It's Thursday, December 30, 2021 approx 6:41pm. I am super tired, but a good tired and I know if I don't write down the thoughts and experiences of this day, I am more than likely to forget.
I just got home from substituting for someone else at the temple. It is snowing hard outside but hasn't started sticking to the roads yet. Hen is in the garage tinkering with one of his "projects". I just put on my PJ's, crawled into bed and turned the laptop on. The light is quite bright and harsh on my tired eyes but I pray someone will read this at some point in time and gleam something useful from it.
Henry got his Covid Booster shot yesterday and so his manager let him take today off as he deals with the side affects so it has been nice to have him home today.
I had picked up this shift a few days ago since the Temple will be closed Saturday for the New Years Holiday.
Upon arriving at preparation meeting I noticed there were a total of six of us substitutes whose names were listed on the whiteboard. One of the sisters played Christmas music on the piano as we all sat in silence and pondered on the lyrics.
The opening song we sang was O Little Town of Bethlehem. The end of the song hit me harder than I ever remembered noticing.
"How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in."
I love those words. "Where meek souls receive him, still The dear Christ enters in." It does not say, where perfect souls, or spotless souls will receive, but meek. Just like everyone else, I have weaknesses that I am still striving to overcome and I am so grateful to be able to feel the Spirit of our Savior by being meek and humble. Because if perfection were required, I would never be able to feel of that sweet peace and joy only He can give.
The sisters thanked us substitutes over and over because they were short handed. More and more sisters are either sick or have contracted Covid.
There were two new sisters who were starting permanently on this shift that introduced themselves. They both had been waitlisted for 6 months or so, waiting to be able to come and work at the Temple. I felt so grateful to have been able to work here since June.
The sister conducting the meeting shared some beautiful stories with us today. First she shared part of a conversation she had with a General Authority. He told her that the Lord had told him "I will LET you serve."
What a powerful message from our Savior and wonderful reminder that everything the Lord gives us, especially our callings, are because he allows us the privilege to serve in His name and on His behalf. Serving in his church is not a rite or entitlement but a privilege that can be taken at anytime we are not worthy or willing.
It really made me ponder on so many things in my life that the Lord has allowed us to have, has allowed us to do, has allowed us to experience, and has allowed us the opportunity to serve.
It is easy to forget when you are asked to serve in a calling that is not simply an obligation, but that we are being given a gift we are being allowed to receive. The gift of opportunity. The opportunity to serve, to learn, to grow, to love.
Another story this sister shared was titled the "The 3 levels of Christmas" which was published by the Deseret News back in 2014. Link to Article the 3 Levels of Christmas see below for text
Christmas is a beautiful time of the year. We love the excitement, the giving spirit, the special awareness of and appreciation for family and friends, the feelings of love and brotherhood that bless our gatherings at Christmastime.
In all of the joyousness it is well to reflect that Christmas comes at three levels.
Let’s call the first the Santa Claus level. It’s the level of Christmas trees and holly, of whispered secrets and colorful packages, of candlelight and rich food and warm open houses. It’s carolers in the shopping malls, excited children, and weary but loving parents. It’s a lovely time of special warmth and caring and giving. It’s the level at which we eat too much and spend too much and do too much — and enjoy every minute of it. We love the Santa Claus level of Christmas.
But there’s a higher, more beautiful level. Let’s call it the "Silent Night" level. It’s the level of all our glorious Christmas carols, of that beloved, familiar story: “Now in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus ….” It’s the level of the crowded inn and the silent, holy moment in a dark stable when the Son of Man came to earth. It’s the shepherds on steep, bare hills near Bethlehem, angels with their glad tidings, the new star in the East, wise men traveling far in search of the Holy One. How beautiful and meaningful it is; how infinitely poorer we would be without this sacred second level of Christmas.
The trouble is, these two levels don’t last. They can’t.
Twelve days of Christmas, at the first level, is about all most of us can stand. It’s too intense, too extravagant. The tree dies out and needles fall. The candles burn down. The beautiful wrappings go out with the trash, the carolers are up on the ski slopes, the toys break, and the biggest day in the stores for the entire year is exchange day, Dec. 26. The feast is over and the dieting begins. But the lonely and the hungry are with us still, perhaps lonelier and hungrier than before. Lovely and joyous as the first level of Christmas is, there will come a day, very soon, when Mother will put away the decorations and vacuum the living room and think, “Thank goodness that this over for another year.”
Even the second level, the level of the Baby Jesus, can’t last. How many times this season can you sing “Silent Night?” The angels and the star, and the shepherd, even the silent, sacred mystery of the holy night itself, can’t long satisfy humanity’s basic need. The man who keeps Christ in the manger will, in the end, be disappointed and empty.
