All about Recieving

I have thought a lot about gifts recently.
It is the season of giving after all!
And giving is great!!
But I have also pondered a lot about what I have already received, and what more I can receive.
Wait what!?
Christmas Spirit Foul. 👎
Stay with me here....

I have learned a lot about the Savior this past year and a half.  I have learned about His love for me.  I have learned about His love for others. I have learned about His Atonement, about how it is not only infinite, but intimate as well!
  
I have learned much about Gethsemane, and realized I have only grasped a sliver of His pain and suffering there.

I have learned that He has all power to succor and lift those who turn to Him!

 But most of all I have learned about my complete need and dependence on Christ. I have thought much about what I have been offered through the Atonement, and I have also thought about how I can more fully utilize the gift of the Atonement. How can I more fully recieve the gift that cost so much to one who never had to give the gift at all? 

Please think about how Christ has blessed you today, and if you don't know,  search. Pray with a humble heart and you will find gifts abounding, many waiting for you to just reach out your heart and recieve them! 

As you reflect on His many gifts, decide how you can more fully recieve the hope and happiness the Atonement brings and do it!

I know also that as we seek to be better recievers of His many gifts, we will also become better givers.  Just like Him. Our capacity to love and serve one another will only grow as we allow Him to serve us.

So I would argue that Christmas is not soley about giving. Though it is an important to honor Christ through giving to others, ultimately it is to remind us to humbly recieve the greatest gift Heavenly Father has to offer, the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ! So take Him up on it. Really what have you got to loose, because he loves you more than you know! 

Merry Christmas!  

(PS. You may have guess that I read this talk recently, So you should too, because the prophets always say it better :) : http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/christmas-devotional/2012/12/the-good-and-grateful-receiver )