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SALT LAKE CITY — The annual Christmas Devotional for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held Sunday night at the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake.
The focus of the devotional was on the idea of giving rather than receiving.
"Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done," LDS church President Thomas S. Monson said. "We find the real joy of Christmas when we make the Savior the real focus of the season."
LDS Primary general president Rosemary Wixom noted that common Christmas celebration is simply a reminder of what is special about the holiday.
"The wonder and the awe of Christmas is just the beginning," Wixom said. "Christmas reminds us that the babe born in Bethlehem has given us purpose for living."
Ronald Rasband of the LDS Presidency of the Seventy invited church members to think about how they will spend the Christmas season.
"How will we worship him this season? Endlessly shopping? Hustling about and adorning our homes? Will that be our tribute to our savior or will we bring peace to troubled hearts, goodwill to those in need of higher purpose, glory to God in our willingness to do his bidding?" said.
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was the concluding speaker.
"God bless you, my dear brothers and sisters. May each of you have a very merry Christmas," Nelson said.
