President Russell M. Nelson on Christmas meaning - past, present, and future

President Russell M. Nelson (born Sept 9, 1924) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He became president of that quorum on July 15, 2015. Following the death of President Monson, he was set apart as president of the Church on January 14, 2018.

"Through all of our various Christmas traditions, I hope that we are focused first upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Wise men still adore Him....

"I plead with you to rise above the tasks of the day and the hurdles ahead. You can do more than the deeds scheduled in your daily planners. You can take the name of the Lord upon you and become more like Him. You can rise to your great potential. You can prepare for the future with greater spiritual capacity.

"Remember that the fulness of Christ's ministry lies in the future. The prophecies of His Second Coming have yet to be fulfilled. At Christmas, of course, we focus upon His birth. But, He will come again. At His First Coming Jesus came almost in secret. Only a few mortals knew of His birth. At His Second Coming the whole of humankind will know of His return. Then He will come, not as 'a man traveling on the earth' (D&C 49:22), but His glory 'shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together' (Isaiah 40:5; see also D&C 101:23).

"As a special witness of His holy name, I testify that Jesus is the divine Son of the living God. He will love you, lift you, and manifest Himself unto you if you will love Him and keep His commandments. (See John 14:21.)"

- Russell M. Nelson, "Christ the Savior is Born," BYU Devotional, 10 December 2002
Click here to read the full talk

President Nelson reminds us how easy it is to get caught up in the rush of Christmas traditions, and encourages us to "rise above" the busy-ness and the required activities in order to focus on reaching our greater potential.

Christmas, and the almost secret and solitary first coming of the Savior, should also remind us of the future "second coming" when "the whole of humankind will know of His return." We should be motivated in this season to prepare; to feel His love, and allow that love to move and motivate our souls and our lives to greater service and faithfulness.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
December 19, 2015

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on preparing now for the Second Coming of the Lord

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (born January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"The Holy Spirit affirmed two things to me. First, the work of ministering to temporal needs is vital and must continue. The second was unexpected, yet powerful and clear. It was this: beyond selfless service, it is supremely important to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"When He comes, oppression and injustice will not only diminish; they will cease....

"So yes, let us do all we can to relieve suffering and sorrow now, and let us devote ourselves more diligently to the preparations needed for the day when pain and evil are ended altogether, when 'Christ [shall] reign personally upon the earth; and … the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory' (Articles of Faith 1:10). It will be a day of redemption and judgment."

- D. Todd Christofferson, "Preparing for the Lord’s Return," General Conference April 2019
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Among most important things we do in this life is to learn to love and serve our neighbors, following the example and the instructions of the Savior. Paul put it succinctly and beautifully: "Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." (Gal 6:2.) This service is a critical part of the great call to prepare for the return of the Lord to the earth.

As we serve one another with Christlike love, we will do much to "relieve suffering and sorrow" around us. Then we can continue with the sacred preparations for the day when all pain and evil will be swept away. Each of us can contribute to that eternally-critical preparation.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on preparing the world for the Lord's Second Coming

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (born January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"In two weeks, we will celebrate Easter. The Resurrection confirms the divinity of Jesus Christ and the reality of God the Father. Our thoughts turn to the Savior, and we ponder 'His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice.' I hope we also think about His pending return when 'He will rule as King of Kings and … Lord of Lords.' ('The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,' Ensign, May 2017, inside front cover.) ...

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is uniquely empowered and commissioned to accomplish the necessary preparations for the Lord’s Second Coming; indeed, it was restored for that purpose....

"What can we do to prepare now for that day? We can prepare ourselves as a people; we can gather the Lord’s covenant people; and we can help redeem the promise of salvation 'made to the fathers,' our ancestors. (D&C 2:2) All of this must occur in some substantial measure before the Lord comes again."

- D. Todd Christofferson, "Preparing for the Lord’s Return," General Conference April 2019
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

In anticipation of the Easter weekend, when our thoughts are drawn to the Savior and His divine act of love and sacrifice on our behalf, Elder Christofferson spoke eloquently of the powerful feelings of anticipation we should feel of the Lord's return to earth. Members of His restored Church in the latter days have a profound responsibility to help in the preparation for that event. Elder Christofferson suggested things we can do now to help prepare:

To "prepare now as a people" includes the aspects of reaching out to one another in love, helping to strengthen and bless as we minister to one another. Through missionary service we assist in gathering others into the fold; and through efforts in family history and temple service we help to redeem our ancestors. These "three-fold" actions are not new, but our resolve to do better can be renewed!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

President Joseph Smith on living lives of holiness

Joseph Smith (December 23, 1805-June 27, 1844) was given the apostolic authority when the Church of Jesus Christ was organized on April 6, 1830 and he was designated the first president of the church at age 24. He was martyred in 1844 at age 38.

