Alleluiah, A Happy New Year

Then out through the gates of the midnight—
      The door of the past was ajar—
      His robe like a shroud wrapped around him,
      The Old Year vanished afar.
And as morn with her soft rosy fingers
      Flung open the gates of the East,
      The New Year looked out from its chambers
      With a smile and a blessing of peace.

~Eliza A. Wetherby Otis (1833–1904),

Hope and faith flower 
from the cheerful seeds of the old year 
to the sprouting garden 
of the new year's dawn. 

~Terri Guillemets

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,

all earth:

make a loud noise, 

and rejoice,

and 

sing praise.

Psalms 98:4

Lord, as the New Year dawns today,
      Help me to put my faults away.
      Let me be big in little things;
      Grant me the joy which friendship brings;
      Keep me from selfishness and spite,
      Let me be wise to what is right.
A Happy New Year! grant that I
      May cause no tear to any eye.
      When this new year in time shall end,
      Let it be said: "I've played the friend,
      Have lived and loved and labored here
      And made of it a happy year."

~Edgar Guest (1881–1959), 

"Prayer for the New Year"

Joy to the World

 And he shall be called ^aJesus ^bChrist, 

the ^cSon of God, 

the ^dFather of heaven and earth, 

the ^eCreator of all things from the beginning; 

and his ^fmother shall be called Mary.

Mosiah 3:8,12-13,16-19

And now, because of the covenant which ye have made 

ye shall be called the ^achildren of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; 

for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; 

for ye say that your hearts are ^bchanged through faith on his name; 

therefore, ye are ^cborn of him 

and have become his ^dsons and his daughters.

Mosiah 5:7-10,15

 Behold, they will ^acrucify him; 

and after he is laid in a ^bsepulchre for the space of ^cthree days 

he shall ^drise from the dead, 

with healing in his wings; 

and all those who shall believe on his name 

shall be saved in the kingdom of God. 

Wherefore, 

my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, 

for I have ^eseen his day, 

and my heart doth magnify his holy name.

2 Nephi 25:13

1. 
   
2. Joy to the world, the Lord is come;
   Let earth receive her King!
   Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
   And Saints and angels sing,
   And Saints and angels sing,
   And Saints, and Saints and angels sing.
3. Rejoice! Rejoice when Jesus reigns,
   And Saints their songs employ,
   While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
   Repeat the sounding joy,
   Repeat the sounding joy,
   Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
4. No more will sin and sorrow grow,
   Nor thorns infest the ground;
   He’ll come and make the blessings flow
   Far as the curse was found,
   Far as the curse was found,
   Far as, far as the curse was found.
5.  Rejoice! Rejoice in the Most High,
   While Israel spreads abroad
   Like stars that glitter in the sky,
   And ever worship God,
   And ever worship God,
   And ever, and ever worship God.

1.  

Through a Glass Darkly

I Will Bring the Light of the Gospel into My Home

By Jean B. Bingham

First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

"When we see our own imperfections more clearly, we are less inclined to view others “through a glass, darkly.” We want to use the light of the gospel to see others as the Savior does—with compassion, hope, and charity. The day will come when we will have a complete understanding of others’ hearts and will be grateful to have mercy extended to us—just as we extend charitable thoughts and words to others during this life."

Corinthians 13: 11-13

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Corinthians 13:4-6

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

"President Thomas S. Monson counseled: “In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity. … Rather than being judgmental [or] critical of [one] another, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life. May we recognize that each one is doing her [or his] best to deal with the challenges which come [her or his] way, and may we strive to do our best to help out.”12

(Art by Jeremy Lipking)

Do We Trust Him?

Do We Trust Him? 

Hard Is Good

By Elder Stanley G. Ellis

Emeritus Member of the Seventy

Members of the Godhead are no strangers to hard things. 

God the Father sacrificed His Only Begotten Son 

to the terrible suffering of the Atonement, 

including death by crucifixion. 

The scriptures say Jesus Christ learned 

“obedience by the things which he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). 

He voluntarily suffered the agony of the Atonement. 

The Holy Ghost must be long-suffering to prompt,

 warn, and guide us, 

only to sometimes be ignored, misinterpreted, 

or forgotten.

In the world of nature, 

hard is part of the circle of life. 

It is hard for a baby chick to hatch out of that tough eggshell. 

But when someone tries to make it easier, 

the chick does not develop the strength necessary to live. 

In a similar way, the struggle of a butterfly to escape the cocoon 

strengthens it for the life it will live.

Through these examples, 

we see that 'hard' is the constant! 

We all have challenges. 

The variable is our reaction to the 'hard'.

Do we have sufficient faith 

to trust that He will visit us in our afflictions (see Mosiah 24:14), 

that He will contend with those that contend with us (see Isaiah 49:25; 2 Nephi 6:17), 

and that He will consecrate our afflictions 

for our gain? (see 2 Nephi 2:2).

Brothers and sisters, we can have the faith to trust Him! 

He wants what is best for us (see Moses 1:39). 

He will answer our prayers (see D&C 112:10). 

He will keep His promises (see D&C 1:38). 

He has the power to keep those promises (see Alma 37:16). 

He knows everything! 

And most important, 

He knows what is best for us (see Isaiah 55:8–9).

My Child,

You may not know me, but I know everything about you.   Psalm 139:1 

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.   Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.   Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.   Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.   Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.   Acts 17:28 

For you are my offspring.    Acts 17:28 

I knew you even before you were conceived.   Jeremiah 1:4-5 

I chose you when I planned creation.  Ephesians 1:11-12 

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.   Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.   Acts 17:26 

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.   Psalm 139:14 

I knit you together in your mother's womb.   Psalm 139:13 

And brought you forth on the day you were born.   Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.   John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.  1 John 4:16 

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.   1 John 3:1 

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.   1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.   Matthew 7:11 

For I am the perfect father.   Matthew 5:48 

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.   James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.   Matthew 6:31-33 

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.   Jeremiah 29:11 

Because I love you with an everlasting love.   Jeremiah 31:3 

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.  Psalm 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.   Zephaniah 3:17 

I will never stop doing good to you.   Jeremiah 32:40 

For you are my treasured possession.  Exodus 19:5 

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.   Jeremiah 32:41 

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.   Jeremiah 33:3 

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.   Deuteronomy 4:29 

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.   Psalm 37:4 

For it is I who gave you those desires.   Philippians 2:13 

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.   Ephesians 3:20 

For I am your greatest encourager.   2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.   2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you.   Psalm 34:18 

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.   Isaiah 40:11 

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.   Revelation 21:3-4 

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.   Revelation 21:3-4 

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.    John 17:23 

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.    John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.   Hebrews 1:3 

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.    Romans 8:31 

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.    2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.    2 Corinthians 5:18-19 

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.   1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.    Romans 8:31-32 

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.    1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.   Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.   Luke 15:7 

I have always been Father, and will always be Father.    Ephesians 3:14-15 

My question is…Will you be my child?     John 1:12-13 

I am waiting for you.    Luke 15:11-32

Words sent to us by....

Our Loving, Heavenly Father