In "perhaps the largest Christmas gathering to be found anywhere in the world," Church members listened Dec. 8 to the First Presidency speak powerfully on the focus of the season: Jesus Christ.

More than 6,000 Church employees and Church Service missionaries gathered in the Tabernacle - decorated with sparkling Christmas trees, festive garlands and bright poinsettias - and overflow areas on Temple Square for the annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Tens of thousands of other Church members watched the program, telecast over the Church satellite system throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica.Members of the Quorum of the Twelve, the Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric, as well as general auxiliary leaders, attended the devotional, which was conducted by President Gordon B. Hinckley. Elder Dean L. Larsen of the Seventy and Sister Anne G. Wirthlin of the Primary general presidency offered the invocation and benediction, respectively.

The Tabernacle Choir, directed by Craig Jessop and Jerold Ottley, and accompanied by Clay Christiansen and John Longhurst, provided music for the devotional. The choir performed a rendition of "Joy to the World," as part of the devotional's prelude. Other selections sung by the choir were "Did Mary Know?" and "The First Time the Christmas Story Was Told." The congregation also joined the choir in singing several Christmas carols.

President Hinckley summarized the evening as a wonderful hour: "An hour of prayer, an hour of sweet and familiar music, an hour in which we have been reminded of the birth of the Christ Child and of its meaning in our lives."

In his message, President Hinckley first expressed appreciation for the birth, two days before Christmas, of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

"How great indeed is our debt to him. His life began in Vermont and ended in Illinois, and marvelous were the things that happened between that simple beginning and that tragic ending," he said.

"It was he who brought us a true knowledge of God the Eternal Father and His Risen Son, the Lord Jesus Christ."

President Hinckley noted that Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon and organized the Church and its great and sacred mission. "He was the instrument in the hands of the Almighty. He was the servant acting under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ in bringing to pass this great latter-day work," he said.

"We stand in reverence before him. He is the great prophet of this dispensation. He stands at the head of this great and mighty work which is spreading across the earth. He is our prophet, our revelator, our seer, our friend. Let us not forget him. Let not his memory be forgotten in the celebration of Christmas."

President Hinckley called Christmas a "wonderful season."

He referred to Church members as "a vast concourse of people bound together in a oneness of love and faith. Our blessing is great, as a people and as individuals. We carry in our hearts a firm and unshakeable conviction of the divine mission of the Lord Jesus Christ."

President Hinckley explained that Jesus came to this world as a gift from God to all His children. "He condescended to leave His throne on high and come to earth to be born in a manger, in a conquered nation. He walked the dusty roads of Palestine, healing the sick, teaching the doctrine, blessing all who would accept Him," President Hinckley said. "He came `into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.' " (John 3:17.)

The prophet said that he recently walked where Jesus walked - Shepherd's Field, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana, Galilee, Jerusalem, Gethsemane, Golgotha and the empty tomb - and sensed the majesty and the wonder of Him.

President Hinckley noted that Jesus gave His life for everyone.

"We honor His birth," he said. "But without His death that birth would have been but one more birth. It was the redemption which He worked out in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross of Calvary which made His gift immortal, universal, and everlasting. His was a great atonement for the sins of all mankind. . . . Because of Him all men will be raised from the grave.

"But beyond this He taught us the way, the truth, and the life. He restored the keys through which we may go on to immortality and eternal life.

"We love Him. We honor Him. We thank Him. We worship him," he said. "He has done for each of us and for all mankind that which none other could have done."

President Hinckley said that Christmas is more than trees, lights and gifts. "It is love," he explained. "It is love of the Son of God for all mankind. It reaches out beyond our power to comprehend. It is magnificent and beautiful.

"It is peace. It is the peace which comforts, which sustains, which blesses all who accept it.

"It is faith. It is faith in God and His Eternal Son. It is faith in His wondrous ways and message. It is faith in Him as our Redeemer and our Lord.

"We testify of His living reality," President Hinckley said. "We testify of the divinity of His nature. In our times of grateful meditation, we acknowledge His priceless gift to us and pledge our love and faith. This is what Christmas is really about."

President Hinckley told Church members that it is their great opportunity and solemn responsibility to bear witness of their Savior's great divinity.

"May you, wherever you may be out across the world, have a wonderful Christmas," President Hinckley concluded. "May there be peace and love and kindness in your homes. May you husbands smile with love upon your wives. May you wives know the sweet joy of being loved and honored and respected and looked up to. May your children be happy and filled with that indescribable magic which is the spirit of Christmas. May those of you who are single find sweet companionship in the knowledge that you are not alone, that Jesus stands as your friend. He came `to give light to them that sit in darkness and

inT the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.' (Luke 1:79).

"To each of you we extend our love and blessing. May this be a happy and wonderful season. We leave a blessing upon you, a blessing of Christmas, that you may be happy."