​I like processes. I like checklists. I like guarantees. I work one to two days a week for most of the year at our family's accounting office, Treasure Valley CPA. During tax season I work five days a week. For tax season we hire extra interns and this year a receptionist to help with the increased work of end-of-the year filings and taxes. That means lots of training and teaching of processes. A couple of months ago, I discussed a brilliant idea I had with our two permanent employees. We would make lists and checklists and procedures to help with training the new employees and to have in place for future years. I have a mistaken hope that if we get expectations and procedures right, we will have only positive customer service experiences. I've also had this mistaken belief for much of my life about myself and in parenting. As a child, I thought that if I could wake up and not make one single mistake that day, my life would be perfect and easier. As a parent, I thought if I could find the one perfect parenting chart or program, my children would stop complaining and do all their chores and there would be no tension in our home. While there are good techniques and procedures that can help in our accounting office and with parenting, I am being taught through life experiences that there is not one way to do things, and that I will not be perfect in this life.

I don't know how I developed my false beliefs about perfectionism, but they used to also extend to the church of Jesus Christ and the scriptures. I thought there was one perfect church plan and that the scriptures came straight from God in perfect form. I thought that God at one point had taught man the perfect way to run a church but it had become polluted over time. As I've been reading the accounts of the creation from Genesis and Moses and Abraham, I've come to understand that God reveals truth through the lens of understanding of man at that particular time.
Recently in the temple as I was participating in sealings of couples and children to parents for deceased ancestors, I noticed changes in the wording of the sealing from when I was sealed to my husband. These changes were made under the direction of modern prophets and apostles who receive on-going revelation for our time. I found myself thinking that finally, now, the wording was right. That in the past it hadn't been correct. But then I received understanding that the words in the past were right or relevant for that time and the words now are right and relevant for our time.
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I believe in a God who loves His children and communicates with us in ways we can understand and that are relevant to our day. Since we sin, since we cannot make all perfect choices all the time, and since this life is to give us experience, God offered His Only Begotten Son as a sacrifice. Jesus Christ is our Savior and through His grace, we can receive strength and comfort in our trials, we can become more than we could be on our own, and as we repent, because of Jesus Christ's atonement, we can live with God again. Not because we are perfect but because we are perfected through Jesus Christ.

As I thought about buying Christmas presents and preparing for the Christmas season, I felt anxious and overwhelmed. But then I pondered and prayed and realized that being with family and feeling the Spirit of Christ through service and worship are what makes Christmas meaningful and memorable to me.

I created a Nativity Activity for our family to do this year. This could be done starting on December 1 or leading up until Christmas day depending on the Nativity pieces you have. Or you could do this as one activity on Christmas Eve.

Nativity Activity 2021
Mary
Read: Luke 1:26-38
Discuss: When was the last time you received direction from God? Share your experience.
Do: Thank your mother for something she has done for you in the past week.

Joseph
Read: Matthew 1: 18-25
Discuss: Joseph’s marriage turned out differently than he expected, but he was still obedient to the Lord. When has something turned out different from what you expected? How were you blessed for following the Lord?
Do: Thank your father for something he did for you this past week.

Donkey
Read: Luke 2:1-5
Discuss: We don’t know if Mary rode a donkey, but Mary and Joseph and their belongings had to be transported to Bethlehem. What was a trip or vacation you took recently that required preparation? How did you help that trip to happen? How did others help that trip to happen?
Do: In your prayer today, thank Heavenly Father for transportation.

Stable
Read: Luke 2:6-7
Discuss: Where were you born? What were you wrapped in? What are your mother and father’s thoughts about your birth?
Do: Clean a room in your house or put away a few items.

Baby Jesus
Read: Alma 7:10-12
Discuss: Jesus’ life experiences and His atonement allow him to understand our problems. We can help others by being compassionate during their hard times. When is a time someone helped you or when you helped someone?
Do: Look for someone today who needs a hug or smile and give a hug or smile.

Angel
Read: Luke 2:8-14
Discuss: Have you ever been afraid? What did you do? How were you able to obtain peace?
Do: Think of someone who has been an angel in your life—someone who has helped you, brought you peace, or given you good news. Thank that person.

Shepherd
Read: Luke 2:15-20
Discuss: When was a time you hurried (made haste) to do something you felt prompted to do? What happened because of your obedience?
Do: Praise a sibling today.

