Suggested Goal: Seek out a person who needs to have a better
day. Brighten their day for them!
True
happiness comes only by making others happy. The practical
application of the Savior's doctrine of losing one's life to gain it.
In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our
hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind
deeds of service. It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
obedience to which will bring peace on earth, because it means good
will toward men. (David O. McKay)
This poem is an old English Christmas carol that was adapted into a
children's song.
Brian Stokes Mitchell sang it at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Christmas Concert a few years back. The poem by itself is cute, but
the song is amazing. Here is the YouTube link if you want to watch
it:
Christmas Orange – Rewritten from an anonymous source by Laura
Martin-Buhler
Sometime it is easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas. The
busy traditions of the season and the appealing advertisements for
material goods can leave the pure and simple truths far, far behind.
Jake was nine years old with tousled brown hair with blue eyes as
bright as a heavenly angel. For as long as Jake could remember he
had lived within the walls of a poor orphanage. He was just one of
ten children supported by what meager contributions the orphan home
could obtain in a continuous struggle seeking donations from
townsfolk.
There was very little to eat, but at Christmas time there always
seemed to be a little more than usual to eat, the orphanage seem a
little warmer, and it was time for a little holiday enjoyment. But
more than this, there was the Christmas orange!
Christmas was the only time of year that such a rare treat was
provided and it was treasured by each child like no other food
admiring it, feeling it, prizing it and slowly enjoying each juicy
section. Truly, it was the light of each orphan's Christmas and
their best gift of the season. How joyful would be the moment when
Jake received his orange!
Unknown to him, Jake had somehow managed to tack a small amount of
mud on his shoes through the front door of the orphanage, muddying
the new carpet. He hadn't even noticed,. Now it was too late and
there was nothing he could do to avoid punishment. The punishment
was swift and unrelenting. Jake would not be allowed his Christmas
orange! It was the only gift he would receive from the harsh world
he lived in, yet after a year of waiting for his Christmas orange, is
was to be denied him.
Tearfully, Jake pleased that he be forgiven and promised never to
track mud into the orphanage again, but to no avail. He felt
hopeless and totally rejected. Jake cried into his pillow all that
night and spent Christmas Day feeling empty and alone. He felt that
the other children didn't want to be with a boy who had been punished
with such a cruel punishment. Perhaps they feared he would ruin
their only day of happiness. Maybe, he reasoned, the gulf between
him and his friends existed because they feared he would ask for a
little of their oranges. Jake spent the day upstairs, alone, in the
unheated dormitory. Huddled under his only blanket, he read about a
family marooned on an island. Jake wouldn't mind spending the rest
of his life on an isolated island, if he could only have a real
family that cared about him.
Bedtime came, and worst of all, Jake couldn't sleep. How could he
say his prayers? How could there be a God in Heaven that would allow
a little soul such as his, to suffer so much all by himself?
Silently, he sobbed for the future of mankind that God might end the
suffering in the world, both for himself and all others like him.
As he climbed back into bed from the cold, hard floor, a soft hand
touched Jake's shoulder, startling him momentarily and an object was
silently placed in his hands. The giver disappeared into the
darkness, leaving Jake with what, he did not immediately know!
Looking closely at in the dim light, he was that it looked like and
orange! Not a regular orange, smooth and shiny, but a special
orange, very special. Inside a patched together peal were the
segments of nine other oranges, making one whole orange for Jake!
The nine other children in the orphanage had each donated one segment
of their own precious oranges to make a whole orange as a gift for
Jake.
Sharing what we truly value is the true spirit of Christmas. Our
Heavenly Father gave us His beloved Son. May we, like the children
in the orphanage, find ways to share His love with others less
blessed.
Thomas
S. Monson – From “Treasured Gifts” Ensign, Dec. 2006, 5-6
At
home in a hidden-away corner, I have a small black walking stick with
an imitation silver handle. It once belonged to a distant relative.
