 4
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This was a beautiful article written by an apostle not many of us remember today. I love how Elder Widtsoe invites us to ponder our motivation in gift-giving; in reality, we are emulating the eternal gift of the Savior as He gave His life for us. So in the process of gift-giving, we might think about those who need the gifts most, and what our "personal sacrifices" might mean to them.

As we share gifts with others and consider our motives for doing so, Elder Widtsoe teaches that we can find increasing "effulgence" (brightness or intensity) as we discover the proper motivation. We might remember the warning written by Mormon many centuries ago: "For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God." (Moroni 7:8)

Elder Mark E. Petersen on the gifts of the first Christmas

Elder Mark E. Petersen (1900-1984) served as a member of the Quorum of Twelve from 1944 until his death in 1984.

"This was the first Christmas. There were no tinseled Christmas trees, no family gatherings, no children at play. But there were carols, the greatest ever sung. The angels of heaven joined in a great chorus rejoicing at the birth of God's Son. Now the redemption of the world could take place. Salvation could come to all mankind. Death would be overcome, for this little child, when he became a man, would bring about the Resurrection. All mankind could then live again.

"Christmas gifts? There were none at that time. The Wise Men came later with their offerings.

"But God now gave His gift to the world—that of His Only Begotten Son. And this divine Son by His very birth on earth gave Himself as the greatest Gift of all time.

"He would provide the plan for our salvation. He would give His life that we might rise from the grave and have a happy life in the eternities, forever. Who could give more?

"What a gift this was! Think what it means to us! We can learn patience, devotion, and faithfulness such as Mary had. And like her Son we can follow the true gospel principles, being in the world but not of the world.

"Mary offered her gift also—the gift of nurturing and rearing the Son of God from infancy to manhood. What hours and days and months of care, what years of devoted service!

"Through this first Christmas, and the birth of Jesus the Messiah, we can adopt in our own lives the traits that made Jesus great.

"We can be kind and thoughtful. We can be honest and fair to others. Mercy can be an important part of character. And then there is purity....

"Through Him we can enjoy the dearest of our associates forever. We can have eternal families. We may be sealed to our parents and be a part of their loving circle eternally. Isn't that a priceless gift? It, too, comes from that first Christmas."

- Mark E. Petersen, "The Gifts of Christmas," New Era, Dec. 1983, p. 4
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It's interesting to consider the difference between "the first Christmas" and our contemporary celebrations. Elder Petersen describes some of the contrasts, the many things that have been added in our commemorations. But he also points out the sublime, sacred import of those original events and all they mean to us.

I think one of the keys from this message is that we should attempt to "adopt in our own lives the traits that made Jesus great." The Christmas season is a wonderful time to ponder that effort.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf on avoiding the distractions of the Christmas season

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (1940- ) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He has served as second counselor in the First Presidency since 2008.

"The more commercialized and busy the Christmas season becomes, the easier it is for the sublime message of the Savior's life to get lost along the way. If we notice that planning for parties and scrambling for presents begin to detract from the peaceable message of Jesus Christ and distance us from the gospel He preached, let us take a step back, slow down a little, and reconsider what matters most.

"Christmas is a time for remembering the Son of God and renewing our determination to take upon us His name. It is a time to reassess our lives and examine our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Let this be a time of remembrance, of gratitude, and a time of forgiveness. Let it be a time to ponder the Atonement of Jesus Christ and its meaning for each of us personally. Let it especially be a time of renewal and recommitment to live by the word of God and to obey His commandments. By doing this, we honor Him far more than we ever could with lights, gifts, or parties."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Seeing Christmas through New Eyes," First Presidency Christmas Devotional, December 2010
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There seem to be two competing Christmases: the commercialized, sales-oriented, present-focused, secular one; and the more subtle, sublime, spiritual one. President Uchtdorf warns that the second one, focusing on the Savior, is often lost amid the clamor of the first. We need to remember to find place for "the peaceable message of Jesus Christ" and His gospel, for that is truly what matters most.

This is a beautiful reminder and invitation for us all:

We would be especially blessed in this holiday season to take time to carefully ponder the message President Uchtdorf shares and make sure there is time in our celebration for the actions he suggests.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell on applying the Christmas message

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) served as a Seventy from 1976-1981, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve until his death from cancer in 2004.

"No wonder the declaratory focus of the first Christmas was on 'a Savior is born.' What greater tidings could there be than those 'good tidings of great joy'? No wonder the reverential exclamation praising our planning and loving Father—indeed, 'Glory to God in the highest'!

"'Come, let us adore Him,' Jesus Christ. The ultimate form of adoration of Him is emulation! Come, let us glorify God with our daily lives!

