The Christmas season is such a wonderful time of year to fix our focus on our Savior. One who has really increased my love of the Savior and is one of my very best friends is Brother Dunford, who teaches institute at the University of Utah (check out his website at brotherdunford.org). He is a big inspiration for this post today, because he is the one who really brought the Christmas story from the Book of Mormon to life for me by telling it in a first person perspective. I almost feel like I should credit him in every post I make because he has given me so many ideas and has truly shaped me into the person I am today. Here is a Christmas program I have put together in hopes of bringing the Spirit into each of our homes as we tell the Christmas story. Each part is told from a first person perspective, some fictional and others real, and as such I have taken the liberty of embellishing parts to make it more personal. Merry Christmas!
Zarahemla (read by a parent)
I grew up in Zarahemla and now live there in a modest house with my [husband/wife] and children. When I was a young teenager there was much war with the Gadianton robbers. These wars and their awful wickedness continued until I was emerging into my adult years and would have continued longer except that the whole land was hit with a terrible famine. My family struggled very much during that time and lost much of our livestock. In our humble station, my father began to teach our family about a prophet named Nephi. After hearing the teachings of Nephi, my family and I repented of our sins and began to pray that the famine would cease. Nephi also prayed unto the Lord, asking Him to send forth rain, and it was so. Many people were converted unto the Lord around the same time my family was, yet as the years went by, many forgot the Lord and others dissented and began to rob and plunder insomuch that there was war and kidnappings again in the land. While the Lamanites were righteous, my people had fallen into great pride and wickedness. It was in these circumstances that a man called Samuel came from the Lamanites to prophesy in Zarahemla. He prophesied on the walls of the city saying, “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. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born. And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.”¹ After Samuel prophesied, many were angry and tried to kill him with stones and arrows, but they could not hit him. Samuel escaped and did not return. As five years passed since Samuel’s visit, many began to forget his words. Others hardened their hearts against his words despite signs and prophecies beginning to be fulfilled. Even my friend and neighbor of many years kept telling me that although some things may have been guessed right, it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ should come.² Things looked bleak with Samuel gone and Nephi having disappeared a few years before, leaving his son in his stead. Many people began to say that the time had passed for Samuel’s words to be fulfilled.³ Despite the persecutions, my family and I remained faithful and we watched steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that we might know that our faith had not been in vain.⁴ Night after night my family and I watched the sunset. As the darkness fell over Zarahemla each night, the darkness in the hearts of the unbelievers became deeper and deeper. So much so that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers that all those who believed should be put to death except the sign prophesied by Samuel should come to pass.⁵ I thought about those I love who would be killed for their faith. Would our newborn be killed because of my faith? How would I tell my children what was about to take place? Many of those who believed began to deny their faith as the day came nearer. I began to consider doing the same to save my family. Yet I recalled the Spirit I felt when I heard the words of Nephi and Samuel and felt I could not. My friend begged and pleaded with me to deny my faith so that my family and I would be safe, but I knew the God in whom I had put my trust, so my family and I stood fast. We clung to our hope in Christ and watched the final sunset before the day the believers would be killed. We prayed earnestly for the sign to be given that night. The whole city watched eagerly as the sun dipped below the horizon and soon it became clear—there was no darkness. The people began to be astonished and there were many, who had not believed the words of the prophets, who fell to the earth and became as if they were dead, for they knew that the great plan of destruction which they had laid for those who believed in the words of the prophets had been frustrated; for the sign which had been given was already at hand. And all knew that the Son of God must shortly appear. Joy as I have never felt filled my soul—we were delivered. I praised God for giving me strength to endure with faith. There was no darkness in all that night; it was as light as though it was mid-day. The children could not sleep that night for the light that was outside and for the excitement that it was the day that the Lord should be born.⁶ There was no need for a candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord gave us light.⁷ He is the light and the life of the world; a light that is endless and can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.⁸
