You're about to unravel the profound significance of the birth of Jesus Christ, while drawing parallels to our present world. We embark on this journey by tracing back to prophecies and their fulfillment, while also appreciating the prominent roles played by Mary and Joseph in preparing to welcome our Savior into the world.
The conversation doesn't end with the nativity story. Prepare to go deeper into the symbolism embedded in the tale of the little drummer boy and the journey of the wise men. Discover how the birth of our Savior symbolizes the unique gifts we can offer to Him. Our Christmas conversation takes us right into the heart of the holiday spirit, shifting from materialistic celebrations to a focus on the birth of our Savior.
Finally, we’ll draw parallels between the birth of Jesus and his second coming. Engage with us as we explore the joy and peace brought by the Savior, and how we can reflect these qualities in our day-to-day lives. This episode is sure to deepen your insight into the Christmas story, whether you're preparing for the holiday season or seeking to comprehend its significance in a new light. So join us, as we celebrate the spirit of Christmas by rediscovering the role of the Savior in our lives.
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The Inspiration by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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You're about to unravel the profound significance of the birth of Jesus Christ, while drawing parallels to our present world. We embark on this journey by tracing back to prophecies and their fulfillment, while also appreciating the prominent roles played by Mary and Joseph in preparing to welcome our Savior into the world.
The conversation doesn't end with the nativity story. Prepare to go deeper into the symbolism embedded in the tale of the little drummer boy and the journey of the wise men. Discover how the birth of our Savior symbolizes the unique gifts we can offer to Him. Our Christmas conversation takes us right into the heart of the holiday spirit, shifting from materialistic celebrations to a focus on the birth of our Savior.
Finally, we’ll draw parallels between the birth of Jesus and his second coming. Engage with us as we explore the joy and peace brought by the Savior, and how we can reflect these qualities in our day-to-day lives. This episode is sure to deepen your insight into the Christmas story, whether you're preparing for the holiday season or seeking to comprehend its significance in a new light. So join us, as we celebrate the spirit of Christmas by rediscovering the role of the Savior in our lives.
Follow us on Instagram
@remember.podcast
The Inspiration by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
34. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night, and a day as if it were one day and there were no night. And this shall be unto you for a sign, for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting. Therefore, they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night. Nevertheless, the night shall be not darkened and it shall be the night before he is born. What a powerful verse. Welcome everyone to another episode of the Remember Podcast. I'm your host, dalyan Butler, and I'm so happy for this amazing episode because it is a very special episode. I'm joined with Makayla and Tresden.
Speaker 2:Hello everybody and welcome to the Remember Podcast Christmas special. So very thankful to have you here.
Speaker 3:I'm so excited because this is my favorite season of the year and we decided, you know, we haven't all been on the podcast for a while, just us three. And we decided, you know, this is such a special time, let's just all three sit down and talk about the birth of our Savior, and it's just. I just remember as a kid sitting around with my family and reading these scripture verses and we'd want to bring that to you guys just having a good old discussion about Christ and how we can better implement his birth into our lives.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. It's a very exciting, a very powerful time of year, and this is actually the first time that it's just ever just been the three of us on the podcast. The last time it was just a host was before I was even a host on the podcast. So this is. It's like remember history, in a way, as well yeah, we're treading new waters.
Speaker 1:It's pretty exciting. So, but real quick before we move on, I think I think the reason why we used Helium in 14, 4, which is the, just to clarify that's the first that we opened with. There's so much darkness in the world today, but, and there was so much darkness right before the birth of Jesus, but just as it was prophesied then that he will be born, like all of this darkness today, it's leading up to something, and so that's what we're here to talk about, and so, with a further due treason, take us away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so going forward into it, we're going to read about that prophecy. So, on 2 Nephi 25, 19, the scripture reads for according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah cometh in 600 years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, and according to the words of the prophets and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Speaker 3:That is so powerful. I just love like how it says when, when it happened, and that his name was Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and like Dine was saying, you know, like those scriptures, that verse in Helium, and how there were the signs of darkness, and even before like Christ came, jerusalem was just falling down the Romans and there is going to be that big war and everyone was just falling apart, even like the religion and everything. Everyone started separating and kind of making their own terms to the religion, like it wasn't. It was. They believed in the doctrine, but they took it out of like too far that it kind of geared away from the truthfulness of it all and the reason why.
Speaker 3:And I feel like that's so powerful, knowing that that Christ came at this certain time.
Speaker 3:Like this time was prophesied years and years and years and years before, like from the beginning of the world.