“When I contemplate the rapidity with which the great and glorious day of the coming of the Son of Man advances, when He shall come to receive His Saints unto Himself, where they shall dwell in His presence, and be crowned with glory and immortality; when I consider that soon the heavens are to be shaken, and the earth tremble and reel to and fro; and that the heavens are to be unfolded as a scroll when it is rolled up; and that every mountain and island are to flee away, I cry out in my heart, What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness! [See 2 Peter 3:11.]”

- Joseph Smith, from a letter from Joseph Smith to Moses Nickerson, Nov. 19, 1833, Kirtland, Ohio; see History of the Church 1:442

In order to act as the agent of God in the modern restoration of truth, Joseph Smith was given many visions, tutored from on high, and helped to understand the work and purposes of God on a scale that perhaps few in the world's history have been granted. It is perhaps out of that understanding that this statement comes. While we assume that not even Joseph knew the specific details of when the Savior would come again (see Matthew 24:36), he certainly knew enough about the scope and seriousness of the events of the last days to recognize the need for our urgent preparation:

Perhaps the need for us to be actively prepared, to focus on "all holy conversation and godliness," is less a matter of timing than it is of urgency to participate actively and boldly in the events of our mortal experience. In the midst of a world filled with confusion and calamity, we must become islands of holiness. His disciples should be beacons of lights to the world. Our faith will give us the courage to persevere in spite of whatever comes to us.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on living the gospel daily and continuously

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (b. 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"If we do right and talk right and reach out generously with our words and our deeds, then when the Savior cuts short His work in righteousness, says time is no more in this last, great dispensation and then comes in His glory, He will find us—you and me and all of us—doing our best, trying to live the gospel, trying to improve our lives and our Church and our society the best way we can. When He comes, I so want to be caught living the gospel. I want to be surprised right in the act of spreading the faith and doing something good. I want the Savior to say to me: 'Jeffrey'—because He knows all of our names—'I recognize you not by your title but by your life, the way you are trying to live and the standards you are trying to defend. I see the integrity of your heart. I know you have tried to make things better first and foremost by being better yourself, and then by declaring my word and defending my gospel to others in the most compassionate way you could.'

"'I know you weren't always successful,' He will certainly say, 'with your own sins or the circumstances of others, but I believe you honestly tried. I believe in your heart you truly loved me.'

 "I want to have something like that encounter someday as I want nothing else in this mortal life. And I want it for you. I want it for us all. Israel, Israel, God is calling—calling us to live the gospel of Jesus Christ personally in small ways as well as large, and then to reach out to those who may not look or dress or behave quite like we do, and then (where you can) go beyond that to serve in the widest community you can address."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Israel, Israel, God Is Calling," CES devotional delivered at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, on September 9, 2012. See also Ensign, June 2014, pp. 30-37
Click here to read the full talk

This is a bit of fascinating speculation by Elder Holland. At some point in the near future, the Savior will "cut short His work in righteousness" as the final scenes of this world are played out. When that moment arrives, what will you and I be found doing? Will it be something less than appropriate? Will we be engaged in idleness or selfish purposes?

Elder Holland wants to be found, and hopes we all are found, "living the Gospel" in the best sense, in "the best way we can."

I loved Elder Holland's speculations on what the personal interview at that moment might be like. It's very sincere, personal, honest, and pointed. And the message is clear: we must be ready for the event that might occur at any time!

Russell M. Nelson on Christmas meaning - past, present, and future

President Russell M. Nelson (b. Sept 9, 1924) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He was set apart as president of the Quorum of Twelve on July 15, 2015.

"Through all of our various Christmas traditions, I hope that we are focused first upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Wise men still adore Him....

"I plead with you to rise above the tasks of the day and the hurdles ahead. You can do more than the deeds scheduled in your daily planners. You can take the name of the Lord upon you and become more like Him. You can rise to your great potential. You can prepare for the future with greater spiritual capacity.

"Remember that the fulness of Christ's ministry lies in the future. The prophecies of His Second Coming have yet to be fulfilled. At Christmas, of course, we focus upon His birth. But, He will come again. At His First Coming Jesus came almost in secret. Only a few mortals knew of His birth. At His Second Coming the whole of humankind will know of His return. Then He will come, not as 'a man traveling on the earth' (D&C 49:22), but His glory 'shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together' (Isaiah 40:5; see also D&C 101:23).

"As a special witness of His holy name, I testify that Jesus is the divine Son of the living God. He will love you, lift you, and manifest Himself unto you if you will love Him and keep His commandments. (See John 14:21.)"

- Russell M. Nelson, "Christ the Savior is Born," BYU Devotional, 10 December 2002
Click here to read the full talk

President Nelson reminds us how easy it is to get caught up in the rush of Christmas traditions, and encourages us to "rise above" the busy-ness and the required activities in order to focus on reaching our greater potential.

Christmas, and the almost secret and solitary first coming of the Savior, should also remind us of the future "second coming" when "the whole of humankind will know of His return." We should be motivated in this season to prepare; to feel His love, and allow that love to move and motivate our souls and our lives to greater service and faithfulness.