Lamb
Read: Alma 7:14 or Isaiah 53:7
Ponder and do: The Savior Jesus Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of man. What do I need to repent of today? Ask Heavenly Father to let you know and ask the Savior for help to know what to do to repent/to change. Then do it. Report back in prayer to your Heavenly Father.

Cow
Read: Genesis 1:24-26
Discuss: How have you taken care of a pet? How has the pet blessed your life?
Do: Give your pet extra attention today.
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Wiseman (3)
Read: Matthew 2:1-11 (or through 15)
Discuss: What is the best gift you’ve received? What is the best gift you’ve given?
Do: A gift can be an item, your time, or service. Give a gift today of an item, or spending time with a family member, or serving someone.

My husband was sustained as the bishop of a new ward this past Sunday. For our first Sunday, he asked that I share my testimony in sacrament meeting. I've never shared my testimony as the bishop's wife before and while a bishop, including my husband, and his family are not perfect, there is an expectation of behavior and belief. I've thought a lot this week about my testimony. Recently due to questions from family members and friends concerning the restored gospel and our prophet, I've questioned my own beliefs and had frequent doubts. While there is so much I don't know and understand, there are some things I do know.


God is my Heavenly Father and He loves me. My earliest memory of this was when I was a child, sometime before I was eight years old. I was in bed at night and my dad was at a church meeting. A feeling of despair came over me, an almost tangible heavy darkness in my room. When my dad came home, I asked him for a blessing or to pray. I can't remember which. He did what I asked and the darkness lifted. I had faith in my father. I knew he loved me, and I knew he could dispel the darkness. I now know that was because of the power of the priesthood. My earthly father's love and power were a manifestation of my Heavenly Father's love and power.


Jesus Christ is my Savior and because of His atonement, I can be cleansed of my sins and succored in my trials. I was praying for one of my children, crying in despair, and into my mind came the words, "Your child is in my hands" along with the image of the Savior's open hands with the marks from the cross. I was taught that I am not my child's Savior, to have faith in the Savior, and that Jesus Christ's atonement was for me and my child.


Joseph Smith was a prophet. He translated The Book of Mormon and restored the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days. I just finished reading Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Bushman. There are pieces of church history that are uncomfortable, but Joseph Smith was able to accomplish more in his lifetime than seems humanly possible. And it wasn't possible on his own. Learning more about Joseph Smith makes me appreciate his life and sacrifice and reminds me that the Lord can use my efforts to do great things.


I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real because of the personal revelation I receive through the Holy Ghost. Moroni, a prophet in The Book of Mormon, taught, "I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6). When I was a child, I relied on the faith of my parents. They loved me and I felt good when I attended church, read my scriptures, and prayed. Much of my obedience was out of duty to my parents whom I loved and the culture of the church. As I began to receive consistent revelation of my own and I acted on that revelation, I saw the results of my faith and my faith increased. That still meant I needed to act in faith and then see what happened, but I had many experiences to remind me that I would be blessed when I acted in faith. One of those experiences was when I had the thought in the temple that I should start a book club in my new neighborhood. I resisted, but when I finally acted in faith, the eventual results were better than I imagined. I have come to love the women in my book club and am enriched every time we get together. I refer to this experience often to strengthen my faith. As the Stake Young Women's Camp Director this past summer, I was reminded by the Spirit that as I did the Lord's will concerning the book club, He made more of it than I could make on my own and that the same thing would happen with camp. On Sunday after my husband was set apart as the bishop, a member of the Stake Presidency asked if being the director for Young Women's camp this past summer has helped me with my husband becoming the bishop. The answer is Yes! As I've had fear and doubts about how this would all work out and how members would feel about the changes and how all the callings would be filled and how my husband would be able to be the bishop during tax season, I've been reminded by the Spirit again and again of the miracles, personal revelation, and strength I received as the director of camp because of my willingness to do the Lord's will. This is the Lord's work!


I know that President Russell M. Nelson is a prophet. In April 2018, President Nelson said, "In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation" ("Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives"). That prophecy has been fulfilled for me. There is so much confusion, so much doubt, so much information and misinformation, that if I did not study my scriptures and pray daily and act on personal revelation, I would not survive spiritually.
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In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.