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The Digital Story of the Nativity

Okay, this is just for fun...



Clever. Made you smile, right?!

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The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings the classical and beloved Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.



Share the Christmas good from BYUTV:

We know this is a time when many of you share Christmas greetings with friends and family members online. After you watch the Choir's video below, we challenge you to spread this unique Christmas message by sharing it! Post it on your Facebook Wall, embed it in your blog, send it in a holiday email. We want to provide you with this stirring musical performance so you can feel and spread the spirit of the season.

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Watch Christmas Devotional

Did you catch the devotional this evening? It's up and available for replay. 

Main themes

President Uchdorf: We know what Christmas should make us think. But too often we focus too much on worldly aspects. When we prepare for Christmas by pondering its true meaning, we prepare to accept Christ.

• Rejoice in the birth of the Savior 
• Ponder His influence in our lives today 
• Look steadfastly for His coming

Look past the worldly trappings of the Christmas season. Our eyes will open to the miracles of the season. Let it be a time of renewal and re-commitment.

President Eyring: At Christmas we should remember that Christ is the Mighty God,the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. We need never feel alone. We need never give up hope.

Giving away food is good. But pointing those we love and serve toward Christ is better.

What we can give to Him:

• A broken heart, repent and make covenants, come to him
• Do to others what He would do 
• Point unto Chris

President Monson: Bringing the Christmas Spirit into our lives and homes takes effort. Let Christmas be a happy time, for lifting those who are sad, of prayers for peace, of forgetting self. Let Christmas be a time of discarding the meaningless for that with true value.

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RS Service Meeting - Add to calendar

If you didn't choose a name bring a general family gift...blankets, coats, hats, gloves, or even a food gift. Or, just come and enjoy the evening with your ward sisters.

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Messiah Sing-Along and Christmas Fireside Broadcast

 

Put it on your calendar. Begin your Christmas season in the right spirit!

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The Spirit of Christmas Early

Want to feel that Christmas Spirit earlier than usual? 

Come sing with the Ward Choir the hymns of our Savior's birth.
Music is essential in our worship and good for our souls!

This is also a great way to sustain one another in our callings.

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Are You Shoveling Out ?

I’m shoveling out the holiday aftermath.

Ripped boxes, shredded paper, torn ribbons, untwisted twisty ties (you know, the parent-tormentor variety used to anchor toys to their packaging securely enough to survive an atomic blast), half-eaten candy canes, little lumps of red and green metallic foil from various Christmas chocolates, crushed cheese crackers (planted in stockings to stave off hunger-fueled meltdowns during the Great Opening of Gifts), sliced-open plastic casing (only kitchen shears are tough enough for the job), and scraps of scotch tape that I had to peel off the carpet and linoleum.

This is a dangerous job.

Read more of "Burning the Beast" and smile.

Ellen

File Away for Next Christmas

Good Morning Ladies,

Years ago I decided to purchase 1 Christmas book each year for our family.  We have a basket that sits by our fireplace filled with our favorites.  I love to read to my children and I wanted to have a good collection.  I have mostly picked up books at target or the like. I realized, however, that I would like to tap into your wisdom a bit and ask you to send me your families' favorite titles.  It is a bit of an investment and I want to have a good list of Christmas books to work off of for the future.  I will compile the lists that each of you send to me and send them back to the group as a single email so we can all benefit from each other's ideas.  Hope to hear about your family favorites.

Here are ours!
I recently ordered the following from Amazon and half.com.

1.  The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
(very excited to read this one!)

2.  A Wish to be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
(the reviews were just too tempting)

3.  Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner

4.  Mr. Willoby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
(This got fantastic reviews and I can't wait to read it.)

5.  Merry Christmas, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
(We love the other stinky face books, so I thought I would give it a try)

I figure this will keep us busy this year, but I am filing your list in my Christmas binder.

Here are ones we have that I love.

1.  Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer
(We LOVE the Olivia series!  They are really not gender specific, I think your boys would love them)

2.  Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
(I love Margaret Wise Brown, this is definitely for the younger set, but I enjoy the way the poetry flows)

3.  The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
(My favorite version is the one illustrated by Mary Englebreit)

4.  Room for a Little One, A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell

5.  The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg

6.  The Nutcracker (the usborne version)
(This is good for small kiddos, I am still looking for a spectacular version)

7.  Bear Stays Up For Christmas  by Karma Wilson
(I just love all of these Bear Series, the rhyming and vocabulary are wonderful, so witty)

8.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
(a must)

9.  What is Christmas?  by Michelle Medlock Adams
(just a little board book, but sweet nonetheless)

10.  Fancy Nancy's Splendiforous Christmas
(Love Fancy Nancy!)

Aubrey Behunin
aubrey[at]behuninassociates[dot]com

Feel free to post your suggestions here as well.

