Joy Jot #3 More Jesus
22 December 2023
Four years ago, my daughter Emily had the idea to audition for Savior of the World, a production the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints puts on at Christmas time. Will, Brock and I decided at the last minute to audition with her. Happily, we were chosen to participate.
In addition to the show preparation time which lasted for three months, the performance schedule required a 3x a week commitment from Thanksgiving weekend to New Year’s.
At this time, I had two college students, a high schooler, a junior high student, and an elementary school aged child.
I thought this might be a crazy and stressful activity to be involved in at Christmas time but as it turned out it wasn’t.
I realized as I thought and sang about Jesus three times a week it was the perfect thing to be doing at Christmastime. I summed up my experience with this tagline — “the more Jesus, the better.”
I viewed the story of his birth with more depth. I cherished my time, as an angel, singing to the shepherds. I personalized the oft repeated lyric “Come Lord Jesus” into my life.
When the opportunity arose this fall, four years later, to be in the show again, Will, Brock and I decided to add “more Jesus” to our lives again. It’s been another beautiful experience.
Since being in Savior of the World in 2019, I have spent more time in my scriptures in an effort to have “more Jesus” in my life.
It feels appropriate to round out 2023 with a with a few words about Jesus, the Savior of the World.
As I read the New Testament this year, I observed what he did, what he said, and what he asked of people. He used a lot of action words l like come, arise, follow. He asked if people believed. He touched people when he healed them. He went into homes of sinners and sick people. He had compassion. He listened. He noticed faith. He went up to the mountains to find solitude and to pray. He called friends around him and found comfort in their presence. He gave his apostles the priesthood and asked them to go and preach and heal and raise the dead and cast out evil as he did. In his day-to-day work, he stopped and looked and helped. He forgave sins before healing people’s physical infirmities. He testified that he was the Son of God. He asked people to come and follow him. He asked that we become better and that we love one another. He gave us an example of how to go about our days and our lives -- being kind, keeping commandments, and caring for others.
I know Jesus lives and loves me. I see this evidence in nature around me and in the small things that happen in my life. I have faith that he will deliver usand that he will come again.
Merry Christmas! I wish you “more Jesus” in your life. May he soften, heal, guide, and strengthen you in the coming year!
With love,
Amy