Speaker 3:Like this it was prophesied and it was planned for, and how perfect that timing was when the world was basically falling apart and they needed a savior, and how, even now, we can kind of think about you know, we know that there's going to be a second coming, we know that he's going to come again, but when will that be? We always kind of question in our minds, like you know, is it going to be next year? Like, will I even feel like alive here on earth when he comes? Or you know, and we can just see the signs already, like in the revelations, like scripture. You know, there's so many signs that we can look for, even in the book of Mormon, like the talks about these things that have been prophesied from long ago, how we can kind of see that in our world today.
Speaker 3:But it's still unsure. But God has that perfect plan and to be prepared for that timing too, and how important that will be and how much our eyes will be open to when he does come and how much we will actually need him again to save us and to bring us onto that next part of the plan that he has for us.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I think back then. Oh, go ahead Don.
Speaker 1:No, I think there's so much to unpack in all of these verses of scripture that we have to talk about today, and I think, for one thing that was coming to my mind as Tresden read this one was, you know, as it starts out, for according to the words of the prophets, and like, if you just take that snippet out on its own and you know, especially referring to the perilous times that we're in today, like there's so much chaos going on right now in the world, it is so vital to be as close to the prophet as you can be in these latter days, because he is, he is the one that's going to tell us like, and show us like, hey, like your savior is coming, like sooner rather than later, and you know we can very clearly see that that's what he's been doing as well Our current prophet, russell and Nelson, and so I think that part is so vital.
Speaker 1:And then I also think it's so amazing that they knew that the Messiah cometh in 600 years from the time my father left Jerusalem, and so there are. Heavenly Father loves us so much that he wants us to know when he's coming. He wants us to know when his son is coming so that we can prepare, and I think all of what we're talking about today, or what we will talk about today, is a huge message of love of how our heavenly Father wants us to prepare for him.
Speaker 2:I think the people needed Christ in that way, just as we need in today, and obviously we have that preparedness. But one thing that's really powerful is back then, that, within the disillusion of faith and the destabilization of the world at that point, especially for that of the Jewish people, is the Jews knew that they needed the Savior. They knew they needed their Messiah to come, but the most important thing was for all men to be saved, and the only way for all men to be saved is to return back to heavenly Father. So they needed not somebody to deliver on from. You know the doings of man. That's our agency kind of dictates our situations in those matters more often than not.
Speaker 2:But one thing that we as natural humans do wrong is go away from our faith, we turn from our Creator. And so it begs the question why did these people need Christ? It's because of that disillusionment, it's because they need to be saved. But it wasn't so much their physical standing in the world that needed to be saved, it was their souls that needed to be saved. It's the same reason that myself, the Mikaela, the Dalian, that every single one of you listening in, every single person in the world that isn't listening, needs to be saved, and that's because we need our Savior and we need His Atonement.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's beautiful, chesdan. Thanks for putting that in the picture. I love that. I did that in that scripture.
Speaker 3:I want to go into this next scripture and it talks about Mary and how Mary and Joseph, like they didn't really know each other and then all of a sudden, like they were to be married and she was supposed to conceive by the Holy Spirit and like all that stuff. And imagine, like what she was feeling, like how like she like all of a sudden had an angel come up to her and say, hey, you're gonna like give birth to the like son of God, like, and so this is for you, this is your role here on earth. And imagine how she felt. And I mean, she willingly took that and she said, yes, I'll do it. But what did she feel? Prepared, and how prepared was she, and even carrying him for nine months, that preparation to give birth to the son of God, oh my gosh, I just couldn't even imagine, like how humbling that must have been for her and how much she's learned from that and especially giving birth to him.
Speaker 3:So I'm going to read the scripture.
Speaker 3:It is Alma 710.
Speaker 3:And behold, he shall be born of Mary at Jerusalem, which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel who shall be overshadowed and conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost and bring forth the Son, yea, even, the Son of God, and I love that it says a precious and chosen vessel how well God, heavenly Father, viewed her as such and how he trusted her to give birth to his only, only weotten Son, allowing him to do the things he was supposed to do us to save us.
Speaker 3:And how amazing that must have been. And I don't know like I feel like if that was given to me, I don't know like how I would be like, are you sure? Like I don't feel, like you know, we all have those thoughts. Like I don't know, like I don't, I wouldn't feel that sense of like worthy, like me carrying him. So imagine, like what he, she, felt like and you know, but I bet that was just so amazing for her and to experience that, and how much help she received from the other side, and you know, with people here on earth and angels and Heavenly Father, how they strengthened her throughout that process.