Why do I keep it for a period now spanning more than 70 years? There
is a special reason. As a small boy I participated in a Christmas
pageant in our ward. I was privileged to be one of the three Wise
Men. With a bandanna about my head, Mother’s piano bench cover
draped over my shoulder, and the black cane in my hand, I spoke my
assigned lines: “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.” 2
I vividly remember the feelings of my heart as the three of us “Wise
Men” looked upward and saw a star, journeyed across the stage,
found Mary with the young child Jesus, then fell down and worshipped
Him and opened our treasures and presented gifts: gold, frankincense,
and myrrh.
I especially liked the fact that we did not return to the evil
Herod to betray the baby Jesus but obeyed God and departed another
way.
The years have flown by, but the Christmas cane continues to
occupy a special place in my home; and in my heart is a commitment to
Christ.
Longfellow's
Christmas/Christmas Bells – Edward Herrman told this story at a
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. Here is the link for the
concert video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXfzp296zhA
“Christmas
Bells” is a minor, yet well known, poem written by a very
melancholy Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas Morning in 1863
during the midst of the Civil War. It is anti-slavery poem as well
as a seasonal favorite.
The poem was written six months after
the battle of Gettysburg, where 40,000 soldiers lost their lives. In
addition to despairing over the bloody war, Henry was also mourning
the death of his beloved wife Fanny Appleton Longfellow. Fanny died
in a tragic fire the same year that the Civil War broke out.
In
November on 1862 another personal tragedy added to his plan. His
son, Union Lieutenant Charles Appleton, was wounded in the Army of
the Potomac. On Christmas morning in 1883, while sitting at his desk
at the Craigie House in Cambridge, MA, Henry was inspired to write a
poem as he listened to the church bells pealing. Their constancy and
joyous ringing inspired him to write “Christmas Bells”. In spite
of his sadness, Longfellow expresses his belief in God and innate
optimism that indeed:
God is not dead; nor doth he sleep
The Wrong shall fail;
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to
men!Sometime after 1872,
Longfellow's poem was adapted into a Christmas Carol. John B.
Caulkin (1827-1905) was a famous English composer who set the lyrics
to a gentle, melodic tune which is reminiscent of bells ringing. The
carol is entitled “I heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”
Alternative tunes have been written for the lyrics but Caulkin's
melody remains predominant.
I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar
carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on
earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come, The
belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken
song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till, ringing, singing on its way, The world
revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant
sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon
thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols
drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones
of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of
peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no
peace on earth," I said: "For hate is strong, And
mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God
is not dead; nor doth he sleep! The Wrong shall fail, The Right
prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Suggested Goal: Watch a Christmas Mormon Message on You Tube Today
Reading: Luke 2:7
Song: Away in a Manger
Thought/Story:
Twas many, many a year ago when Christ first came to earth
And each year December rolls around when we celebrate His birth.
He came to earth, then dies for us, to save us from our sins;
So let us, as we celebrate, allow His Spirit in.
For as we become so busy with our special preparations,
We tend to lose the sight of the real reason for celebrations.
Let's hold on to the mirabcle of our loving Savior's birth
And bring back to our memory the reason He came to earth.
So instead of being commercialized, with gifts to outdo all.
Let's give the gift of 'ourselves', whether it be big or small.
Let us not so dwell upon the gifts that money can buy
But let us give a 'heart gift'. and His Spirit will stand us by.
