Poinsettia Star

I’ve been thinking lately about three quotes that seem to be saying the same thing, but aren’t quite. The first is attributed to Cecil Baldwin, but I’ve seen it quoted in several places without a reference: “Remember, you are beautiful only when you do beautiful things. Full lips aren’t as beautiful as a full laugh. Skinny hips aren’t as attractive as a quick wit. Think about treating others right, and those others will flock to you in screaming droves.” The second, from Janelle Monae, takes it a step beyond that: “You are only as beautiful as the many beautiful things you do for others without expectation.”  But the third quote is my favorite: ‘The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched; they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller

7-Patch Flower

Making nuisance 911 calls can get you into a lot of trouble. It ties up lines so legitimate calls can’t get through. Last month emergency dispatchers in West Valley City received over 4,000 hang-up calls in a single week, all from the same phone. Police tracked down the number and discovered it belonged to a disconnected cell phone. 30-year-old David VanBibber was trying to use the old phone to listen to songs, unaware that he was dialing 911. David has the mind of an 8-year-old, but he knew it was bad news when the police came looking for him. He was even more upset when they took away his tunes. This week those same dispatchers David had been annoying gave him a tour of their workplace and a very special Christmas gift. They’d pooled their money and bought David an iPod and a $100 iTunes gift card, so he can listen to music without breaking any laws.

Tiny House Block

We know what the Christmas season ought to be—we know it should be a time of reflection on the birth of the Savior, a time of celebration and of generosity. But sometimes our focus is so much on the things that annoy and overwhelm us that we can almost hear ourselves say in unison with the Grinch: “Why, for fifty-three years I’ve put up with it now! I MUST stop this Christmas from coming! But HOW?” While it’s true that we can find materialism and anxiety in Christmas, it is also true that if we have eyes to see, we can experience the powerful message of the birth of the Son of God and feel the hope and peace He brings to the world. We, like the Grinch, can see Christmas through new eyes.  – President Dieter F Uchtdorf

Tree of Life

The tree of life, the central feature in Lehi’s dream, is a representation of the love of God. Thus, the birth, life, and atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ are the greatest manifestations of God’s love for His children. As Nephi testified, this love is most desirable above all things and, as the angel in his vision declared, most joyous to the soul. The fruit on the tree is a symbol for the blessings of the Atonement. Partaking of the fruit of the tree represents the receiving of ordinances and covenants whereby the Atonement can become fully efficacious in our lives. The fruit is described as desirable to make one happy and produces both great joy and a strong desire to share that joy with others. The overarching theme of the Book of Mormon—inviting all to come unto Christ—is paramount in Lehi’s vision. – Elder David A. Bednar

Six-Patch Star

Candy Cane Fudge

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

A handful of starlight mint candies, or a few peppermint candy canes

Line a 9x9” pan with foil and coat with baking spray. Melt chocolate and milk together, stirring, in a double boiler. Put peppermint candy in a zipper bag and smash with a rolling pin until they’re reduced to chunks (not powder). Spread chocolate mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle candy on top. Refrigerate 2 hours. Pull fudge – foil and all – out of pan and cut into cubes. Enjoy!

Black Ribbon Star

John Menzies Macfarlane was a farmer, surveyor, school teacher, postmaster, superintendent of schools, and justice of the peace. He was also an accomplished musician. While he lived in St. George, he befriended Reverend Lawrence Scanlon, sent from San Francisco to minister to St. George’s Catholic miners. In 1879 Scanlan lamented that he had no choir and no chapel in which to hold services. Macfarlane offered the use of the new St. George tabernacle. He organized a 30-member LDS choir and taught them (with two weeks practice) to sing mass in Latin for Scanlan and the Silver Reef miners. But Macfarlane’s most notable achievement is the Christmas carol he wrote ten years before that: Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains: “Lord, with the angels we too would rejoice. Help us to sing with the heart and voice, Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, good will to men! Peace on earth, good will to men!