Speaker 2:I think one thing that really gets overlooked in Mary's story is, you know, it's very common knowledge how she was the chosen vessel. The Virgin Mary is one of the most important parts of becoming a Christ. Without her there wouldn't have been a vessel to raise and deliver and grow our Saviour. And I think one thing that we kind of overlook a lot of the time is not only was Christ prophesied about, but Mary was prophesied about as well. In that scripture it says and behold, he shall be born of Mary. And, mind you, this is almost seven, 10,. This is ages before Christ was born.
Speaker 2:And the prophesied coming of our Messiah, the prophesied coming of the Saviour of our Lord, the very man who was going to atone for all of our sins. Not only was he prophesied, but the actual coming, Everything about his life was prophesied, so that we would know where to direct our faith and we would know that our guidance, our faith, is going to be that which delivers us. And so not only was Christ prophesied, but the mother of Christ, Mary, was prophesied as well. And so not only did she have that calling in this life, the amount of spiritual preparedness, the amount of spiritual strength you'd have to have to receive that calling and to agree to go into that life and hey, that's your life and you get there and you have to make those choices is absolutely phenomenal, and so it speaks not only to the level of worthiness and faith that she had, but it speaks to the level of worthiness and faith that we should all strive to achieve as Christians.
Speaker 1:It'd be so cool to have been like these people's friend, even if, like I didn't know, this was the Son of God or something like that. I know a lot of people, a lot of my friends, are having kids right now and they're my buddy's wives always tell me that the closest they've ever felt to the spirit was when they were pregnant, and I can only just imagine what that would have been like for Mary. And I mean, obviously I'm a dude so I'm not going to get pregnant. But especially because I am a man, sometimes, especially growing up, when I didn't really understand, it was hard for me to follow along with the story of the birth of Jesus Christ because it's so focused on Mary, which I think is such a great thing. God has been preparing for this since Eve. He has been putting thing after thing in line in order for this to happen. He's been prophesying through his prophets of this experience happening, just as Tresno was saying, he told the Nephites the name of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. So there was so much preparation in this. But I love.
Speaker 1:I want to just take a second to step back from Mary and focus a little bit on Joseph, because he's a huge part of the story as well, and I think it's really interesting what it says in Matthew, chapter one, verses 19, 20 and 21. And so let's see, this is what it says. It says then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away prively, and so this was I'll just step back for a second so back in those days, like, because when you read these scriptures, when you read these stories, you have to take an account the culture back then. And Back in the culture back then, you know Mary is about to give birth to a child that Is not Joseph's. He didn't help in the in conceiving this child, and so the world would look at this as adultery. But that's not what it was, and, and so that's why Joseph was picked being a just man and I love this part not willing to make her a public example. Joseph knew the law and he didn't understand what was going on, but he knew his wife was pregnant and he didn't have a part in it, and so he was willing to obey the law Of the land, but he didn't want to make that a public example and he was going to do it prively.
Speaker 1:But then, and this is where the Lord comes in. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And so this is when I Think, the character of Joseph being the father, the earthly father, of Jesus Christ. This is when he steps up as he's able or he chooses. Being a just man, he chooses to raise Jesus Christ as his own son, and it continues in 21 and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.
Speaker 1:Joseph knew who his son was, and I can only imagine how like much pressure that would be as a father as well.
Speaker 1:Like we've talked a little bit about the pressure of a mother, but a little bit about the pressure of a father knowing who.
Speaker 1:I Think we as mortal men are blessed not knowing the potential of our kids, because if they were supposed to, you know, cure cancer, and then we screwed them up when we were raising them and then they didn't get that like that, that would suck for us and so I think for him, knowing who his son is supposed to be, that's a ton of pressure for him to raise him there as as well as he possibly could while he was on the earth with him and I.
Speaker 1:There's a song from oh Freak that just popped into my mind, but it's from a, a play. It's like one of those Saturdays warriors or something like that plays, but it's called I was not the father, and I love that song. It whoever knows it or you can look it up, I guess but it talks about how A lady comes to Joseph and asks him how it was to be his father and he Humbly responds with I was not his father, he was mine, and I think that's something that helped him raise Jesus Christ, because he knew the potential of his son, but he knew what was at stake.
