"Now I think because of this revelation (Alma 7:9-10) and a host of related ones that have come to us, telling us in plainness and in perfection what is involved in the doctrine of our Lord's birth, I think we have an especial and particular obligation to stand as witnesses to the world in this day of the truth of this fact. We happen to live in a very perilous, treacherous era of the earth's history—an era when iniquity abounds, when the love that men should have for God has waxed cold in the hearts of people generally. We live in the great era of darkness, spiritual darkness and apostasy, that is to precede the second coming of the Son of Man. But in the midst of this darkness, God has restored for the last time on earth the fulness of his everlasting gospel. He has called us out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ. He has given us the revelations of heaven, given us an understanding of what is involved in the plan of salvation—given it by latter-day revelations so that we do not need to rely on tradition and history or even on the biblical accounts....
"So I say, we have an obligation to testify of Christ, to have in our hearts at this season and at all times the spirit that goes with him and his work. I for one desire that spirit and in some measure have it, and as a consequence I bear witness to you, as we approach the Christmas season, that God has, in fact, restored his everlasting gospel, that the truths of heaven and the truths of salvation are here, that there are legal administrators on earth at this hour who have the power to bind on earth and have it sealed eternally in the heavens. The work of God is here. The plan of salvation has, in fact, been revealed. We know the doctrine of the Divine Sonship. We have the obligation accordingly, because of the light and knowledge that has been poured out upon us, to walk as becometh saints, to rise above the world, to overcome the world, to be living witnesses of the truth and the divinity of the work. Just as surely as we are, we shall reap for ourselves peace and joy and happiness in this life. We shall have the true spirit of Christmas at this season and at all seasons, and then in due course we shall go on to the fulness of the kingdom of our Father hereafter."
- Bruce R. McConkie, "Behold the Condescension of God," from a devotional address at BYU, December 16, 1969; reprinted in New Era Dec. 1984, p. 39
Click here to listen to the audio of the speech at BYU
Click here to read the article in the New Era
We often forget the uniqueness of our knowledge and the power of our position that comes from the revealed truth of the latter-day restoration. Elder McConkie suggests that we have a responsibility to "stand as witnesses to the world in this day" of the things we know. He spoke these words almost 50 years ago, suggesting that the world was struggling in iniquity and that "the love that men should have for God has waxed cold in the hearts of people generally." How much more true that concern is today!
Perhaps one of the benefits of the "Light the World" #LightTheWorld social media campaign suggested by the Church is to help accomplish that task, sharing our witness of the Savior and His divinity in a greater measure. But certainly each of us should feel the call "to walk as becometh saints, to rise above the world, to overcome the world, to be living witnesses of the truth and the divinity of the work." That, Elder McConkie suggests, will help to bring "the true spirit of Christmas" into the season.
(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)
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