As we go about our preparations in the next few weeks ahead
Let us hold deep within our hearts the greatest miracle instead
Of whose gift is the greatest, the bst that money can buy;
Let us count our blessings and tehn let each one try
To bless those lives around us, and bring the Spirit in
Put "Christ' back into Christmas:
On November 7, 2012, the Philadelphia Art Commission gave the design of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple the final nod with two last-minute dissenting votes. At the meeting, the applicants presented additional details on stormwater management, lighting, façade materials, and landscaping as requested during the their previous appearance before the Commission on October 3. One commissioner argued that honey locusts might be too lacy a choice for the building, and another commissioner voiced the opinion that while certain elements of the building were praiseworthy, the overall design was "too literal" in its classicism and imitative of its neighboring buildings. When the other commissioners were asked if they supported this opinion, no one responded. In the end, only these two commissioners voted "no" on the motion to approve the project.1
Groundbreaking Ceremony
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple on Saturday, September 17, 2011—the 224th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States at Philadelphia's Independence Hall.2
Construction Approval
In January 2010, Church officials met with top administration officials of the City of Philadelphia to review preliminary plans for the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Darrell Clarke, councilman for the 5th district, referred to the plans as magnificent. "I think it's important for the city of Philadelphia to have such a facility in the city, as opposed to the suburbs. I think the long-term benefits of bringing that many people—upwards of 400,000 visits per year to the city—is very significant."3
On Thursday, April 15, 2010, Councilman Clarke introduced a bill to the City Council to amend Section 14-1611 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Benjamin Franklin Parkway Controls." The proposed ordinance would exempt certain building features from being considered as part of the height of a building within a specified area subject to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Controls, which would allow for construction of the preliminarily designed Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. The bill was referred to the Committee on Rules.4
On May 12, 2010, the Committee on Rules—a committee organized under the Philadelphia City Council—held a hearing to receive public comment on the ordinance, which would allow "monuments, belfries, cupolas, minarets, pinnacles, gables, spires, or ornamental towers not intended for human occupancy" to exceed the 125-foot height limit imposed on buildings subject to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Controls up to a maximum of 209 feet. Following the hearing, the Committee unanimously recommended City Council approval, which would permit construction of the temple with double spires that reach just over 200 feet high.5
On May 18, 2010, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission added its endorsement to the zoning code amendment recommended by the Committee on Rules. Church spokesman Ahmad Corbitt explained to the Commission that three meetings with the community had already been held where the plans were explained; neighbors were supportive. He also noted that the spires will not reach the top of the cross of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul across the Parkway.6
On June 3, 2010, the Philadelphia City Council voted unanimously to approve the height ordinance in its second and final vote, enacting the ordinance into law. The first vote was taken on May 20.
On June 7, 2010, interagency discord was plainly evident at a hearing where City Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell—chair of the committee on housing, neighborhood development, and the homeless—criticized the Redevelopment Authority (RDA) for taking legal action in an attempt to reclaim land in high-profile, Council-supported projects including the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. "Why fight projects we support?" Blackwell asked RDA director Terry Gillen. The RDA brought legal action against Stephen Klein, who has development rights on the property, on grounds that he let the site sit undeveloped too long. Klein signed an agreement to sell the site to the Church on August 10, 2009.7
On August 2, 2010, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced that construction of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple would move forward at its Vine Street location near Logan Square. The fate of the project came under question when the RDA attempted to seize the property by suing the site's developer for letting the property remain undeveloped for too long. RDA officials then offered to drop the lawsuit if the developer would would pay the agency 25 percent of the proceeds of the sale of the property to the Church. The mayor did not elaborate on how this dispute had been resolved, but he did express that the addition of the temple would make Benjamin Franklin Parkway "one of the most incredible boulevards anywhere in the world." Final site plans and architectural drawings, which may be available in September, still must go before the Planning Commission and City Council before final City approval is received.8
On September 8, 2010, Mayor Nutter announced the unpetitioned contribution of $300,000 from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Philadelphia's prisoner-reentry program, namely the Mayor's Office of Reintegration Services for Ex-Offenders (RISE). The program assists former prisoners to reenter society through schooling, job training, job placement, housing, drug and alcohol treatment, and "life coaches." Church leaders selected the program because "it fits with the mission of the Church." The month before, the mayor announced preliminary approval of the Church's plan to construct the Philadelphia temple. Renderings of the project have not been released, but the groundbreaking is expected to occur in late 2011 with completion anticipated in 2014.9
On September 21, 2010, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission approved an amendment to the Center City Redevelopment Area Plan, which would accommodate the Church's plans for facilities on Vine Street, including the temple.