Speaker 2:I don't know if any of this makes any sense, but I, joseph is one of my, my personal heroes and I hope to be as good of a father one day as he was I think that really speaks to the gravity of not only the whole situation of the literal Savior being born and come to earth, but to not only our duty as as mortal men, but especially to our duty as parents, because Mary and Joseph had the calling to raise Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2:They had the calling to raise the Christ and they had not only that responsibility but that opportunity to be led and taught by the Savior while also, you know, teaching him kind of like the Mortal raps of the world, I guess you could say.
Speaker 2:But it also goes and it shows us just how much we as a people need to really hone in and Take care that, yeah, we have not only the obligation and the opportunity to become, you know, leaders among our children, but we have the calling to do so as well.
Speaker 2:And we have the calling to serve our children and Does and thus to serve our communities, to serve those people around us and to make sure that as we do that, as we Weed or follow Christ example, we also lead by his example. And the best way to do that is, you know, we don't have any scriptures about Jesus Christ being, you know, a father of anybody here on the mortal planes of existence, but we do have scripture about Jesus Christ, parents and how the only perfect person to ever live was raised and how we can do everything that we can do to raise our children to be not only followers but disciples of Jesus Christ. And that speaks not only to our individual callings, but it speaks to our callings as a Collective people across the world. We are all God's children and we are all responsible for getting not only ourselves but for helping all of Israel come back into the kingdom of God.
Speaker 3:Well, you said that way better than I was going to. I was gonna say something similar, but I'll let you have that. Um, I just find that it's just so cool that Jesus Christ and how a heavenly father Made sure that Jesus Christ, even though Joseph wasn't his you know biological father, he still had a father, a mortal father figure, in his life too, and A mother too, and how it's so important to have families and the proclamation of the family, the world, and how that still is so important today, as it was back then, and how our families are so vital and how Parents now as Prepared to be parents or you know how we should strive to as Chesnus they me saying to press forward and become like Christ and disciples like Christ. But it's also our role to do that for our children and lead them by example and teach them as they teach us to and become closer and to Christ, and I think that plays hand in hand to, like you know, as we prepare for Christ return, how are we gonna teach our children about the world and how it's falling apart and how we need to stand up Like amongst the world and find that strength in Christ and look forward to his coming. I know my parents did an amazing job at like teaching and they still do teach me, like you know, about struggles in the atonement and you know striving forward. But I want to Go back into you know how Parents and people around the world were preparing for the Savior to come and be born.
Speaker 3:And I think my favorite part of the nativity is talking about the shepherds and those who were able to witness the birth of Jesus Christ and traveled so many miles to go see him Finally after and rejoicing of his birth and seeing that and how you know these parents, like the shepherds, and how they knew of the Savior's coming and and how excited and relieved and just that emotion, that overwhelming emotion, knowing and seeing that star in the sky, knowing that Jesus Christ is finally here. And how they were, I don't know. But let's read the scripture about the shepherds Luke 2, 8 through 14. And there were, in the same country, shepherds abiding in their field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord, and this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, and suddenly there was the angel and multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying glory to God and the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men. And that's just like imagine sitting there like in the field, doing like your normal and probably so tired, trying to keep track of those sheep, and then all of a sudden you see the star and then all of a sudden you see the angels and like I would fall to the earth and being like in so much shock I don't know what I would do after that, but run and just. I'd be so excited and want to tell everybody and I just keep thinking I always bring this up.
Speaker 3:But the movie that shows in there's that first ever episode that they released was about the Christmas story and I loved how they depicted the shepherds in that story, and especially that one who was struggling and was looked down upon, and how he was the one that helped Mary before she gave birth and didn't know that she was carrying Jesus, and how he wanted to share everything. And how he ran, being crippled, how he ran and was healed, like I see it was just cool. But just imagine being those shepherds and even us, like maybe we'll be here when Christ comes again. How amazing and how in all we will be. But I think, my favorite song I'm going on a lot, I'm talking a lot but my favorite song is the drummer boy.
Speaker 3:And I mean, like they, probably, like so many people, like the wise men will get into that but how they brought the finest things, like the gold, silver fringes, sesame, and how they brought so many nice things to the savior. But in the song the drummer boy, he just plays his. He did not to bring in all he could give to the savior was his talents and playing his drum for him. And I just find that so beautiful.
