The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Christmastime reminds us to serve everyone, promote understanding and love and help outsiders feel at home.
This was the message of President Dallin H. Oaks at the First Presidency’s annual Christmas Devotional on Sunday, December 8, 2024, at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.
The First Counselor in the First Presidency taught that peace and goodwill are not only “for those for whom we already have feelings of love and affection, such as fellow citizens of our Church or nation, residents of our hometown or neighborhood, or people of common culture. The heavenly hosts proclaimed good will to all men — to casual friends, to strangers, even to enemies.”
The warm feeling of the holiday season — which President Oaks defined as the light of Jesus Christ — is an opportunity to “step across barriers and promote understanding and love with people of all races, creeds, and national origins,” he said.
Latter-day Saints should remember that Moses taught the children of Israel to embrace “the stranger that dwelleth with you” (Leviticus 19:33–34).
“We should teach our children to be kind and considerate of everyone,” President Oaks said. “I am saddened whenever I hear of non-LDS parents in this community sorrowing because they believe that their sons and daughters have been excluded or ostracized by LDS children or youth. I hope such instances are rare and diminishing. We ought to be the friendliest and most considerate of all peoples anywhere.”
With this Christlike spirit guiding our thoughts and actions, President Oaks said, “we will each be making our own contribution to the eternal goal of ‘peace on earth, good will toward men.’ It is time for us all to do so, for every day we are one day closer to the coming of the Lord.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
