December 2007 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

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10 Not only is the story of the Savior’s birth replete with heavenly messengers, but heavenly beings were also present at significant events throughout His life. BY ELDER MERRILL J. BATEMAN Served as a General Authority from 1992 to 2007 At the beginning of each Christmas season, our thoughts turn to the birth of the Savior. For believers, Christ’s birth and death are the two greatest events in the history of the earth or, for that matter, eternity. It is almost an anomaly that in the untold years the universe has existed, its two greatest events occurred within a 33-year span in a vassal nation on a small planet the Lord calls His “footstool” (see Isaiah 66:1). Christmas carols are a special feature of the season. They bring feelings of joy to our hearts as they describe the events and significance of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is interesting to note that many Christmas hymns speak of angels. This is because the biblical record contains numerous accounts of heavenly beings speaking to mortals before and at the time of His birth. An angel announced His pending birth to the young woman Mary and to Joseph, her espoused husband (see Luke 1:26–33; Matthew 1:20–21). An angel accompanied by a heavenly choir heralded the birth to the shepherds in the fields (see Luke 2:8–14), and angels kept watch over the family during the early years when Herod tried to destroy the young Jesus (see Matthew 2:13, 19–20). Not only is the story of the Savior’s birth replete with heavenly messengers, but heavenly beings were also present at significant events throughout His life. One might ask, “Why were angels so prominent at the Savior’s birth? And why were they such an important part of His life and ministry?” The answers are twofold. The first pertains to the nature and mission of the personage whom they were heralding —a divine Being, the Son of God, the Only Begotten in the flesh who came to earth to save all of God’s children. The second concerns the ushering in of a new dispensation, a period of time when the gospel would be restored in its fulness. The ministry of angels is to assist in the ushering in of dispensations (see Moroni 7:29–31). Let us discuss each of these reasons to provide a clearer understanding of the wonderful moment represented by the “meridian of time.” Heralding the Savior’s Mission For thousands of years, ancient prophets had looked forward to the time when the Son of God would come to earth and atone for the RIGHT: BLESSED ART THOU AMONG WOMEN, BY WALTER RANE; FAR RIGHT, ABOVE: ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL MANN; FAR RIGHT, BELOW: NEPHI’S VISION OF THE VIRGIN MARY, BY JUDITH MEHR
The angel Gabriel said to Mary that “the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Joseph contemplated a private disengagement. But then an angel appeared in a dream, telling him not to fear to take Mary as his wife, “for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” An angel showed Nephi a woman “carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time.” Nephi then saw her “bearing a child in her arms.” ENSIGN DECEMBER 2007 11
Page 1 and 2: T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H
Page 3 and 4: T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H
Page 5: 34 USING THIS ISSUE Celebrating Chr
Page 8 and 9: 6 the baby’s mind. And then God w
Page 10 and 11: 8 The noble Roman mother responded,
Page 14 and 15: The angel Gabriel was sent to Zacha
Page 16 and 17: 14 Ushering In a New Dispensation T
Page 18 and 19: 16 & QUESTIONS ANSWERS The holidays
Page 20 and 21: 18 works through others. He knows w
Page 22 and 23: 20 As I enjoyed my other children,
Page 24 and 25: 22 THE TRUTH TRUTH FOUND FOUND ME I
Page 26 and 27: 24 “How about one more door?” s
Page 28 and 29: PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT CASEY, POSED B
Page 30 and 31: 28 There Shall Be a Record Kept amo
Page 32 and 33: 30 LEARN MORE ABOUT CHURCH HISTORY
Page 34 and 35: 32 As today, ancient prophets like
Page 36 and 37: 34 The Joseph Smith Journals The Pr
Page 38 and 39: 36 The Prophet’s second Ohio jour
Page 40 and 41: 38 Below: The Prophet’s first Ill
Page 42 and 43: A Mother AND AN OVERFLOWING HEART 4
Page 44 and 45: Elizabeth Teaching John, by Ardith
Page 46 and 47: I testify that Jesus is the perfect
Page 48 and 49: 46 I testify that Jesus was, in fac
Page 50 and 51: 48 LESSONS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT F
Page 52 and 53: 50 from the power of a fallen and d
Page 54 and 55: 52 BY STEFFANI R. PACKER For most c
Page 56 and 57: Below, from left to right: Purevsur
Page 58 and 59: Above: Odgerel (left), Ulaanbaatar
Page 60 and 61: 58 manages the one-room distributio
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INSET: PHOTOGRAPH BY HENRIK ALS, PO
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62 Mother’s Christmas Mouse By Be
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64 Did Heavenly Father Really Love
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Our Christmas Experiment When our c
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68 INDEX for 2007 V OLUME 37 A AARO
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70 Foundation for the Future in San
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72 Mother’s Christmas Mouse, Bett
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74 Meals and Memorization, Chantell
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76 Elder Oaks Bolsters Members in A
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78 Months of effort help make Templ
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80 education program offered their
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4 02006 12000 1 00612 Dec 07 Madonn
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