December 5 -- 24 Days of Christmas

December 5^th - 24 Days of Christmas

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)

Reading: 3 Nephi 17: 5-6.9

Song: I need Thee Every Hour, Hymn 98

Story/Thought:

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: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9K9MVmVxFA

The Friendly Beasts

Jesus our brother, kind and good

Was humbly born in a stable rude

And the friendly beasts around Him stood

Jesus our brother, kind and good.

“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown

“I carried His mother up hill and down;

I carried her safely to Bethlehem town.”

“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

“I,” said the cow, all white and red

“I gave Him my manger for a bed;

I gave Him my hay to pillow His head.”
“I,” said the cow, all white and red.

“I,” said the dove from the rafters high,

“Cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry;

We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I.”
“I,” said the dove from the rafters high.

“I,” said the camel, yellow and black,

“Over the desert, upon my back,

I brought Him a gift in the Wise Men's pack.”

“I,” said the camel, yellow and black.

Thus every beast by some good spell

In the stable dark was glad to tell

Of the gifts he gave Emmanuel,

The gift he gave Emmanuel.