What The Birth of the Savior Means to Me

I thought that it was rather funny, because I was asked to speak on the Birth of the Savior the same day that I had updated my blog with a new Christmas header. When I was designing the header I wanted to focus more on the Savior and so I started with a picture of the baby Jesus in the manager. As I thought about that scene, my mind was taken to contemplate his life and what it means to me. I then wanted to express in my header what came from this child who was born in such humble beginnings. So I merged with the baby Jesus a picture of the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane with his crucifixion, his resurrection, and his ascension into Heaven. I posted it on my blog with the words, “May we never forget the true meaning of Christmas.” Then only a few hours later I was asked to speak on The Birth of the Savior and what it means to me.

It is hard to put in words my feelings of the Birth of the Savior and what it means to me, but with the limited time I have, I will try.

I feel to rejoice and to burst with joy when I think about Samuel the Lamanite. The Nephites were known for their righteousness and the Lamanites for their wickedness, and yet the Nephites became very wicked. Samuel taught by the Spirit and went where the Spirit directed him.

Heleman 13:3
“But behold, the ^avoice of the Lord came unto him, that he should return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his ^bheart.”

So, he was sent to preach unto the Nephites and to teach them that doctrine which was rightfully theirs but through wickedness most had become darkened and had rejected the truth. It is not only what he preached and how he preached that brings me to my knees in absolute gratitude. After the Savior appeared to the Nephites, he had their records brought to him. He wanted to know where were the preaching and the prophesying of Samuel the Lamanite.

Truly, That is such an amazing thing. Samuel had preached, nothing short of the words that the Lord wanted him to teach, for he prophesied of him in such simplicity. But, his preachings were not recorded and yet the Savior and Lord of all, asked for his words to be written. To me that gives greater importance to the words that he prophesied than anything else. My heart aches to thank my God and my Savior for caring for all those whom he guides by the Spirit. I think that we all can feel by this that our very lives are not and will not go unnoticed and that he who is mighty to save will set all things in order.

I do not think lightly upon the birth of the Savior because every step leading up to that point were absolute miracles. The very son of God was born into this world, and one may think of the circumstances that would normally be fit for a king to be born, and yet the King of all and Lord of all was born in a manager of straw because there was no room for him in the Inn.

What an amazing child, how must Mary of felt knowing that she was chosen above all women to be the mother of such a child, even the Son of God. I have often pondered on what His brothers and sisters must of felt knowing that their brother was the Savior of the world? I have also thought on many occasions of what great opportunity we have as his brothers and sisters because we have the privilege of seeing all his deeds and studying his life and words. My question to myself and to you is; do we carry that great opportunity and responsibility lightly, do we take the time to build our relationship with Him. Simply knowing of the stories of Jesus is not sufficient, we must personally get to know Him. I know that I need to improve my relationship with Him. I can vividly remember the moment when the Spirit bore testimony to me, like never before, that all that is written of the Savior and His life is true, as true as I am here before you. I have always known, but now I truly know without any doubt and not of myself only but because the Spirit bore testimony to me. I now have a great responsibility to testify of Him, for now I know. All those that have that testimony of the Savior have the same responsibility to share our testimony.

I also love how Ammon and Aaron taught King Lamoni and his father about God and his Christ and the plan of salvation. Did not King Lamoni and his father say that they would give up all their sins to know him and to know how they could obtain eternal life. Here are the words of the father of King Lamoni:

Alma 22:15-18
15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: ^aWhat shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be ^bborn of God, having this wicked spirit ^crooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up ^dall that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt ^abow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the ^bhope which thou desirest.

17 And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the king did ^abow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried ^bmightily, saying:

18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. And now when the king had said these words, he was struck ^aas if he were dead.

What great faith, he was even willing to forsake his kingdom. Alma the younger and Nephi gave up the Judgment seat which is similar to giving up a kingdom and for what purpose? The rich man that came to the Savior was asked to sell his riches and give to the poor and he could not. Why is it that some will give all and even die to know God and others can not let go of the things of the world?

What are we willing to give up to know our Savior and build a relationship with him? The Savior has told us repeatedly “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will ^blose his life for my sake shall ^cfind it (Matt 16:25).” I desire that I may be able to grasp hold of even a fraction of the spirit and love of righteousness that these great men had. We all know the great scripture about Moroni,

Alma 48:17
Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto ^aMoroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the ^bdevil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

Now, let me share with you the very next verse,

18 Behold, he was a man like unto ^aAmmon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God.

When we desire to give up all that we have to know the Savior we will find greater power to resist the temptations of the adversary and we too can be like unto Moroni and these other great men. And there is no doubt in my mind that the women that stood next to these great men were truly great women.

All along the way the Savior said that “there is none ^agood but one, that is, God (Matt 19:17)”. He never took the credit. I desire to be more like him. What does the birth of the Savior mean to me? My reply is everything for with this noble birth came nothing short of salvation for all who will believe in his name and follow in his footsteps.

2 Nephi 31:12
And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father ^agive the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, ^bfollow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

One of those footsteps that we must follow put the Savior into the river of Jordon to be baptised. He who needed no baptism, stepped into the waters and was baptised.

2 Nephi 31:13
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall ^afollow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no ^bhypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real ^cintent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are ^dwilling to take upon you the ^ename of Christ, by ^fbaptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the ^gbaptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the ^htongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

We must follow him into baptism. Another footstep was that of service, he taught that “whosoever of you will be the ^achiefest, shall be servant of all (Mark 10:44). We must serve others with a Christlike attitude. Another footstep was into repentance. The Savior needed no repentance but he went below all things and he suffered for every sin, sickness, infirmity, and more. In the words of the Savior himself,

D&C 19:18
Which ^asuffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might ^bnot drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

We must repent in order to have such a gift as the atonement work in our lives if not we will have to suffer as he did. There are many other footsteps that he took, that we too must follow if we desire to be like him and go where he is. He has promised us:

2 Nephi 31:17-21

17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and ^abaptism by water; and then cometh a ^bremission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

18 And then are ye in this ^astrait and narrow ^bpath which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which ^cwitnesses of the ^dFather and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow ^apath, I would ask if all is ^bdone? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken ^cfaith in him, ^drelying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to ^esave.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a ^asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of ^bhope, and a ^clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and ^dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have ^eeternal life.

21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the ^away; and there is ^bnone other way nor ^cname given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the ^ddoctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the ^eFather, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is ^fone God, without end. Amen.

It is truly hard to express my feelings for the Savior and what his birth gave to me. I will forever reverence his great name and every time I see him in the manger I will take a moment to reflect on its meaning to me. I love my Savior more that words can tell, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.