Light up the world

Christmas is the time when we commemorate the birth of Jesus, even though we also realize that Christ was not born in December and that it is actually based on a pagan festival. In fact, Mormons know by revelation that the Savior was actually born on April 6. However, don't let that stop us from making it a real celebration of Light.

In these and many other regions, a festival of lights was often celebrated at the end of December, usually on the darkest days of the year. People celebrated that light conquered darkness and the days would become longer again and the sun would return.

Isn't our Christmas similar to that? After all, Christ is the one who brought light into the world, He is the Light of the world and He has commissioned us to be the light in the world.

I think it is a wonderful theme that our church has chosen this year for their Christmas campaign: “Lighten the World”. On mormon.org you will find a kind of countdown Advent calendar that inspires you for 25 days to serve someone in your way every day.

Wouldn't it be great if we all, Mormon or not, religious or not, did something every day in December that made us the bright spot in someone else's life that day?

Let the days become shorter and darker in December, and that can be an encouragement to spread the Light of Christ.