THERE ARE ANGELS AMONG US

He sent angels to minister unto the children of men

Sister Lindsay and I were invited to attend the Mt. Airy Ward Christmas dinner and program in the Frederick Maryland Stake this past weekend. We were previously members of this congregation when it was first organized about 1977. The Church continues to grow in this area of central Maryland, and the building where Mt. Airy meets is now shared with the Damascus Ward. We have member friends who are living in both of these units.

Following the meal, a nativity play was presented by the young people (ages 3 to 11). Everyone did a wonderful job with their parts, but my favorite among the cast members was this sweet angel who announced to the shepherds watching over their sheep that the Christ-child had been born in Bethlehem.
 

For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing. (Moroni 7:22)

So what exactly do "ministering angels" do? The scriptures speak clearly about their role as Mormon testified:  "It is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief." (see Moroni 7:37)

We live in the latter-day times foretold by God's prophets through the ages even before the birth of the Savior of the world when men are no longer able to endure the correct spiritual doctrine that can lead them to salvation. Indeed, the miracles spoken of in ancient times have not ceased, only man's belief in such. Through the Word of God we learn about the ministry of angels here on earth as they

• Announce and testify of events pertaining to God’s work and glory
• Preach the gospel and minister "unto the children of men"
• Declare “the word of Christ unto chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him”
• Bring to earth "their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood"
• Protect and guide the servants of God in times of trouble so that they may accomplish His purposes
• Bring comfort, instruction, and warning to faithful individuals in time of need

Eileen Elias Freeman makes this observation:  "God not only sends special angels into our lives, but sometimes He even sends them back again if we forget to take notes the first time!" Whether Heavenly Father speaks to us through ministering angels or His faithful ordained servants, it is the same.

WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR IN THE EAST . . .

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy

 

East Baltimore's neighborhoods this month are literally ablaze with multi-colored lights while inflatable Grinches and prancing reindeer have taken up temporary residence on the small yards in block after block of row houses as far as the eye can see. An animated Santa Claus here and there waves endlessly from the porch to no one in particular, while illuminated plastic stars glitter in the night and a blinking wreath or two has been hung on the front doors of a number of dwellings for good measure. In the daytime it's quite a different scene with the lights turned off. The multitude of inflatable decoration toys lay lifeless flat on the ground in plastic puddles that remind us of what happened to Frosty the Snowman when the warm sun came out and unceremoniously melted him, thus ending the fun that he and the kids were having at the time.

All of this hoopla and glittering lights seem so far removed from the little town of Bethlehem on Judea's plain more than two thousand years ago during the very first Christmas. It is improbable that anyone in the town save it be Mary and Joseph and a handful of shepherds who were visited by an angel while tending their sheep on the nearby hillsides would have had any idea of the miraculous birth of the Son of God that had just occurred in their midst. But other eyes watching from far away to the east that night were focused on the heavens searching for a new star that would tell them that Christ had been born.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

. . . and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11)

As missionaries we have been seeking all year long to find those individuals whom we might bring unto Christ; but during this Christmas season when we commemorate the birth of the Son of God, Sister Lindsay and I have been especially sensitive to the importance of the message that we are commissioned to bear: the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in this the final dispensation of time prior to the Second Coming of the Lord.

As we look up and down the streets in Sparrows Point, Dundalk, Essex, Middle River, Highlandtown, Overlea, Perry Hall and other communities in Baltimore City and County, we witness little evidence of the true meaning of Christmas. Instead, we see what mankind offers to us as a substitute for Heavenly Father's greatest gift to the world . . . His Only Begotten Son. The wise men who sought after Christ so long ago found Him and worshipped Him. Wise men in our day will still seek after Him!

FIRST PRESIDENCY CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL

President Thomas S. Monson

 

The beginning of the Christmas season for many members of the Church is the annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional held on the first Sunday evening in December that features messages from President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors, Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf. Beautiful Christmas music is provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra on Temple Square.

 

Carrying forward a tradition of many years, this year's program was broadcast on December 2 before a large congregation in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City and to a worldwide audience tuned in via satellite, over-the-air, cable, and Internet transmission. Sister Lindsay and I watched the one hour program at the Baltimore Stake Center with the other missionaries who serve with us in the Chesapeake Ward. Both of our current non-member Church investigators have told us that they enjoyed watching the broadcast at home over the Internet.

 

The Christmas season with its special meaning and beauty brings “rest to the weary soul” President Thomas S. Monson observed in his message. “It is easy to get caught up in the pressure of the season and perhaps lose the very spirit in our lives that we’re trying to gain.”

