Wishes of Peace, Good Will, and Light

Tis the Season for wishes of peace, good will, and light!

At Jesus’ birth, angels sang glad tidings, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14.)  While glorifying God in the highest, Jesus truly was Peace on earth with Good Will towards all.

This reminds me of President Russell M. Nelson’s call for glad tidings of peace. “As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers. . . . Peacemakers thwart the adversary. . . . God lives! Jesus is the Christ. He stands at the head of this Church. We are His servants. He will help us to become His peacemakers” (Peacemakers Needed, April 2023 General Conference.)

Peacemakers are powerful!

Relief Society is full of peacemakers, women with lights that SHINE, pointing to the true Light.

President Nelson promised the Lord will magnify our efforts!  “As you demonstrate the charity that true followers of Jesus Christ manifest, the Lord will magnify your efforts beyond your loftiest imagination.” How cool/amazing/comforting to think that as I strive to act with His love that even my smallest or least confident effort can be magnified by the Lord!

Since we’re all unique with different spiritual gifts and in various circumstances, the magnification of our efforts will have a collective kaleidoscope effect—widespread, and beautiful. The multiplying and replenishing of our efforts collectively bless us, our families, our ward family, our community, and the world.  Through the Lord’s enabling grace, our efforts truly impact the world in our corner of His vineyard.

As our Christmas tree begins to twinkle, each of those sparkly lights reminds me of you—each of you is a beautiful twinkle light.  Every light helps create the tree’s sparkling awe and wonder, shining with warmth and beauty in darkness or daylight.  As one missing light leaves a dark hole on my Christmas tree, each of you matters and is needed to illuminate our sisterhood’s gloriously sparkling Tree completely.

Your lit lives sing the angels’ song to me:  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining….

O hear the angel voices! . . .

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;

Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!

His power and glory evermore proclaim!