Last Friday night (December 3rd) Nick and I went to the Inner City Project Christmas meeting in SLC. Elder Ballard was speaking and we were quite excited. We got there early so we could get a good seat. Elder Ballard's talk was so wonderful. He told of when he and Sister Ballard were in Belgium a few years ago. There is a very busy place called "The Grand Place" in Brussels where there is wall to wall people. Elder Ballard was in the mission home when four brand new missionaries were going to this grand place and he suggested that they ask people what they think of God. He told the mission president to let him know what was said. He read the statistics of these conversations. Three people said, "I don't care". Several said, "There is no God." One said, and I thought this was interesting, "I'm a Jew, I don't believe in religion." Several said, "God is nature". Some said, "I don't have time for God." Only two said, "I worship and love Him."
Then Elder Ballard went on to say he and his wife just went up to Cache Valley to watch their grandchildren in the primary program. Then he read one of the songs that they sang, which I think many of us know:
How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?
He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way.
What does he ask? Live like his Son.
He went on to say if we were to ask LDS children about God they most likely would say something like this:
I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.
I am a child of God,
And so my needs are great;
Help me to understand his words
Before it grows too late.
I am a child of God.
Rich blessings are in store;
If I but learn to do his will,
I’ll live with him once more.
Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.
Millions and millions of people in the world don't know who God is and our relationship to Him, and yet LDS children all over the world know who He is. The world can learn a lot from little children.
It was a wonderful night, filled with the sweet spirit of the Holy Ghost.
Out front of our house loading up for the hay ride.
Kim is a little trooper...here she is with Clay and 7 1/2 months pregnant!
Back at the house, little Elle enjoying the singing during the program.
Kate and Landon protraying Joseph and Mary. Notice the little teddy bear wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Here is Amanda as the star holder and our little angels and sheperds.
After the nativity we had several musical numbers. Here is Amie and Brion. All the girls and women sang a song as did the men.
Here are the men. Spencer was in the other room having a terrible time with his sinuses.
Emmie playing a christmas song. She forgot her music book, but did it from memory.
After the program we gave our Spiritual gifts that is a tradition. This year we gave all the grandchildren pictures of Jesus and CTR rings. We gave each family a Webb Articles of Faith nicely matted and framed. Let me tell you about this. Nick rides the bus nearly every day to work. While he rides he studies the scriptures and he decided to study the 13 Articles of Faith. While he was studying and re-memorizing them he thought it would be nice to write some articles of faith for our family...things that we believe in. So he did and I thought they were so impressive that we gave them to each family. They are really and truly inspirational. Well, we hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and we also hope you have an exciting and productive New Year!