On March 24, 2011, the Philadelphia City Council approved a contract between the Church and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, designating the Church as the developer of the site at 1601 Vine Street—next door to the temple site at 1701 Vine Street. Purchase of the property has been finalized, which is intended to be used for a mixed-use development.
On October 3, 2012, the Philadelphia Art Commission granted conceptual approval to plans to erect the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. Commission Chair Sean Buffington requested that the applicants return with more clarity on the depth and richness of the building's fa&ccedi;ade, a better plan for the landscaping and stormwater use, a selection of alternate views of the building and its impact on its "very distinguished neighbors," and a more complete lighting scheme.10
Temple District
The Church has indicated that the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple will serve members from eight stakes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. These stakes are presumably the Cherry Hill New Jersey Stake, Harrisburg Pennsylvania Stake, Philadelphia Pennsylvania Stake, Reading Pennsylvania Stake, Scranton Pennsylvania Stake, Valley Forge Pennsylvania Stake, Williamsport Pennsylvania Stake, and Wilmington Delaware Stake. Since this announcement, the Wilmington Delaware Stake has divided to create the Dover Delaware Stake.
Temple Design
The granite-clad Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple has been designed with architectural elements to complement the classic architecture exhibited in the neighboring buildings and throughout historic Philadelphia where the United States was founded in 1776. The spires, for example, are reminiscent of the clock tower on Independence Hall, and the period furnishings inside the temple will create an air of historic Philadelphia. Exquisite panes of stained glass will run the length of the building, which will be surrounded by a landscaped plaza featuring a reflecting pool and gorgeous gardens open to the public. Also on site will be a low-profile temple services building. Ample parking will be provided by an underground facility.
B. Jeffrey Stebar of the Atlanta office of Perkins+Will was selected as the lead architect of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. President Stebar is a counselor in the stake presidency of the Fayetteville Georgia Stake.
Temple Site
The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple will be erected in Center City Philadelphia on the site of a parking lot at the northeast corner of Vine Street and North 18th Street across from the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and diagonal to beautiful Logan Square.11
The temple was originally to be a multipurpose building constructed at the northeast corner of North Broad Street and Noble Street, but contamination problems on the site—discovered after the purchase—prohibited the Church from using the entire parcel as planned. Church officials began combing the city for another suitable site and by May 2009, they had contacted Stephen Klein dba Logan Place Associates about his Vine Street property. On August 10, 2009, Klein signed an agreement to sell the property to the Church for an undisclosed sum.12
Late in 2010, the Church became the owners of the Vine Street property when sale of the parcel was finalized. Peter Kelsen, a Blank Rome attorney representing the Church on the project, indicated that the Church would quickly move forward with the necessary land and zoning approvals to allow ground to be broken. He noted that an opening is targeted for 2013.13
Temple Announcement
President Thomas S. Monson announced that the City of Brotherly Love would be home to Pennsylvania's first temple during his opening remarks of the 178th Semiannual General Conference. The temple was announced jointly with four other temple locations including Calgary, Canada; Córdoba, Argentina; Kansas City, Missouri; and Rome, Italy.14
Several significant events in Church history took place in Pennsylvania including much of the translation of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of priesthood authority. The Church was first established in Pennsylvania in 1839—growing to 450 members by October 1840. Membership fell following the migration of the Saints to Salt Lake but grew again as Mormon European emigrants arrived. Eventually the first stake was organized in 1960 with 1,100 members located in congregations in southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Today there are nearly 48,000 members in Pennsylvania alone.15
Temple Facts
The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple will be the first temple built in Pennsylvania.
Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Presidency of the Seventy unveiled the official rendering of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple for the first time at a VIP event held prior to a Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert in Philadelphia's Mann Center on June 24, 2011.
