CHRISTMAS TESTIMONY OF JESUS

This is a joy, During this Christmas time I wish to bear my testimony of Jesus. Before I do that, let me quickly say I appreciate every opportunity to ponder, think and speak of my savior. I pray that the spirit of my Lord will be with me and that you will feel that spirit also and you will know, as I do, with certainty that my testimony is very strong.
Who is Jesus? I recall being in the mission home in June of 1965 having an occasion to bear testimony in a testimony meeting held in the assembly hall on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. There were over 200 of us in attendance preparing to go on missions and we were told that we had 30 seconds within which we were to state our name, our mission field and then bear testimony. I remember I said, "I am Elder Roger Stapley, I am going to the Finish mission, and I know that my Redeemer lives, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. That’s it! That’s what I remember saying and I didn’t take much more, or if I even took, than 30 seconds. From that time until this time, nearly 43 years, I can still say that I know that my Redeemer lives!
I have picked up a few other ideas and feelings and thoughts since then and I would like to take five minutes and share them. Who is Jesus? He is the firstborn, the only begotten son, in the flesh, of God, the Eternal Father. He is the author of our possible exaltation. He is my friend. He is my brother and my savior. I love him!
God our Father and Jesus, his son, our brother, put their heads together and formulated a plan that would allow each of us to come to earth, gain a body, live our lives as we wish, but by being obedient to the laws of Jesus Christ, we could return to God to live eternally. This is made possible by the death of Jesus and His resurrection. Jesus is a God and his spirit left heaven to came to earth to take a body and walk among men. He lived among us, in our midst. To conclude his mission he went into the garden of Gethsemane to pray to his father, our heavenly father. He suffered for us, sweat great drops of blood from every pore, and why? He did it to follow the plan, because he could, because he wanted to,,because it was necessary, and it was according to God’s and his plan. The God, Jesus, ransomed us, reconciled us, gave us the chance to live our lifetime, to be able to return to God, from whence we came.
.When I contemplate the life and death of Jesus, and the suffering in the garden and the suffering thereafter, on the cross, I am reminded of just how much he really does love us. He suffered great pain and anguish in Gethsemane. After that great suffering he was betrayed and arrested. He was scourged, and if you don’t think that hurt, just imagine someone whipping your back with barbed wire. A crown of thorns was forced upon his head, jammed down. He was forced to carry his own cross as far as he could. Large stakes were pounded through his hands, or wrisks, and ankles--nailing him onto that cross.
He had to hang from his arms, which effectively suffocated him, so he had to stand on the nails pounded through his ankles, to allow him to breathe-- just imagine, just think of the pain, and you would let yourself hang on your wrists because your feet hurt. You suffer the pain so you stand so that you can breathe and not suffocate. You switch back-and-forth-- stand and breathe, hanging and suffocate. Thinking of that -- why did he put up with it? Why did he suffer? He could have saved himself, so why did he do it? Simply, so we won't have to suffer the same pain, the same agony or anguish! I know that if we live righteously and obey God's commandments, Jesus our brother, our friends, our Savior already suffered for us so that we don't have to suffer. I smile sometimes when I think of my brother, my lord, the Christ, and I know he loved me. He died for the sins of the world and he died for my sins. I know it and I so testify.
At this Christmas time I want you to think of the great gifts we have received from Jesus. There were actually many gifts. He gave us the gift of this beautiful earth. He gave us the gift of mortal life. He gave us the gift of his gospel, with it is teachings and examples. He gave us the gift of immortality. That immortality was his work. And finally, he gave us the gift of possible eternal life. That would be his glory -- helping us to live righteously and so be able to return to our Heavenly Father.
What kind of gifts are you going to give this Christmas?what kind of gifts are you going to be thankful for? Please think about it, ponder your savior, Jesus Christ, and have a happy holiday and a very Merry Christmas!