January 3. 2021
During Christmas time and watching Christmas movies this past year, we learned from Elf that "there is room for everyone on the nice list." Then when watching another Santa Christmas movie, there was a dilemma where Santa Claus was very ill one year so he couldn't deliver the Children's presents so his (more rebellious older brother who didn't care for Christmas at the beginning of the movie who felt like he was always living in the shadows of his so-called perfect Santa Claus brother) had to make a big decision. Was he going to choose the right to help his brother out and step in to save Christmas or was he going to get revenge and let years of bitterness and resentment get the best of him in making a bad decision to not help out his sick younger brother Santa Claus? The bad choice wouldn't just hurt him and his brother but it would result in disappointment to Children all over the world; but the choice was his. Luckily for everyone involved, he ultimately choose to help out but he also choose to put all of the children on the nice list. He said that bad kids weren't really bad that they were just misunderstood, apparently he could relate to why the kids who ended up on the naughty list acted the way they did. He said, "there's no naughty kids, they're all good kids. But some of them are scared. And some of them don't feel listened to. Some of them have had some pretty tough breaks. But every kid deserves a present on Christmas." This turned into a minor problem with everyone being on the nice list, Santa didn't know how the elves would have time to make all of the extra presents and then how all of the children in the entire world would get visited in just one night especially since his inexperienced brother was filling in for him this year. Well with good on their side and a Christmas miracle it all worked out- "A Traditional Christmas Morning" for all the children was saved thanks to the good decision that the brother choose to make.
We can learn that seeing the good in people, seeing everyone how our Heavenly Father wants us to see them as a Child of God who deserves to be treated good is so important. Also the importance of us sharing our time, talents and what we can offer to help and serve those around us out in time of need is exactly what our Heavenly Father wants us to do. Our decisions and choices we make on the daily determine our destiny and who we are going to become as a person and the future of just not ourselves but our future families and others in our paths. As we go throughout our lives we can choose to "gather others in" along the way with sharing our happiness, joy and knowledge of the Gospel with them.
Our prophet President Russell M Nelson has told us "that we have our agency to choose how we spend our time and energy, our talents and resources. Will we make good choices? The choice is yours and mine, he said that what we choose to do is part of our testing here on earth. Will we choose to do whatever it takes to fulfill the wonderful missions which we were sent here to earth to do? We were sent here to earth at this precise time, the most crucial time in the history of the world to help gather Israel. There is nothing happening on earth right now that is more important than that. There is nothing of greater consequence. Absolutely nothing. This gathering should mean everything to you. This is the mission for which you were sent here to earth."
So what exactly does it mean to "Gather Israel?" President Nelson declared, "anytime you do anything that helps anyone- on either side of the veil- take a step towards making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. In reassurance to all of us, our prophet also said, "you are among the best the Lord has ever sent to this world. You have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have more impact on the world than any previous generation!"
"In speaking about today's circumstances and times, President Dieter F. Utchdorf said, at first it may seem that a worldwide pandemic would be a rollback to the Lord's work but Missionary Work and The Work of Gathering Israel Goes Forward. This pandemic is revealing new and more creative ways of reaching out to the honest in heart. The work of Gathering Israel is increasing in power and enthusiasm. Many of our missionaries are busier than ever. Many are teaching more people than ever. There is an increased connection between members and missionaries. In the past, we might have been so tied to traditional approaches that it took a pandemic to open our eyes. Perhaps we were still building with sandstone when granite was already available. Of necessity, we are now learning how to use a variety of methods, including technology, to invite people- in normal natural ways- to come and see, to come and help, and to come and belong.
This is the Lord's work. He invites us to find His ways of doing it, and they may differ from our past experiences. God has revealed and will continue to reveal His almighty hand. The day will come when we look back and know that during this time of adversity, God was helping us to find better ways- His ways- to build His kingdom on a firm foundation. Utchdorf went on to invite and bless all of us to cheerfully do all things that lie in our power and then to stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. He promised that unimaginable things will come from our righteous labors."
By righteously living our religion in our normal course of life, I know that the Lord places people in our paths that are ready to learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ along with those opportunities where we are able to simply plant a seed of the Gospel. Some will accept the Gospel, others won't be ready to accept it and some will seem to never come to accept it, we are all on different paths- but no matter the outcome we can always show love and establish friendships in the process. Our example and the joy that we radiate that comes from living the Gospel is our best missionary tool we have. By striving to live Heavenly Father's commandments, others will see that you are different than the ways of the world; they will have questions and want to know more about who you are and why you do or don't do certain things.
There is literally "room for everyone on the nice list." Our Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness is for everyone, for his children all over the world young and old. As we strive to emulate the Savior with his perfect traits of love, kindness, compassion, forgiveness and charity- we will learn more fully to see others through the eye's of our Heavenly Father. I know that the healing and strengthening power from Christ's Atonement is for all of us who will ask. Like our Savior, we can learn to see people deeply as individuals, for their needs and for who they can become. By doing this we will more fully be aware of those around us to do the Lord's errands. The Spirit will be our guide to share the Goodness of His Gospel by lifting and serving those around us.
