President Eyring: 'Messiah brought light'
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One of the most beautiful symbols of the birth of Jesus Christ into this world is light, said President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, on Dec. 4.
"The appearance of the long-promised Messiah brought light to a darkened world," he said.
Speaking during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, President Eyring said Latter-day Saints know from the true record in the Book of Mormon that God's prophets had long taught the people that light would be a sign of the birth of the only begotten Son of God in the flesh.
Samuel the Lamanite prophesied years before the birth of Jesus: "Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.
"And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day."
President Eyring said that just as beautiful lights in the Conference Center help the congregation remember the wonderful blessing of the birth of the Redeemer, so does hearing the words of angels sent from God.
"No recounting of the Christmas story is complete without hearing words of an angel sent to prepare the way for His arrival. At the heart of the account of the birth of Jesus Christ is the testimony of angels, as recorded by the Apostles Jesus called and ordained."
President Eyring said God sent the angel Gabriel to Zacharias. The angel told him of the birth to the righteous and barren Elisabeth of John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for Jesus. Mary received the same heavenly messenger to prepare her to become the mother of the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah.
"These righteous individuals knew and believed the sacred scriptures."
President Eyring said both Elisabeth and Mary looked forward with confidence that the Savior of the world would come and that a great prophet would be His forerunner.
"But in their deep humility they were prepared by the Spirit for their sacred part in the greatest events in the history of all creation."
President Eyring said the First Presidency authorized the creation of a facility in the deserts of Utah in which scenes from the Savior's ministry could be recreated and filmed. "The Church has nearly 50 such video vignettes in the editing stage," he said. "They will be placed on an internet web site to be available without charge." (See accompanying report.)
He said President Thomas S. Monson requested the congregation see scenes from the videos. President Eyring promised the scenes "will bring you feelings of light."
President Eyring said it was "light and angels that gave guidance to those blessed to be a part of those transcendent events." The wise men, for example, were directed by a star to Jesus to worship Him.
He told the congregation that they can learn many lessons from remembering the birth and early life of the Savior.
"Most of those lessons came as you watched and listened, not so much from pictures and words as from the Spirit. You recognized and felt truth. You felt the love of the Savior and for the Savior. And you surely felt an increased desire to love as He loved.
"You felt your faith grow in prophets and in the servants of God, both the angels He sends to bear us up and those He calls to His service to guide us. You surely have felt greater faith that God is the same, without change, over time or space."
President Eyring said the worldwide audience may have also felt the Spirit testify of the Prophet Joseph Smith, whose birthday approaches. "His unwavering testimony that the Angel Moroni, an ancient prophet, came to him is in perfect accord with the experiences of the wise men, of Zachariah, Elisabeth, Mary, the mother of our Lord, Joseph, and innumerable others.
"The lesson is not that we can have such marvelous experiences whenever we wish for them. Nor that they will come even when we feel great need for them. The lesson is simply that God knows our every need, that He loves us, and that He watches over us.
"He gave us the gift of a Savior, His perfect Son, the Lamb without blemish. By personal appearance of the Father and the Son, and through angels, He has restored the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter-days. He has called prophets and apostles to guide us to safety in this life and eternal life in the world to come. Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected that we may live again and that we may be purified and cleansed from sin, prepared for the glorious light of eternal life.
"Those are gifts to us that we can offer to others for Him. We do that by remembering Him and trying with all our hearts to do what He would do and love as He loves."
