Every Needful Thing
Pleasant Grove Manila Stake Volume 2, Issue 12
Each year we gather as families and read the familiar story of Mary and Joseph making their way to Bethlehem to participate in the Roman census that had been ordered for that year. Luke provides a very brief description of what must have been a very arduous trek. He quickly co- vers that trip of some 90 miles simply stating: “And Jo- seph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethle- hem (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.” (Luke 2:4-5). Certainly, this cannot truly capture what must have been a difficult and worrisome undertak- ing.
A biblical archaeologist from the University of South Florida has remarked: “Matthew and Luke are so laconic about the event because they assume the reader would know what it was like. Today, we have no idea how diffi- cult it was.” He goes on to state: “It was a fairly grueling trip. In antiquity, the most we find people traveling is 20 miles a day. And this trip was very much uphill and down- hill. It was not simple.”
Although I’m one of those who has “no idea how difficult it was”, my heart goes out to this couple, not only to Mary who was nine months pregnant but also to Joseph who had the responsibility for her and for the precious cargo she carried.
Can we truly imagine what the pressures were on Joseph as he must have been concerned about the possibility of the birth occurring in the middle of the Judean desert? The trails they traveled were unpaved and often steep and he no doubt shuttered as each bump brought extreme dis- comfort to Mary.
Not only did Joseph have to be conscious of the physical conditions surrounding them, there were commonly ban- dits to be found along major trade routes and Mary and Joseph were probably forced to join a caravan of some kind for group support and protection.
And, once the trek was completed, Joseph had to desper- ately search for somewhere to house Mary and, ultimately, the Savior of the world. It is estimated that 10,000 others from the House of David had gathered in Bethlehem for the census which would help explain the absence of
This is not an official publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a prepared- ness news and information site prepared for friends and neighbors of the Pleasant Grove Manila Stake by Chuck and Earlene McDonald, Preparedness Specialists. Feedback may be directed to them at chuckmcdonaldo6@gmail.com or earlene.mcdonald@zeroz.biz
available housing.
There is little doubt that we can learn from the stresses that must have been on Joseph at this time. Spiritually, we can draw the conclusion that Joseph possessed complete faith in the Lord and obedience to the promptings he re- ceived which allowed his journey to be successfully com- pleted. Temporally, we can learn that the his trip was not easy and probably was not meant to be. But it was memo- rable.
So it is with our trek in this mortal existence. The roads we travel may be steep and uneven. We may have to pro- ceed in the face of rain and sleet and will definitely encoun- ter the temptations of Satan and be distracted by the craft- iness of men who will attempt to steal away our resolve to reach our destination. But we must remember that we were never promised a smooth road—only the encourage- ment to follow the strait and narrow way.
We can also learn that we are on this trek together. We need to establish spiritual and temporal “caravans” in our neighborhoods, wards and stake. We must provide sup- port and protection for one another in our mortal travel. Hopefully, as we read the Christmas story this year, we will consider the nobleness of Joseph—how he must have prepared for his journey temporally and spiritually—how he faced the myriad of challenges placed before him—how he succeeded.
So can we all. May this Christmas season and the coming year be one in which we strive to prepare for the rest of our journey here in mortality. By doing so, we will receive necessary blessings in our endeavors. Remember: the meaning of the name Joseph is “God will increase”.
This would be our prayer for all of us this joyous season and the year beyond—that God will increase. Merry Christmas!
“What kind of a person would the Father select as the husband of Mary and the guardian and earthly model for Jesus? ... we must conclude that our Heavenly Father made careful selection in his choice of Joseph.” (Robert J. Matthews, Ensign, December 1974)
The happy years of my childhood came during the great Depression. For me, it was a time of learning and sharing. I was even encouraged to accompany Grant, my brother, on his daily rounds after school while he sold cottage cheese from door to door to supplement the family in- come. You see, Dad was having a rough time of it. Our new store, which had been doing well right up to 1929, was closed now, and Dad found it difficult to keep a job as store after store, and factories, too, closed their doors. At home, it was a bit hard to tell it was Christmas. For the first time in our lives no brightly lighted Christ- mas tree stood in the corner be- tween the piano and the colon- nades. Our family had talked it over and decided we could dispense with a tree this year. The tiny gifts I had made for Mom and Dad in school, wrapped in white tissue paper, rest- ed uncomfortably on the sewing machine, alongside the small pack- ages my brothers had managed to acquire with carefully hoarded pen- nies. After a supper of hot soup and crusty bread, we lingered at the table awhile, then washed up the supper dishes. And then we sat. What do you do on Christmas Eve when there are no presents to be wrapped, no pies to be made, no tree in the front room? We played a game. And then we sat some more. Finally Dad could stand it no longer. Jumping to his feet, he almost
“Who among us has not felt concern over the commercialization and even greed of the Christmas season? Who hasn’t felt overwhelmed by the packed calendars, the stress of finding gifts, the pressure of planning meals and events? .... See the purity of the story of the Savior’s birth and feel sincere gratitude for His life, teachings, and saving sacrifice for us” ( President Uchtdorf, “Seeing Christmas through New Eyes,” 2010 First Presidency Christmas Devotional, Dec. 5, 2010).