 

“Overdoing it is especially common this time of year for many of us,” the Church president reminded us. “The causes for this might include too many Christmas activities to attend, too much to eat, too many expectations and too much tension. Often our efforts at Christmas time result in our feeling stressed out, wrung out and worn out during a time we should feel the simple joys of commemorating the birth of our Savior.”

President Monson suggested the real joy of Christmas is found from making the Savior Jesus Christ the focus of the season. We can keep Him in our thoughts and in our lives as we go about the work He would have us perform here on earth.”

 

President Monson spoke of the elderly as “a segment of our society desperately yearning for an expression of love. The chill wind of dying hopes and vanished dreams whistles through the ranks of the elderly and those who approach the declining side of the summit of life,” he mused. He declared that true love is a reflection of the Savior’s love. “In December of each year we call it the Christmas spirit. You can hear it. You can see it. You can feel it.”

 

Christmas “isn’t just tinsel and ribbon, unless we have made it so in our lives,” President Monson remarked. “Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values. It is peace because we have found peace in the Savior’s teachings. It is the time we realize most deeply that the more love is expended, the more there is of it for others.”

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

I don't believe we're in Kansas, anymore!

 

This week's Young Women in Excellence program at Church featuring the theme "Wizard of Oz" involved much planning and effort by the young women and their adult leaders. The families of the girls who attended this event were shown how the important lessons learned by Dorothy as she went down the yellow brick road in the movie compare with the righteous principles for living that are being taught through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

The beautiful decorations, the talks given by the youth and leaders, together with their singing and the delicious desserts that were served all reflected the wonderful program theme. There were two display tables featuring projects that have been completed by the girls during the year. We even had a replica of the yellow brick road in the aisle on the floor between the chairs!

 

The young women are learning about their about their divine nature as daughters of God the Father and the importance of exercising faith in Jesus Christ. The youth of the Church are being taught that knowledge is the love of God. It's impossible to worship a God that you do not love and you can't love a God whom you do not know. Our characters are shaped by the Christ-like attributes of virtue and integrity. We demonstrate our love for Heavenly Father and the Savior by living the truth that we know while giving our lives in service to others. We humbly acknowledge that after we have done all that we can do, it is through the Atonement and grace of Jesus Christ that we will obtain salvation.

 

During the program, one of the adult leaders reminded everyone that in the movie, Glinda the Good Witch told Dorothy (after the Wizard had left Oz in his hot air balloon without her) that she had always had the power to go back home to Kansas. Likewise, each of us has been given the power to make choices regarding how we choose to live our lives in mortality. Making wise choices that are in harmony with God's commandments and maintaining our faith in Jesus Christ will allow us to go home to be with Heavenly Father when our journey on earth is completed.

 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, tells us, " . . . the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an obligation; it is a pathway, marked by our loving Father in Heaven, leading to happiness and peace in this life and glory and inexpressible fulfillment in the life to come. The gospel is a light that penetrates mortality and illuminates the way before us.

 

"While understanding the 'what' and the 'how' of the gospel is necessary, the eternal fire and majesty of the gospel springs from the 'why.' When we understand why our Heavenly Father has given us this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet."

 

We learn through the scriptures and our membership in the Church that earth life is not our final destination. It is the route that we must take in order to return home to be with Our Heavenly Father. What joy we shall know then. Or as Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz" would suggest, "There's no place like home."

KEEPING PROMISES TO OUR CHILDREN

Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus in Greensboro, NC

 

Arthur Gordon told the following story in an article entitled A Day At The Beach:

“When I was around thirteen and my brother ten, Father had promised to take us to the circus. But at lunchtime there was a phone call; some urgent business required his attention downtown. We braced ourselves for disappointment. Then we heard him say, ‘No, I won’t be down. It’ll have to wait.’

 

“When he came back to the table, Mother smiled [and said,] ‘The circus keeps coming back, you know.’

 

“‘I know,’ said Father. ‘But childhood doesn’t.’”

 

The time that we have to spend with our children and grandchildren is but a fleeting moment. We should always try our best to spend time with them now, because they grow up so quickly whether or not we take the time to interact with them when they are young. Meredith Wilson in The Music Man expresses this thought so well: "Live only for tomorrow, and you will have a lot of empty yesterdays today."

 

One of our granddaughters and her mother lived with us in Greensboro for almost three years. The little girl was only three when she moved to our home where she and her Paw Paw developed a very special relationship that has continued through the years even though she has now evolved into a teenager.

 

Although I knew from the beginning that I could not take the place of her father, still I understood that I might be able to provide her with some experiences that would become lasting happy childhood memories. Going to the circus with her for several years represented some of those important times of being together.

 

When our own eight children were growing up, my employment required me to travel a considerable amount of time, which placed a lot of extra work on my wife to get sons and daughters to various activities and events. Whenever I was home, however, I did my best to be present and supportive of everything that was important to our children. Church leaders have encouraged us to be available to our children so they can know that they are important and loved. I have heard it said that no man, as death approaches, has ever declared that he wished he had spent more time at the office!

