Monday, December 2, 2013

          Glade thought we would be safe to go out for groceries since it wouldn’t require that we go “downtown,” so we went to La Colonia for the few things we needed.  It was a fairly quiet day and all went well.

          Family Home Evening was great with a lesson on the meaning of the Christmas symbols.  Pres. Amado showed pictures of each on a screen and asked for discussion of the meaning of each.  It happens to parallel one of the verses we repeat at Christmas called “Teach the Children” and was so appropriate as a counter to what the world now teaches about celebrating Christmas.  Several schools have banned singing carols and anything that has a reference to Christ or why we really celebrate Christmas; stores and advertisements can’t refer to “Christmas;” and all reference to the birth of Christ in public has been erased from the season and its celebration.  We heard it referred to tonight as “the war on Christmas” and can’t believe that those who are “offended” by references to the real meaning of Christmas are winning that war.  How incredibly sad it has come to this.  It makes us more determined than ever to celebrate the birth of our Savior and its importance to mankind and to us as individuals.  I hope that wherever we are, we can stand up for what we believe.

And Santa Whispered,

“Teach the Children the True Meaning of Christmas”

The Star:                         A heavenly sign of prophecy fulfilled long, long ages ago—the shining hope of mankind.

Red:                                The first color of Christmas symbolizing the Savior’s sacrifice for all.

Fir Tree:                          Evergreen—the second color of Christmas shows everlasting life.  The needles point heavenward.

The Bell:                         Rings out to guide lost sheep back to the fold—signifying that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord.

The Candle:                     A mirror of starlight reflecting our thanks for the star of Bethlehem.

Gift Bow:                       Tied as we should all be tied together in bonds of goodwill forever.

Candy Cane:                    The Shepherd’s crook used to bring lambs back into the fold—A reminder that we are all our brother’s keeper.

The Wreath:                    A symbol of the never-ending eternal nature of love . . . having no beginning and no end.