BeN, ShAnNa & CoMpAnY

Saturday, December 29, 2007

I am so lucky to have such a great family! I mean, how many almost 16 year old boys can you get to sit on Santa's lap just for the picture? Man, I must be the most special momma in the whole wide world!
We always have a fun time at the "Santa Symphony". I am so happy that my kids are learning to love music the way I do. They are always such good sports about going to things like this with me, it never hurts that they get to dress up in costumes (Halloween) or see Santa. Vincent is always great about sitting on Mr. C

's lap. One more chance to relay the message about the skate board he wants so badly. Raeannen is a little shy about Santa still, but will always flash her smile at the camera. The last picture was after church on Christmas Sunday, just had to throw one more of them together in.

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THE LIVING CHRIST
THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ twomillennia ago, we offer our testimony of thereality of His matchless life and the infinitevirtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has hadso profound an influence upon all who have lived andwill yet live upon the earth.He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, theMessiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father,He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made byhim; and without him was not any thing made that wasmade” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized tofulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good”(Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was amessage of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to followHis example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healingthe sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. Hetaught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortalexistence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potentialfor the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His greatatoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned onspurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentencedto die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for thesins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift inbehalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to allhuman history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concludedon Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the OnlyBegotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of themthat slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visitedamong those He had loved in life. He also ministeredamong His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America.In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to theboy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensationof the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10).Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “Hiseyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was whitelike the pure snow; his countenance shone above thebrightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of therushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:“I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I amhe who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father”(D&C 110:3–4).Of Him the Prophet also declared: “And now, after themany testimonies which have been given of him, this is thetestimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; andwe heard the voice bearing record that he is the OnlyBegotten of the Father—“That by him, and through him, and of him, the worldsare and were created, and the inhabitants thereof arebegotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:22–24).We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthoodand His Church have been restored upon the earth—“built upon the foundation of . . . apostles and prophets,Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”(Ephesians 2:20).We testify that He will someday return to earth. “Andthe glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shallsee it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King ofKings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shallbend and every tongue shall speak in worship beforeHim. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him accordingto our works and the desires of our hearts.We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God.He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on theright hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and thehope of the world. His way is the path that leads tohappiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

THE FIRST PRESIDENCY THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE
January 1, 2000