O Holy Night
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Mary (mother)
One day while I was going about my usual day to day activities I was visited by an angel who came in unto me and said, “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest…therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”⁹ As spoken by the angel, the promised messiah would be my son. In the following nine months I carried him and pondered greatly upon how I should accomplish such a holy calling as being the mother of the Son of God. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph and I also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem to be taxed, I being great with child. As the city was filled with inhabitants, we were unable to find an inn at which to stay and instead found rest in a stable. And so it was that while we were there, the days were accomplished that I should be delivered. And I brought forth my firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. Bearing the child in my arms I beheld the Lamb of God, even the Son of the Eternal Father, the manifestation of the love of God, and I laid him in a manger because there was no room for us in the inn.¹⁰
Away in a Manger
Silent Night
Oh, Come All Ye Faithful
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Shepherds (child)
I was born into a shepherd family in Judea. For as long as I can remember, my mother and father have taught me about the coming of a Messiah who would free the Jews. I always pictured him as a great warrior who would fight to free the Jews from the Romans. Then one night, we were abiding in our fields keeping watch over our flocks, and lo, the angel of the Lord came upon us, and the glory of the Lord shone round about us: and we were sore afraid. The angel spoke unto us saying, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” As the angels were gone away from us into heaven, my parents said, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.” We went as fast as we could and found Mary and Joseph with the babe lying in a manger. I beheld the child and the Spirit brought to my mind the words of Isaiah, which say, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.¹¹ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Surely this was Immanuel, for God was with us, and never have I beheld such peace.¹² When we had all seen Him, we made known abroad the saying which was told to us concerning this child, and all they that heard it wondered at those things which we told them. And we returned home, glorifying and praising God for all the things that we had heard and seen.¹³
The First Noel
Angels We Have Heard on High
Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains
Wise Men (male)
As I sat with my brethren in the night, we beheld a new star, and knowing this to be the star of the Lord, we traveled to Jerusalem and inquired, saying, “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.” And when Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Therefore Herod called the chief priests and asked where the Christ should be born, and after learning that it was in Bethlehem, he called me and my brethren privily, inquiring of us what time the star appeared. We answered him and he commanded us to go to Bethlehem. Therefore he said unto us, “Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.” When we had heard the king, we departed; and, lo, the star, which we saw in the east, went before us continually, till it came and stood over where the young child was. And when we saw the star above, we rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Then, when we came into the house, we saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when we had opened our treasures, we presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. That night, I was warned of God in a dream that my brethren and I should not return to Herod, for Herod would seek the young child to destroy him; therefore, we departed into our own country another way.¹⁴
With Wondering Awe
Now we may lift up our heads and be of good cheer; for behold, the time was at hand, and on that night the sign was given, and on the morrow came Jesus Christ into the world, to show unto the world that He would fulfill all that which He had caused to be spoken by the mouths of His holy prophets.¹⁵ None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth. His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. And the day cometh that He shall come again with power and great glory and we shall hear His voice and see Him, and know that He is.¹⁶ He will make himself manifest unto all. Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ.¹⁷ For God will dwell with us, and we shall be his people. And He shall wipe away all tears from our eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for these things shall pass away and He will make all things new.¹⁸
Joy to the World
¹ Helaman 14:2-5
² Helaman 16:16, 18
³ 3 Nephi 1:6
⁴ 3 Nephi 1:8
⁵ 3 Nephi 1:9
⁶ 3 Nephi 1:15-19
⁷ Revelation 22:5
⁸ Luke 1:28-32, 35
⁹ Luke 1:28-32, 35
¹⁰ 1 Nephi 11, 20-22; Luke 2:1-20
¹¹ Isaiah 7:14
¹² Matthew 1:23
¹³ Luke 2:8-20
¹⁴ Matthew 2:1-13
¹⁵ 3 Nephi 1:13-14
¹⁶ Doctrine and Covenants 50:45
¹⁷ Mosiah 27:31
¹⁸ Revelation 21:3-5