Another list from Mormon Times.

Photo Credit: pipnstuff

Coats, Hats, Scarves, Gloves, Boots!

Sisters,

The Philadelphia wards are collecting, and distributing to needy members in the city, coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots.

We are continually collecting through the month of January, and distributing all of January and February.

If you have any outgrown but usable items of these types, please feel free to drop bags/boxes to my house at any time (even if I am not home; our garage and home are very safe): 27 Wartman Road, Collegeville PA  19426.

Call me with questions
610.213.5542 mobile
610.454.1453 home

Merry Christmas!

Best, Apryl

Photo Credit: Joe Thorn

Temple Square 360 Panorama

If you've never been to Salt Lake City and seen the lights on Temple Square, this will be the next best thing!

If you've been there, this is still breathtaking.

Don't miss these spectacular panoramas of the Christmas lights on Temple Square in Salt Lake City!

Ellen

Come Let Us Adore Him

What is our place in the Christmas Story?

We all know the story. The story of the babe of Bethlehem and the man of Nazareth is engraved on our souls. Yet, if we are not careful, it can become a distant drama—a story in which we fail to see ourselves.

It beckons us to find a place within the meridian plot. Each of us has a vital place in the story. We may learn from those whose story is recorded.

Look for the questions in bold in the article and give sincere thought to your commitment to Him.

Ellen

The Spirit of Christmas

Let us not forget..

Merry Christmas!

Ellen

Catch Up on Christmas Cheer

The Ward Christmas party was a great success. Just take a look at Brother Mu's photos!

The First Presidency's Christmas Devotional - beautiful music, uplifting messages. If you missed it take a quiet moment to listen now.

Ellen

Temple Announcement and Temples Book

1. The new Temple location is officially moved. It’s now at 18th and Vine, diagonally across the street from Logan Square. It was at Broad (14th) and Vine (approx).

Read more about it in this press release.

If for any reason any of you are contacted by the media for a spokesperson, the only one is Elder Smith.

Elder Robert B. Smith
Area Seventy
Home: 610-269-4009

Michelle Leighton

2. Just an FYI, I was at Costco the other day and they had a really nice photo book Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with great photos and facts of about 125 temples. It was
$21.99. Thought I would put the word out there as it is rare to find LDS material in local stores, and Christmas is close.

It is by Thunder Bay Press, and is an independent publication, not affiliated with or reviewed by the church. The author is Christoper Kimball Bigelow, return missionary, BYU graduate, was a Ensign magazine editor, and author of The Timeline History of Mormonism and a few other books.

The pictures are very beautiful and it has very interesting facts including location, dates of announcement, groundbreaking, dedication, and listing of temple district and some little tidbits about location.

Jennifer LHeureux

Toys Still Needed

Thank you to everyone who came and participated in the Primary activity. We are grateful for your support.

Love,
The Primary Presidency



*Just added: Pix from the activity, thanks to Marin

If you would still like to contribute a toy we need...

QTY 4: MY LITTLE PONY (at Target, Wal-mart, Kohl's from $5-6)
QTY 2: MATCHBOX/HOTWHEELS 5-PACK CAR SET (also $5-$6)
QTY 7: CAR TRAVEL GAME (Connect 4, Perfection, etc.) for ages 7-12

Any questions please contact Sarah Kinghorn 484-684-7585

PLEASE bring them to the ward Christmas party this Friday Dec 11th, 6:30 p.m.  We will have a gift wrapping station set-up.

Thanks again.

Festival of Lights at DC Temple

If you get a chance to go to the temple this month, don't miss the Festival of Lights.

On their website you'll find a schedule of performances, a list of films playing and a photo gallery. This would also be a great missionary opportunity.

Last Wednesday was the lighting ceremony. Elder Jensen and the Philippine Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Willy C. Gaa, addressed those in attendance before throwing the switch to illuminate a half million lights on the temple grounds.


President Monson reminds us, "The Spirit of Christmas is the spirit of love...I hope it is something we will all have in our hearts throughout the year."

Ellen