We Didn’t Have a Tree, Until....
(Excerpted from a Mormon Journal article by Janet W. Sorensen, December 1974)
shouted, “I’ve got 50 cents in my pocket. Let’s go see if we can get a tree!” Fifty cents! And no payday in sight. What love and devotion must have determined that sudden deci- sion! Yet, at the very moment, before we could say anything, the doorbell rang. My brother and I ran to the door, and to our surprise no one was there. We looked around in disappointment, and then we saw it—a glorious tree! We looked in every direction but could find no one to claim the tree. It had to be ours! I can still feel the thrill, the excite- ment. I can still see the tears on my dad’s cheeks as he helped us deco- rate it. We hadn’t told anyone that we didn’t have a tree, and we had been very careful not to invite friends to our home for them to discover it. Later the bishop of our ward disclaimed any knowledge of it; the Relief Society thought it was a wonderful gesture but refused any credit for it; the neighbors were no more friendly than usual—so, we never knew where the tree came from. But the road seemed brighter for us as a family because some good soul had brought us a Christ- mas tree—and love—on our darkest Christmas Eve.
Live Providently During the Holidays
All of us want to bring joy into the lives of our children and our spouses at Christ- mas time. It is natural that we want to show our love for them. However, Church leaders have counseled us to be modest in our expenditures and to disci- pline ourselves in our spending to avoid debt. Here are some tips given in the Church News last Christmas time.
Create a budget: Sit down with your spouse or family and realistically plan how much money you can spend during the holiday season. .
Talk with your family: Let them know what to expect before the holidays, and ask them to contribute to the planning. If you will not be giving as many presents to family members as last year, talk to them about this and discuss what you can do to show love and appreciation to each other in creative ways.
Plan ahead: The best financial practice when making a large purchase is to begin saving months in advance. Start plan- ning for next year this Christmas.
Invest in the future: Often Christmas presents are focused on the newest gadgets and toys. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Christmas could be a good time to invest in opportunities that will have more meaning. Consider gifts that contribute to education, family history, or food storage as well as opportunities to give service and spend time as a fami- ly.
Christmas is indeed a happy time tor all of us. The bright lights, the squeal of surprise and de- light at a new shiny gift, the glittering majesty of a brightly decorated tree are all part of this spe- cial season.
Unfortunately, each season also brings re- ports of occurrences that each of us should be aware of and should protect against. While try- ing not to detract from the true Spirit of Christ- mas, we feel it appropriate to remind readers of some of the dangers that may accompany this wonderful celebration. Here are some of the more prevalent.
1. FALLS: Emergency room visits are made by
an estimated 6000 people each year due to falling off a ladder or roof putting up decora- tions or from attempting to put the star on the top of the tree while balancing on an un- certain surface.
2. TREE FIRES: Close to 250 home fires with
resultant death and property damage occur on average each year. This is most common when natural trees are brought into the home.
3. TINSEL AND SMALL DECORATIONS: Small
hands can quickly reach and choke on small ornaments, tinsel, and other decoration items. Even small pieces from nativity scenes can become dangerous hazards. 4. MISTLETOE AND HOLLY: Poinsettias are
often thought to be the most poisonous holi- day plant but they actually are not toxic to people. Mistletoe, on the other hand, while romantic, is indeed poisonous. Eating ber- ries and leaves can result in gastrointestinal problems and some varieties actually con- tain toxins that result in blurred vision, changes in blood pressure and even death. Doctors advise that holly is also very dan- gerous and can be lethal to a child who con- sumes even 20 berries of this plant.
5. CANDLES: In Grandpa’s day, lighted can-
dles were commonly placed on the tree
THOUGHTS TO PONDER THIS CHRISTMAS
I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Ebenezer Scrooge, Christmas Carol
Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. ~Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby
Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money. ~Author Unknown
LET’S KEEP CHRISTMAS JOYOUS BY KEEPING IT SAFE
since electrical illumination was not usually available. Today, candles are still in use al- though generally limited to glass containers. They can sometimes be placed too close to combustible season decorations. In addi- tion, there is a possibility that certain can- dles, especially scented ones, can put out chemicals, including cancer-causing ben- zene. 6. CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WITH LEAD: With all the publicity surrounding lead in paint, you wouldn’t think there was any danger here. However, researchers have found that four out of five holiday lights tested contained lead at levels that would prohibit sales in Europe. Manufacturers state the use of lead is necessary to stabilize cord casings and make lights heat resistant. Because there is a good chance your holiday lights may con- tain lead, it is recommended you wear gloves and then wash your hands after handling them.
Hope this doesn’t bring more stress into your life as you prepare for this holy season. But we want you around in 2016. Thanks for reading.
(Write-up based on information found in The Dangers of Christmas Decorations, Merco- la.com)
Remember, Oh Remember
Stake Guidance for 2016:
• Hold/obtain current Temple recommend—as soon as possible
• Develop/implement plan to reduce/eliminate family consumer debt by end of 2016
• Prepare Bug-Out Bag by January 1, 2016
• Obtain at least a 12-week supply of food for your family by April 1, 2016
• Have at least 6-month supply of survival food storage by August 1, 2016