 

Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church, warns us that we cannot afford to be complacent. We live in perilous times; the signs are all around us. We are acutely aware of the negative influences in our society that stalk traditional families. At times television and movies portray worldly and immoral heroes and heroines and attempt to hold up as role models some actors and actresses whose lives are anything but exemplary. Why should we follow a blind guide? Radios blare forth much denigrating music with blatant lyrics, dangerous invitations, and descriptions of almost every type of evil imaginable. We, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, must stand up to the dangers which surround us and our families.

 

Having watched our sons and daughters and now our grandchildren grow up through the years, Sister Lindsay and I can truly say we miss the little children they once were, but we love the adults they have now become. We continue to have joy in knowing that we remain involved in their lives.

WE HAVE TO STOP MEETING LIKE THIS!

Bus Transfer & Missionary Pick-Up Station

 

The young missionaries who work with us in Baltimore move about the city much of the time using the Maryland Transit Authority local bus service, which is notoriously unreliable. Baltimore isn't known for its efficient public transportation system, and the elders are frequently left standing at the bus stop for very long periods of time as the buses either don't show up or they just pass by without stopping for passengers.

 

As a result of this problem, Sister Lindsay and I usually get one or two telephone calls each week from the elders (usually after dark) asking us for a ride back to their apartment after a long day of teaching appointments and tracting door to door as they share the message of the restored gospel. Some of the bus stops are located in areas of the city where you wouldn't want your 19 or 20 year old sons to be standing around looking for a ride, especially at night.

 

One of those less-than-desirable bus transfer locations is in front of the Wells Fargo Bank on Belair Road (US 1). When we pull up to the curb to pick-up the missionaries, they are rarely alone; however, the individuals who are there with them are often not sober. The elders try to engage them in conversation anyhow figuring that it is safer to be talking with someone rather than just standing around looking for a ride. We are always relieved when these young men are inside the car, and they always express their sincere gratitude to us for the ride. We joke with the missionaries and tell them, "We have to stop meeting like this!"

 

Lead us, Heavenly Father, lead us

O'er the world's tempestuous sea;

Guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,

For we have no help but Thee.

                                 - James Edmeston

 

God's hand does work in mysterious ways. Several missionaries have told us that they have actually been "protected" in rough neighborhoods by the leaders of street gangs who tell would be thieves and drug people to "leave the church people alone." We are aware of another situation where two elders had their bicycles stolen in the city while they were teaching an investigator. When the missionaries came out of the house, a local gang leader identified who stole the bicycles and arranged for them to be returned.

 

We have much evidence day to day that Heavenly Father watches over His servants, protecting them, and providing for their needs. It is a comfort to know that He is watching over us and the other missionaries with whom we serve.

CINNAMON BUN FUN ON THE RUN

 

Karlan Richards is not only the mission president's wife, but she is also the "Mother" of the Maryland Baltimore Mission who is responsible for the health and well-being of some 120 "sons and daughters" (young elders and sisters who are presently serving here). In this dual capacity, she makes it a priority to find special ways to let the missionaries know that they are loved.

 

When young men and women first arrive at the Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport from the Missionary Training Center in Utah, they spend their first night at the mission home, which includes a wonderful home-cooked dinner prepared by Sister Richards with some assistance from the senior missionary couples who serve at the nearby mission office. And then when the time comes for these missionaries to depart for home at the completion of their assignment, their last night here is also at the mission home with one final dinner prepared by this same caring person.

 

If there is a meal involved during mission conferences and training sessions, everyone knows that the mission president's wife has had a hand in it's preparation. During the last week of October, every elder and sister was given a bag of  Halloween "treats" of their own. Sister Richards is even sensitive to the needs of those missionaries who have diabetes . . . she gives them apples!

 

Last Tuesday there were six mission training meetings held simultaneously on the same day in Winchester (Virginia), Martinsburg (West Virginia), Frederick (Maryland), Columbia (Maryland), Annapolis (Maryland), and Baltimore (Maryland). So what did the Mission Mom do for all of the elders and sisters? She spent her entire Monday before the training sessions in the mission home kitchen baking iced cinnamon buns even though she had injured her foot a few days before and found it difficult to stand for any period of time.
 

As if she hadn't already done enough on Monday, this remarkable lady then packed her baked goods into the car early on Tuesday morning to deliver them to the training sites. Sister Richards wanted to have her cinnamon bun fun on the run, and that's exactly what she did by staying at each location just long enough to shake hands with or give a hug to every missionary and get the goodies into the kitchen while placing someone in charge of heating them in the oven for a few minutes before serving them to happy missionaries.