Speaker 3:How, in our journey of finding Christ and being in his presence, sometimes all it takes is just being ourselves and sharing our talents with everyone else and trying our hardest, putting in our best effort, and that is enough for the savior Dispute in his presence, trying all you can, giving him back what he gave you. Then you know that scripture if you serve your neighbor, you're doing it unto me or something like that. I can't exactly say that, but you know what I'm talking about, like how when we serve others, you're serving the Lord in return. And so if you were a shepherd, if you were there, and even in the future, if he comes again and we're here, what will you do? And even in the meantime, what will you do to give back to the Lord and because he did so much for us and he still continues to. So I just wanted to point all that out and how that is just such a beautiful part of the story and how amazing that must have been, and rejoicing and being so excited to see the savior.
Speaker 2:I think what's beautiful about that is it's the first people, besides those who were called into the birth of Christ, the first people who I mean obviously it's all part of God's plan, right, but the first people who weren't and like that kind of direct like, almost like for lack of a better word a logistical part of the birth of Jesus Christ. It's the first people that are it's the first time in the scriptures where Jesus Christ is born, but immediately with him being born, it shows how good it was for the people. It shows the happiness of those around them. And these were people who had the faithful, had lived their lives in hopes of this day. Those without faith were still nonetheless blessed with the coming of the savior, and in such a beautiful, wondrous fashion.
Speaker 2:And there's one thing about the scriptures there's always all like the disputes and arguments and it goes back to just historicity. And as you look at all these things and you look at the power of these people not only just your normal day, every Joe's these are people who want to know their savior and these are people who are able to rejoice and all of this happiness, all of the gladness, these are people who are able to rejoice in the peace on earth. These are people who are able to have that goodwill for men because they acknowledge their savior is here, and I think we can take that into our own life in so many different facets, just for the sake of who knows what miracle we're waiting for. All right, some of us are crushing it spiritually. We're waiting for Christ to come back. Some of us are completely lost. We don't have any guidance whatsoever, we do not know God, and the miracle we need is just that thing that shows us the light of Christ.
Speaker 2:These people were blessed to have that physical representation of Christ. These people were blessed to have that right there. But within all of these physical representations, the symbolism of not only the literal light of Christ but the joy that he brought to those people, are all things that we can still feel today. These are all things that we should strive to feel every single day, not just during the Christmas season. It's amazing that we spend the time to focus on it. It's amazing that we were able to dedicate this time as a chosen part of our faith for generations, for millennia, to be able to say, okay, this is when we're gonna celebrate the birth of Christ, but we also have a duty to live with the light of Christ and to be able to take that good will to men to our own hearts and use his light to be that example.
Speaker 1:Very well said, absolutely. I a little lighthearted moment. I was just thinking about how, when I was little, I was like why would the, the shepherds, be scared, you know like. But then, like I watched more more horror movies or movies about aliens that I watched that I know like it would be afraid just being in the dark and then also boom, like a big old, the sky opens up into this bright light of brightness and glory. And yeah, I'd, I'd poop myself for sure, but, all right, I had to get a few chuckles in before I get back to being serious.
Speaker 1:Um, I don't know what it is. I was not thinking this before we started this episode. Like literally as soon as I said welcome everybody, it was like this is where my brain went, like so much of this is such a sim, a similitude of how the savior's going to come the second time. And I was sitting there thinking about that. Like when the savior comes again, all of the righteous will be taken up to him. The first people to see him will be his shepherds, cause I have that saying. You know, christ needs or he's got enough sheep. Everyone that was born on this planet is part of the Lord's fold and that's why we're called to be his shepherds. The Lord needs more shepherds in this world, and the first people that will see him when he comes again will be his shepherds.
Speaker 1:I just like blew my mind just now like such a similitude of the second coming, and there's so many, so many awesome lessons from, from these people that you, uh, you guys both talked about, but I just hope that that I can just, you know, push that into people's brains. Um to like last, for even after this Christmas season, is that I am going to be one of the Lord's shepherds. I am going to spread, spread, spread great tidings of great joy, or good tidings of great joy. However, yeah, that's how it was, that's what I'm here to do, and I hope that's what everyone else is here to do Spread the good news of the gospel that he has come and he will come again. On that note, that leads us directly into what was it? Matthew two, nine through 11.
Speaker 2:They coming otherwise man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'll take that one. Yeah, so, just like in the second coming, how, the first people to come to Jesus Christ to see him are his shepherds. The second group of people will be the wise, the good, and in Matthew, two uh versus nine through 11. This is where we talk about those people. When they had heard the king, they departed and low, the star which they saw in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down and worshiped him. And when they had opened their, their treasures, they presented unto him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Speaker 1:These are, if anybody hadn't guessed yet, this is the story of the wise men, and the wise men actually came about three or so years after Jesus Christ was born. I know that because Michaela told me right before we started. I was like we were talking about how to structure these uh verses of scripture and I was like, oh, yeah, like the wise men came before the the shepherds. It was like, no, no, they didn't. Dallion.
Speaker 3:Um excuse you.
Speaker 1:But, uh, I think the wise men are a great example of all the good people of the world. You know, this is when everyone has an opportunity to come and to offer themselves to their savior, jesus Christ, when he comes again Again. This is just it. For some weird reason it's just reminding me of a similitude of the second coming and such a such an amazing blessing that it is that we have all of these stories of his first coming to look forward to in the second coming.
Speaker 2:I think one thing that Michaela had pointed out earlier that was like it's just been kind of like ringing with me a little time is when she was talking about the little drummer boy. He, you know, feels almost, like almost for lack of better word of shame. Like you know, it's like I don't have anything that I can give you, but this is what I do have, this is what I have a value, and I think there's so much beauty in, again, the symbolism of scripture and especially the symbolism of that song, is gold, frankincense and myrrh Very valuable, very awesome things. But you know, the little drummer boy, his talent was his talents.
Speaker 2:Each one of us has something that we can give unto our other men, and even more so unto our savior, to show that we love him, to show that, no matter what, no matter how many times we mess up like one of my favorite things I see a lot is, you know, there's people who kind of like chastised Judas for betraying God for 30 pieces of silver, and you look at yourself and it's like, oh, I betray my savior every day, for free, basically, and we can come back from that If all we have to offer our Lord is our servitude unto him.
Speaker 2:Our repentance therein, that's all we need to give him. If we have riches beyond measure and we're able to serve others with that, if we are physically capable and we are able to, you know, help somebody out with the things that they need, if we are spiritually intellectual and we're able to guide others, or if all we can do is follow Jesus Christ or at least make an honest effort to acknowledge him, that's all the gold, frankincense and murder. That he needs is our desire to do everything we can in our power to go back to him.
Speaker 3:I want to talk about more about, like the journey for the wise men and how it did take them so long and the fact that they were like servants or whatever, of the king and the king was opposed to Jesus being born and they wanted people to go find him and kill him, basically. But they left and they're like no, we're going to find him and worship him and give him all the finest things, no matter how long it would take. It took them three years and they left everything and traveled and sacrificed so much just to see the Savior and to give him what they could Maybe like, what they could give. They were able easily to like or whatever to give them him gold, frankincense and murder. But maybe it was more than that. They were sacrificing and giving him like their jobs, they were leaving their homelands, they traveled for three years and that was a lot more than just those gifts that they gave him.
Speaker 3:To think about that and reflect that, sometimes it honestly, like in my life, sometimes I see it like a journey to see the presence of the God.
Speaker 3:Sometimes I feel so lost and sometimes it requires sacrifice, effort and patience On my part to go through that journey of feeling the presence of God again and, like what Tresden was saying, it was easy for Judas to betray God for like 20 things of silver.
Speaker 3:But today we don't even realize it that we almost betray him or deny him and worship our phones or the things of the world, the gold and the fancy things of the world, the pride of our hearts that can take us away from the presence of the Savior.
Speaker 3:And sometimes we need to be like the wise men and go on that journey, even though it takes maybe three years, a year, months, days I don't know our lifetime to finally recognize God's hand in our life. I hope it doesn't take a lot of time to figure that out and see his life. But sometimes he wants us to go through that journey to realize how important he is in our lives and to have us learn about his goodness and to really shape who we are and our potential through him. So yeah, sometimes it may feel like a journey to return back to him or sacrifice our phones and turn to the scriptures instead, or going to church more often. There are things that we can also sacrifice and give to the Lord too and persevere in that journey to fully see him and his presence in our lives again.
Speaker 2:I love that we've done this long enough that, as I can look on the screen, I can see Dalyan with just coming up with the thoughts and I can just see his gears turning as he works and I can tell it's going to be awesome. I just had like one little thought that I just wanted to share, because I know that he's just going to like absolutely take the reins with this and it's going to be awesome. Is he talking like, yeah, there's so many things we can sacrifice and I just really want to reiterate that timeline. Your three years can be however long it needs to be. Your three years can be the 30 to 60 minutes that it takes to listen to this podcast and say you know what I need to come to Christ. This three years that you give up can be the 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 that you live to come to Christ.
Speaker 2:But the lesson that I think is so important and I think the one thing that really needs to be gleaned from the birth of Christ is not only were we given the gift of the Savior, but, from the very birth, the very calling of the precious and chosen vessel of the Virgin Mary to her husband, joseph, who knew to obey not only the law of the land but the law of God and God's will, to raise this child to be everything they could be, to be an example to him, knowing the way and gratitude that his success brought into everything, to the shepherds, who were fearful and then able to rejoice because of the things that they had heard and therefore the things that they'd seen. Those are all the things that we must be. We were given not only the gift of a savior, but we were given the knowledge on how to emulate him, how to follow him and how to guide everything around the circumstances of his life and our lives, to be the shepherds that we must be, as Dalyan was talking about. So there's that huge simile-tude, that gross similarity of everything that has been and everything that will be, and it's our duty to be the shepherds.
Speaker 2:So I just wanted to get that out real quick. But I love there's just like this. You can see the veins and everything just going off in his forehead. He's just grinding here. So it's awesome and I'm so excited for it.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, I was just reading that's how much effort it takes for me to read. I was, as Makayla was talking, especially as she was talking about the wise men coming to the King Herod, I was like I need to read more about Herod before I like talk about him in this setting. And so I read a few more verses and I'm going to read a couple of them for us today, because I think this is absolutely amazing. So and this is right before what we read about the wise men in Matthew 2. So we read 9 through 11, I'm going to read verse 8 and then I'll read after 11 as well. And it says in verse 8, it says and he sent them. So King Herod is the one that's doing this. And he says and he sent them to Bethlehem and said go and search diligently for the young child and when ye have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. And so we all of us knowing what was that- I said it wrong.
Speaker 3:I thought he was going to go and get him, unlike he didn't want to worship him. But my bad, take away what I said.
Speaker 1:Well, we know this story, and so we look at Herod, knowing he's a wicked man. But the wise men didn't know that, and so they're like, oh yeah, he wants to worship him also. But that's the wickedness of Herod he's telling lies in order to get his hands on Jesus.
Speaker 3:I know right, right burning moments.
Speaker 1:Don't worry, you knew that the wise men came after the shepherd, so I think you're good. And then so going to verse 12, this is when here I'll just read it verse 12, 13 and 14, it says, and being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod. They departed into their own country another way and when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt and be thou there until I bring the word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt. So this just shows the amazing quality of the wise men. They came and they found Jesus. They first they recognized the star, as this is the Savior coming to the earth, and you know that alone is amazing. But then the fact that they came, they met Herod, the king of Jerusalem, the king of the Israelites, and despite being directly asked to come back and give word of where he was located, after the Savior or after an angel came into their dreams, they departed another way. They protected the baby Jesus and then again. Like Joseph is just like this hero of mine. I love this man. He was warned by an angel that the king Herod would try would seek him to destroy him, and so he picked up his whole family and left to Egypt.
Speaker 1:This is the second time that it's recorded that Joseph saved the baby Because, again, going back to when he was originally born, when, when he was in Mary's womb because he wasn't Joseph's, you know, son by blood, like Mary probably would have been stoned and killed. And so Joseph, keeping that a secret and marrying Mary and starting a family with her, anyway, he saved the baby. And then in this instance, he again saves the child. And so Joseph played such a pivotal role in keeping baby Jesus alive. And I know that Joseph, he didn't last or he didn't last long he he did end up dying earlier, earlier in Jesus's life. But he played such a pivotal role in making Jesus Christ who he was as a mortal on the earth. He taught him, you know, the carpentry skills, all the things he made him so much of who he was as a human being, and then our heavenly father made him so much more as the son of God. So I don't know if that blew your mind, Tresden, but I gave it all I had.
Speaker 2:You know, you never fail, I think. But as much as I, like you know, can give that credit to you, I think it's very, very important to acknowledge the spirit and the knowledge that comes from the spirit, not only in everything that we do right, everything that kind of guides us, especially as you turn towards Christ, but and the tools that he has given us. As we read scriptures and this time of year is, we think of all the different ways that we are able to give unto others, you know, to be charitable, to visit the giving machines, those awesome red vending machines all over the world, to work at homeless shelters. To, you know, just hold the door open for somebody. Just this time of the year where we do a little bit more, it's important to be thankful for the spirit that allows us to recognize all that.