"Like the wise men from the east, we too must travel a great distance in order to come unto Christ, the Light of the World. No matter—He waits for us 'with open arms' (Mormon 6:17). May Christmas cause us deeper contemplation and deeper determination to complete that journey of journeys—in order to experience that resplendent rendezvous."

- Neal A. Maxwell, The Christmas Scene (Bookcraft, 1994), p. 9

It's interesting to ponder the declaration of the angels to the shepherds in the field: good tiding of great joy. What do those words represent? In what ways did the coming birth merit such a description? Elder Maxwell's beautiful words and phrases about the "first Christmas" convey a beautiful reverence for those events and an understanding of their eternal import.

If we truly do "adore" the babe in the manger, and the man he became in mortality, then our greatest goal would be to follow Him, to emulate His teachings and example. We are then able to "glorify God" by the actions of our lives each day!

Elder Maxwell's challenge in this excerpt is to use the Christmas season to ponder and contemplate the love of God and of His Son, and then to resolve to more fully follow that divine example as we come unto Him. How eager He is to receive us!

President James E. Faust on Christmas presents and Christmas gifts

President James E. Faust (1920-2007) was called as a Seventy in 1976, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve in 1978. He served as a counselor to President Hinckley from 1995 until his death in 2007 at age 87.

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves—giving of the riches of the heart and mind—and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store....

"Of course, among the greatest of gifts is the gift of love....

"There are so many problems facing us individually and collectively. Yet I have the simple faith that many, if not all, of them can be put into proper perspective by Paul's sublime message to the Galatians: 'Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me' (Gal. 2:20).

"The message of this season that is applicable throughout the year lies not in the receiving of earthly presents and treasures but in the forsaking of selfishness and greed and in going forward, seeking and enjoying the gifts of the Spirit, which Paul said are 'love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law' (Gal. 5:22-23)."

- James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, December 2001, pp. 2-6
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President Faust makes a distinction between presents—things we buy at the store to give each other; and gifts—parts of ourselves, from our hearts or minds. And gifts are much more valuable and lasting than presents:

There were two additional points President Faust made that are worth pondering. We can gain perspective to deal with our problems and challenges as we allow Christ to live within us, since He first loved us, and gave Himself for us. And then we should allow the Christmas spirit to direct us towards the giving of gifts, and seeking gifts, particularly the gifts of the Spirit. That's an aspect of Christmas we don't often consider.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on the Christmas spirit of sacrifice and service

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (b. January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"At Christmas when we ponder the birth of Jesus and His example of near-constant service, we are prone to draw from our own resources that which would bless and liberate others. The stories of people helping and blessing one another at Christmastime are legion. And that is certainly one of the main reasons we rejoice so much in this holiday....

"And so at Christmas, the stories of sacrifice and ministering multiply across the world. Our gifts and service gladden hearts; the kindness of others pours healing balm into our own wounds. It is living the Savior's way of life. And since, as He, we came down from heaven to do the will of the Father, it must not be only an annual event, but rather the pattern of our lives. In all that serves to deepen our empathy, broaden our understanding, and purify our souls, His declaration reassures us: 'In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world' (John 16:33)."

- D. Todd Christofferson, "The Condescension of God and of Man," First Presidency Christmas Devotional, December 2014
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"The spirit of Christmas" does open to us a desire to give and to serve. We want to share gifts with those near to us; be become more sensitive to others who may have needs or challenges in their lives. But this spirit is really the spirit of the Savior, who spent His life in service and sacrifice on behalf of others. It's that "example of near-constant service" that inspires us, more than any time of year.

I love the thought that as we partake of this spirit of giving and service, and as we receive the same from others, we feel "healing balm" poured into our own wounds and are blessed and inspired as we partake of "the Savior's way of life."

Elder Gary E. Stevenson on the spirit of the Christmas season

Elder Gary E. Stevenson (b. 1955) was called as a Seventy in 2008, then as Presiding Bishop in 2012. He was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2015.

"This Christmas, as the spirit of the season permeates our hearts, let us do something that expresses our feelings in an outward way, showing that we understand that the babe born in Bethlehem is the real Redeemer....

"Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. Without Christ, there can be no fulness of joy. Without His birth and His Atonement, we would have no Intercessor, no Advocate with the Father, and no Mediator who makes it possible for us to return to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father and live together as eternal families.

"I celebrate with you the beautiful and miraculous reality of the birth and mission of the Son of God, and I bear my testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer—the promised Messiah."

- Gary E. Stevenson, "The Reality of Christmas," Ensign, December 2014
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Elder Stevenson encouraged that we actually do something in the Christmas season to show outwardly the feelings of our inward hearts. The Light the World initiative offered by the Church this Christmas season has provided a number of ways to do that, through service, sharing, kindness, and worship.

We must never forget the reason for the Christmas season, as well as the reason for our very existence on earth and the promises that come to us through the Savior: