A Different Kind of Christmas Message

http://narcoleptica.deviantart.com/art/Christmas-star-24488816

Imagine having to have faith in a man that will come to the earth and will be born in a land your forefathers left due to wickedness. Imagine trying to live the gospel being told this this amazing person will exist and show the way for us to live, but until then we need to do it anyway because that is what the Lord has asked us to do. This would be hard for me, however this is what the people of the Book of Mormon did for many generations.
In my scripture study this week, Alma 7: 9-16 left a great impression on my heart. It filled me with true joy and a great respect for Alma and the people he was teaching.  Imagine my excitement as I looked in the Book of Mormon Student Study Guide on lds.org and these verses were one of the points highlighted in the lesson (it seems like this never happens)! I was even more exited as I watched the Mormon Message video that went with our lesson for class titled "Look to the Light." (Isn't technology great!)
This scripture passage starts off with Alma, the younger, teaching the people in the land called Gideon to repent. he says, "Repent ye, and prepare a way for the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold, the kingdom of heaven is at had, and the Son of God cometh upon the face of the earth." As I said before, we have to remember that Christ has not been born yet. They are still waiting on this. It won't happen for about another 83 years. It is their job to prepare for this wonderful event that will happen, and they have no idea when it will happen. (Just like we have no idea when He will come again.) Alma goes on to tell them of Christ's birth. He tells them that Mary will have this baby in Jerusalem (the place their forefathers left because of iniquity several generations before). He tells them that he will suffer afflictions and temptations in His life just like us including physical death. He does this so that he can know our struggles and temptations and be able to take on our sins as His own and deliver us from these sins. Verse 13 says:

• "Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according the to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me." 

This is the Atonement summarized into one verse. Christ came to the earth. He was perfect. He took upon him our sins so that we can live with Him and our Heavenly father again. Our job is to repent and come unto him. Verse 16 tells us of the promise we are given when we do this:

• "And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the holy Spirit, which testifieth in me."

What a wonderful message at this time of the year where we are preparing to celebrate the birth and life of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He lives. He came to earth not only to teach the people in Jerusalem while he was here. He blessed the people of Nephi. He continues to bless us. He will come again. I hope to be worthy of His blessings when this happens.
I love that we have scripturse that testify of Christ and his mission. I love that we are told of the struggles before and after Christ came to the earth so that we can learn and grow. I love that we can read of the prophesy of Christ coming and see how it all was fulfilled. I love that the Book of Mormon testifies of people who left Jerusalem to come to the Americas and because of their faith, they were blessed with the gospel. These people had a great deal of faith.
I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to study the Book of Mormon. I have learned more form this wonder book of scripture over the last few months than I have learned from it in my life. I am excited to learn more in the coming months.