Pure in Heart

“I see a wonderful future in a very uncertain world. If we will cling to our values, if we will build on our inheritance, if we will walk in obedience before the Lord, if we will simply live the gospel, we will be blessed in a magnificent and wonderful way. We will be looked upon as a peculiar people who have found the key to a peculiar happiness.

“‘And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord … : for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem’ (Isaiah 2:3).

“Great has been our past, wonderful is our present, glorious can be our future” 

Gordon B. Hinckley, 1997

Hebrews 12: 22-23

 22 But ye are come unto mount ^aSion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of ^bangels,

 23 To the general assembly and church of the ^afirstborn, which are ^bwritten in heaven, and to God the ^cJudge of all, and to the^dspirits of ^ejust men made perfect,

Goodwill Towards Men

Luke 2: 12-13

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

 

Christmas is not a time nor a season, 

but a state of mind. 

To cherish peace and goodwill, 

to be plenteous in mercy, 

is to have the real spirit of Christmas.

Calvin Coolidge 

Mary and the Angel Gabriel

Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-19; Matthew 1:20-21

26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.