HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!
What happens next?
What happens next?
Thirty years ago, President Bernhisel and I, and our family, spent our first Christmas in North Carolina. We
bought a Kenny Rogers country Christmas cd to help bring the Christmas spirit to a very warm Christmas
season. My favorite song on that cd, even today, is “Christmas Everyday’. The words go like this:
‘He was born so far away, so the story's told. We remember Christmas day, when winter days grow cold. With the time it passes by, we put away the trim; Then we live and wonder, why we can't remember Him. The Christmas star shines once a year and then it fades away. Keep the spirit in your heart. It's Christmas everyday. It's not the bells and it's not the snow, And it's not the gifts we get. But He was born so long ago, It's easy to forget. Peace on earth, goodwill to men. But men can't go alone. We get lost along the way, but He can bring us home. Remember Him throughout the year, Without the star above. He left us all a Christmas gift. He left the gift of love The Christmas star shines once a year, and then it fades away Keep the spirit in your heart. It's Christmas everyday.
So now that Christmas day is over, what happens next?
At the First Presidency Christmas devotional, Sister Wixom, the General Primary President, shared a beautiful story of a cub scout leader who taught a group of 8-year-old boys about the birth of Christ. A young boy asked ‘What happened next’? She then continued the story of Christ’s ministry, His healings, miracles and teachings. Then, this young boy asked again, ‘so what happened next’? She then shared about the Last supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, and His crucifixion, and His resurrection. She then called each boy by name and said ‘Jesus died for you’. This young boy was surprised.
Do YOU know that Christ died for YOU?
My dear missionaries, Christ died for you as well. He died for all those around us. He died for that person who passes us on the street, that person who stands next to us in the check out line at the store.
So, now that Christmas day has passed, we ask...what happens next? We keep the spirit of our Savior deep in our hearts every day. We share that gift of love, the gift that the Savior sacrificed His life for. What happens next is found in His doctrine, in our Heavenly Father’s plan. Through the Savior, Jesus Christ, we can return and live with our Heavenly Father again. We can be with our families forever. Because of our Savior’s sacrifice, we are not alone. No man is alone. He, our Savior, Jesus Christ, can bring us home. The Savior said, ‘He that receiveth me receiveth my Father; and he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him (D&C 84:37-38).
As we welcome in the New Year, 2014, I pray that we each will feel our Savior’s love everyday. That we will have the Christmas Spirit in our hearts as we share the Savior’s love with all those that we come in contact with, so that no man is alone! In 2014, let how we ‘celebrate Christmas everyday’ reflect what we celebrate! We celebrate eternal life. We give gifts of love, compassion, service, friendship, understanding, and sharing that which brings eternal life...just as the Savior gave.
Happy New Year!
Love, Sister Bernhisel (Mom, Grandma B, Mama B, Jules, Julee)
‘He was born so far away, so the story's told. We remember Christmas day, when winter days grow cold. With the time it passes by, we put away the trim; Then we live and wonder, why we can't remember Him. The Christmas star shines once a year and then it fades away. Keep the spirit in your heart. It's Christmas everyday. It's not the bells and it's not the snow, And it's not the gifts we get. But He was born so long ago, It's easy to forget. Peace on earth, goodwill to men. But men can't go alone. We get lost along the way, but He can bring us home. Remember Him throughout the year, Without the star above. He left us all a Christmas gift. He left the gift of love The Christmas star shines once a year, and then it fades away Keep the spirit in your heart. It's Christmas everyday.
So now that Christmas day is over, what happens next?
At the First Presidency Christmas devotional, Sister Wixom, the General Primary President, shared a beautiful story of a cub scout leader who taught a group of 8-year-old boys about the birth of Christ. A young boy asked ‘What happened next’? She then continued the story of Christ’s ministry, His healings, miracles and teachings. Then, this young boy asked again, ‘so what happened next’? She then shared about the Last supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, and His crucifixion, and His resurrection. She then called each boy by name and said ‘Jesus died for you’. This young boy was surprised.
Do YOU know that Christ died for YOU?
My dear missionaries, Christ died for you as well. He died for all those around us. He died for that person who passes us on the street, that person who stands next to us in the check out line at the store.
So, now that Christmas day has passed, we ask...what happens next? We keep the spirit of our Savior deep in our hearts every day. We share that gift of love, the gift that the Savior sacrificed His life for. What happens next is found in His doctrine, in our Heavenly Father’s plan. Through the Savior, Jesus Christ, we can return and live with our Heavenly Father again. We can be with our families forever. Because of our Savior’s sacrifice, we are not alone. No man is alone. He, our Savior, Jesus Christ, can bring us home. The Savior said, ‘He that receiveth me receiveth my Father; and he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him (D&C 84:37-38).
As we welcome in the New Year, 2014, I pray that we each will feel our Savior’s love everyday. That we will have the Christmas Spirit in our hearts as we share the Savior’s love with all those that we come in contact with, so that no man is alone! In 2014, let how we ‘celebrate Christmas everyday’ reflect what we celebrate! We celebrate eternal life. We give gifts of love, compassion, service, friendship, understanding, and sharing that which brings eternal life...just as the Savior gave.
Happy New Year!
Love, Sister Bernhisel (Mom, Grandma B, Mama B, Jules, Julee)
