Good Tidings of Great Joy December 20, 2010

I think that sometimes we forget what Christmas is all about.  And I´m not talking about ´giving instead of getting´ or the ¨true meaning of Christmas is the heart¨or even ¨I´ll be home for Christmas¨ And to be frank, I´m not really evern talking abut the baby Jesus.


Why did the angels say they had ¨good tiding of great joy¨?  What was there to be so happy about?  Why was HIs named called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mightly God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace?


How many times have we thought too much abut eh baby in the manger that we forget the man on the cross?


Don´t get me wrong, the choice that Christ made to come to the earth and be born is beyond-all-discription worthy of all my gratitude and adoration, but only because of what He was preparing to do.


¨...he shall beborn of Mary, at Jerusalem ...she being a virgen a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and  conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God."

 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me. 

Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come ...that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. 

Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments...¨

(Alma 7:10-15)

That´s why we have hope in Christmas.  Not because a baby was born but because a Savior lived, died, and lived again.

That´s  why ¨we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.¨

(2 Nephi 25:26)

So I´d like to make an invitation. Maybe we should remember a little more why there is peace on earth.

That, after all, is why we celebrate Christmas.

I know that Christ lives and that He is my Savior.  I know that I´m so incedibly weak and that I need Him in every moment.

Thank you for all your prayers and your love and your emails.  They mean so so  much.

Merrry Christmas!!!

Love. Love. Love.

Hermana Cooper