Speaker 1:It's such a great time of year, isn't it? I wish we could have the Christmas spirit all year round, and really we honestly should. The way that people are so quick to give to one another, the Hallmark movies, the just Michaela's not a good idea. There's so much goodness that comes around with Christmas time and I think, as I've gotten older, it's also it's not quite the the same as when I, when I, was a kid, but it's it's becoming more real. To me, christmas time is so much more about, or so much more about presents. It's so much less about presents and so much more about the Savior to me, and this is why I love Christmas time. I think that's why this year I was telling Michaela and Tristan that I've been kind of a grinch this year. I haven't really been listening to Christmas music or anything like that, but I listened to gospel music quite often and I think I think I'm not necessarily being a grinch this year, but mentally I've just focused so much more on the Savior and really I've done that all year round and it's been so amazing for me and I'm so grateful for, you know, the Savior.
Speaker 1:There's a. There's a quote. I really don't remember who said it. I wish I did, but I'm going to paraphrase also because I don't remember it exactly.
Speaker 1:But I've heard somewhere it being said that if it wasn't for what was to be done, the birth of Jesus Christ would be like any other birth ever. You know that ever happened before or that ever will come to pass. It would have been a regular birth of a child, but because of what the Savior came to do, because of what that little baby had in store for him, that is what made the birth of Jesus Christ such a miracle. That's because he came to suffer, to bleed from every poor and eventually to die for us, so that we may be saved from death and that we may be saved from our sins. And that is what and I'm with you trust in the spirit is the most important part of the gospel of the Well, maybe not the most important part of the gospel, but it's the most important part in helping us understand the atonement. And so it is so important that we carry the spirit with us through this Christmas season and throughout our lives.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like what Dallin was saying, I feel like, yes, the Christmas season is so important and everyone's on, like you know, super high moment, like they're just like so happy and like love giving and you know, it's just such a fun time. It's my favorite time of the year because I love the Christmas music. I love, you know, the traditions and the feeling of it. But where does that feeling come from, you know? And what Trezzano was saying, it's the spirit of it all. It's the spirit and the peacefulness that, you know, unites us together and remembering our Savior and remembering what he's done for us and how marvelous his birth really was and how that was the start of it all, and how it unites us and brings us closer to his family and friends. And, as in worldwide, you know that we remember the goodness, we remember the joy, the peace you know that comes with the season but also what Jesus gives us year round.
Speaker 3:And I feel like I want to challenge us all to, you know, like our podcast name is Remember, and we want to remember him and our stories and our trials and everything, and most importantly, in this Christmas season.
Speaker 3:But I want to challenge us all to remember him more next year and from the years to come, and realizing and recognizing the spirit, not just in Christmas, during Christmas time, but recognizing that spirit and that peace and joy that Christ can bring us year rounds, even in our struggles, even when we go through that three year journey that you know the wise men went through, even if it's we don't know what to give to the Lord back. You know, or you know all of these things that the Nativity story brings us. How can we remember him in our own lives and feel that spirit and joy? And you know, seeing his hand in light, seeing that star of hope, and you know that can be symbolized in our life and that star of hope that he can bring us? I don't know. I just I love this time of year and I'm so glad that we were able to talk about it all, just remind each other of what this time of year is really about and what the whole year should be really about, you know, just remembering him. So absolutely.
Speaker 1:I had a quick idea. I'd like to throw it by you guys, and especially to our listeners. I think it'd be awesome to like, do hashtag, remember him and like whatever you post about how you remember your Heavenly Father this Christmas season and especially into the new year. Whenever you listen to this episode. It is the Christmas episode, so I hope you're listening to it for Christmas. But whenever you listen to this episode, create a post on your Facebook, your Instagram, whatever social media you have and put a hashtag remember him and then tag us in it. Yeah, remember that podcast. That's our Instagram page and we would love to see how many people tag us in that. We would love to see how you remember him, because it helps us remember him. That's how we share the gospel, is we point each other to him and how we remember him. You guys think that's a good idea.
Speaker 3:That's awesome. That gets me excited. I want to share it to everyone to do it because that's so fun. That's such a fun challenge.
Speaker 2:I think that'll be good. We've got, you know, not only do we have the opportunity to remember him, but we've got that obligation to do so as well, and so why not make it fun? Why not do the things that we need to do? Why not follow the things that were prophesied? Why not be the best versions of ourselves we can be by emulating Christ, the best that we can? Do it by listening to things that people have known centuries and millennia before us? And behold, I say unto you that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord, I say unto you that all those who have hearkened unto their words and believed that the Lord would redeem his people and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you that these are his seed or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God. Everybody, thank you so much for listening. Please do everything you can to have an amazing Christmas and always remember him.