A Christmas Story Part I

A Christmas Story Part I

Ardeth Greene Kapp is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She recently returned from the Canada Vancouver Mission, where her husband, Heber, presided from 1992 to 1995. Before their mission, Sister Kapp served as general president of the Young Women organization of the Church. A popular author and speaker, she has written several books, including My Neighbor, My Sister, My Friend; The Joy of the Journey; and What Stripling Warriors Learned from Their Mothers.

A Christmas Story: Christmas Traditions

Since I grew up in Alberta, Canada, I never had to dream of a white Christmas. There was always plenty of snow and cold at Christmas time. At least that’s how I remember it.

I also remember, besides the cold temperatures, the feeling of warmth, that happy feeling of being together as our parents, four aunts, uncles, and many cousins of all ages gathered at our grandparents’ big three-story house, where we remained from Christmas Eve clear through New Year’s Day.

Christmas Story mormonThis tradition must have seemed strange to the folks in our small town of Glenwood, since all of our aunts and uncles and cousins lived within walking distance of each other all year long, only a few blocks away from each other. It was not inconvenient for our dads and brothers to return home night and morning to milk the cows, do the chores, and be back in time for our large and happy family breakfast and evening supper. During the morning we played games and listened to favorite stories told and retold by our grandmother as we gathered around the large grate in the floor that let the heat pour out from the furnace below. In the afternoon we practiced for the evening’s talent show while our mothers made pies and cakes. I don’t remember what our dads did during the day, but they joined us as we all gathered for supper; and after the evening meal we presented a talent show to a very responsive audience, who all sang together. We had a family orchestra and it was agreed, especially by our grandpa, that we were a very musical family. (more…)

Do Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving? Reflections on Gratitude

Do Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving? Reflections on Gratitude

Valerie Steimle, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” woman) has been writing as a family advocate for the past 20 years. She is the mother of nine children living in southern Alabama and is the author of four books and a weekly newspaper column, Thoughts from the Heart.

Do Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving? Reflections on Gratitude

As the season of Thanksgiving is upon us, contemplating Thanksgiving causes me to reflect on what I am thankful for in my life. As I ponder the Thanksgiving season, these thoughts help me to be more thankful.  Thanksgiving helps me remember to be thankful for living in a country with hard fought freedoms including the freedom to express ourselves in the written word, on radio or television. I am thankful for the opportunity to choose where I live and what church I attend.  My choice of church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”) and part of our belief system is that we need to be thankful for the lives we live.

Mormons celebrate ThanksgivingA thought on thankfulness from President Thomas S. Monson who is President, and Mormon prophet, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says: “We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.” (October 2010) (more…)

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