TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the TENTH day of Christmas, my Savior gave to me the example of the TEN lepers:

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

And when he saw them, he said unto them, go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice glorified God.

And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?

There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. Luke 17:12-19

A grateful heart....comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives.

We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that "gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." Thomas S. Monson

I want to be like the Tenth Leper, I want to return to show my gratitude for the bounty with which the Lord continually blesses me.

NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the NINTH day of Christmas, my Savior gave to me the parable of the Ninety and NINE.

And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost until he find it?

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luke 15:3-7

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray?

And if it so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:11-14

I am often the lost sheep.

I am so grateful he seeks me out.

EIGHT DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the EIGHTH day of Christmas, my Savior gave to me, EIGHT years as the age of accountability. Baptism is the covenant we make when we are EIGHT, to enter into the gate and place our feet on the path back to Father in Heaven.

And I will establish a covenant of circumcision with thee, and it shall be my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations; that thou mayest know for ever that children are not accountable before me until they are eight years old. Genesis 17:11 JST

And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in
Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. Doctrine and Covenants 68:25

Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.

And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end. Moroni 6:2-3

Think back and remember your baptism day. What feelings did you feel? Who was there? Do you remember what was said? Baptism is the first of many steps that we take in our journey to return to live with our Father in heaven.

SEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the SEVENTH day of Christmas, my Savior gave to me, instructions on forgiving others until Seventy times SEVEN.

And again, verily I say unto you, if after thine enemy has come upon thee the first time, he repent and come unto thee praying thy forgiveness, thou shalt forgive him, and shalt hold it no more as a testimony against thine enemy.

And so on unto the second and third time; and as oft as thine enemy repenteth of the trespass wherewith he has trespassed against thee, thou shalt forgive him, until seventy times seven. Doctrine and Covenants 98:39-40

Help me dear Father, to freely forgive all who may seem unkind to me.

Help me each day. Father, I pray; Help me live nearer, nearer to thee.

Help me, dear Father, to truly repent, making things right and changing my ways.

Help me each day. Father, I pray; Help me live nearer, nearer to thee.

Childrens Songbook

SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the SIXTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, my Savior gave to me, SIX days to labor and one Sabbath.

Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.

Six days thou shalt labor, and do all they work: but on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:12-15

The Lord's commandment about the Sabbath day has not been altered, nor has the church's affirmation of the commandment to observe the Sabbath day. Those who violate this commandment in the exercise of their agency are answerable for losing the blessings which observance of this commandment would bring. The Lord has spoken in our day concerning the Sabbath day. We are to keep ourselves "unspotted from the world" and "go to the house of prayer." We are to rest from our labors and pay our "devotions unto the Most High. Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-10

The Doctrine and Covenants reminds us, "and on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy bay be full. Doctrine and Covenants 59:13

The blessings for those who do righteousness are supernal. They shall enjoy "peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come." Doctrine and Covenants 59:23 James E. Faust

FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, my Savior gave to me, the miracle of feeding FIVE thousand with FIVE loaves and two fishes.

And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals; for we are here in a desert place.

But he said unto the, give ye them to eat. And they said, we have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, make them sit down by fifties in a company.

And they did so, and made them all sit down.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

And they did eat, and were all filled; and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets. Luke 9:12-17

Moroni quotes his father in the Book of Mormon:

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven? Has the day of miracles ceased?" Moroni 7:27, 35

"I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men...(nor will they), so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved." Moroni 7:29, 36

LOOK FOR THE MIRACLES

FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

On the FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, my Savior gave to me, FOUR temples in Idaho!

And again, verily thus saith the Lord; Let the work of my temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts. And if they persecute you, so persecuted they the prophets and righteous men that were before you. For all this there is a reward in heaven. Doctrine and Covenants 127:4

And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them. Doctrine and Covenants 109:22

Say the word temple. Say it quietly and reverently. Say it over and over again. Temple. Temple. Temple. Add the word holy. Holy Temple. Say it as though it were capitalized, no matter where it appears in the sentence.

Temple. One other word is equal in importance to a Latter-day Saint. Home. Put the words holy temple and home together and you have described the house of the Lord!

May God grant that we may be worthy to enter there and receive the fullness of the blessings of His priesthood, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Boyd K. Packer

I love to see the temple. I am going there someday; to feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray. For the temple is the HOUSE OF GOD, a place of love and beauty. I'll prepare myself while I am young. This is my sacred duty. Children's Song Book