No, for Christmas to last all year long, for it to grow in beauty and meaning and purpose, for it to have the power to change lives, we must celebrate it at the third level, that of the adult Christ. It is at this level — not as an infant — that our Savior brings his gifts of lasting joy, lasting peace, lasting hope. It was the adult Christ who reached out and touched the untouchable, who loved the unlovable, who so loved us all that even in his agony on the cross, he prayed for forgiveness for his enemies.
This is Christ, creator of worlds without number, who wept because so many of us lack affection and hate each other — and then who willingly gave his life for all of us, including those for whom he wept. This is the Christ, the adult Christ, who gave us the perfect example, and asked us to follow him.
Accepting that invitation is the way — the only way — that all mankind can celebrate Christmas all year and all life long.
"The Three Levels of Christmas" was published as a Church News "Viewpoint" in the Dec. 15, 1985, issue of the Deseret News. It was written by then-editor and general manager William B. Smart, who included it in his 1989 book, "Messages for a Happier Life."
The last paragraph of the Deseret News' editorial policy reads: "The Deseret News embraces the divinity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the light, life and hope of the world. it nurtures the light of faith in the darkness of an unbelieving world and acknowledges his teachings, grace and redeeming power as the way to everlasting happiness."
I felt the Spirit strongly as this sweet sister read the above words and then she added her own 4th level of Christmas, which she called the "Resurrected Savior". She spoke about the Second Coming and reminded us of our Prophet President Russell M. Nelson pleading with us that
“It is now time that we each implement extraordinary measures — perhaps measures we have never taken before — to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations,” he said. “Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.”
In this talk from October General Conference President Nelson also counseled us " to make time for the Lord every day and to strengthen spiritual foundations. And nothing will strengthen one’s spiritual foundation like temple service and temple worship".
I am so grateful for the opportunities that the Lord has allowed me to have in my life of partaking of the Sacrament each week to repent for my sins and be cleansed, to hold callings that have helped me to learn and grow, and especially for the wonderful time I am able to serve in the Temple each week. My life has been forever changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I would be completely lost without it.
As a sub this week I was assigned to the second floor for the duration of the time where I was able to assist sweet sister temple patrons with beautiful ordinances for those individuals they were performing proxy work for.
As I sat in between turns I picked up a Book of Mormon and started reading about where I had left off the night before. All I could remember was Alma 26. I opened to that chapter and read it all at once. It is a little bit of a longer chapter but now one of my absolute favorites. I gained so much insight reading it in those few minutes at the temple, than I ever have reading it at home. I could just copy and paste the whole thing because it is that powerful, but I will just leave a link here if you want to read it. I promise it is worth your time.
The funny part about this chapter is I have been reading it for several days now in the evening before going to sleep. Frankly I was pretty lazy about it, only reading a few verses each night and not really spending any time pondering or studying it. So that is partially why I decided to go back and reread it but this time actually paying attention to what it was saying.
After feasting on the words of Ammon in Alma 26, two sisters stood out to me during this shift. The first was a sister who told me that she would be 92 in 7 days. She brought such a sweet Spirit with her and there were a few times my voice was shaky because of how overwhelming the peace and joy was of having the Spirit present. I could tell this sweet sister was very special and I was in the presence of an Angel. As she left she turned to me and said I will be your friend. Her kindness and presence brought so much love and joy to my heart, what a blessing it was to get to help her in the temple today. After she left I did the math in my head. At 92 and I am 38, that is a difference of 54 years. She is not only more than twice my age, but a whole nother lifetime between our ages she has lived. At this point in my life, I simply can't fathom living for 92 years. The things she much have seen and experienced! Incredible!
The next sweet sister I was able to assist was sweet Sheri Dew, former General Relief Society President, author, publisher, and CEO of Deseret Book. Our coordinator had given me and the other sister I was working with a heads up that she would be joining us soon. She said "act normal". I chuckled to myself, because with masks, I may not have realized until later who she was. I have heard and watched many talks by Sis Dew and have always been able to feel a closeness to her because she has never had children or been married. In seeing her in person for the first time, all I could think was how beautiful she was, even at 68, and what a beautiful Spirit she brought with her.
Even though it did feel special to get to be in the presence of someone so wonderful and accomplished and a privilege to help her perform work for her ancestors, I truly didn't feel any more love for her than any of the other sisters I have helped since working at the Temple. That is what I love so much about the temple. It doesn't matter who you are, your background, your accomplishments, any status. As brothers and sisters walk through those doors with a temple recommend, all are equal in the sight of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
At the end of my shift, I went up to the Celestial Room. After feeling such a sweet Spirit I wanted to spend some time reflecting and in prayer in that beautiful space. Many tears streamed as I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for my life and the experiences and blessings I have been given. Oh how I wonder how in the world I will ever be worthy enough to have received so much abundance!
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