Merry Christmas, Doer of the word!
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Let's dive into the invitations from the 2025 First Presidency Christmas Devotional addresses delivered by President Jeffrey R. Holland ("I'll Be Home for Christmas") and President Henry B. Eyring ("The Gift of Kindness").
Invitations
1 - (President Holland)—"This Christmas, may I invite each of you to be, however briefly, a family for someone who is otherwise alone."
Application Idea: Find out if there's anyone feeling lonely in your neighborhood. If you don't know, maybe ask your Bishop how you can help. Write to missionaries.
2 - (President Holland)—"We thank our Father in Heaven for the promised Messiah, the greatest gift of all at Christmas."
Application Idea: Have a gratitude prayer on this (or even a daily one throughout December).
3 - (President Holland)—(Implied) Show gratitude to your parents like young Elder Hinckley did in his missionary letter.
Application Idea: Reminisce about childhood memories, but imagine them from your parents' point of view. Express gratitude for something.
4 - (President Eyring)—"As we reflect on the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, His earthly ministry, and His glorious Atonement and Resurrection, we feel closer to Him. We feel of His kindness, majesty, and love. ... Jesus Christ offered the perfect gift and expression of love and hope. 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' And our loving Heavenly Father, by allowing His Only Begotten Son to make such a sacrifice, provided us with an ultimate expression of His love as His gift to the rest of His children. ... [C]onsider these eternal gifts provided to us from the Father and the Son. ..."
Application Idea: Go to a quiet place (if your home is like mine, you'll have to get creative or go somewhere else) and ponder/pray about this.
5 - (President Eyring)—(Implied) Examine your Christmas traditions to see if they are bringing your family together to celebrate Christ's birth as in President Eyring's statement: "Christmastime is filled with traditions. Although these traditions vary in scope and size based on family, culture, and location, traditions bring us together as we unitedly celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ."
Application Idea: Ask around to learn what traditions others love and/or check out some of the many books and other resources on the topic. My family has benefitted from Eric D. Huntsman's Good Tidings of Great Joy: An Advent Celebration of the Savior's Birth. President Emily Belle Freeman also has her book, Celebrating A Christ-Centered Christmas: Seven Traditions to Lead Us Closer to the Savior, though I've not personally read it.
6 - (President Eyring)—"[W]e may wonder how our own gifts we share this Christmas season can appropriately reflect our devotion and gratitude to [Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ]. I humbly declare that perhaps the most meaningful way to accomplish this worthy endeavor is by giving simple gifts of kindness to those we love. As we are kind and serve each other as the Savior would, even in the smallest of ways, we can become a channel of God's grace to help those in our circle of influence feel the Savior's love and hope. ... I know that the Spirit can lead each of us in many simple ways to give love, faith, and joy to others at this season of rejoicing. ... I promise as we are prayerful and as we open our hearts and minds to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will direct us to find someone that He loves perfectly, who needs our kindness during this holiday season."
Application Idea: Try this thought experiment: list every person for whom you bought a gift this year. Now imagine you still wanted to give them something meaningful, but were not allowed to spend any money on it. Write down beside each name something you could do to bring them joy. Consider doing it during the coming year, maybe even on a random day rather than their birthday or a holiday.
7 - (President Eyring)—"As we each follow the Savior's example of kindness during this special season, it can be done in many ways—service, charity, love, compassion, and forgiveness. President Howard W. Hunter defined it this way, 'This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. ... Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.'"
Application Idea: President Hunter's list is a fantastic prompt to get us thinking. Go through each suggestion slowly and think of at least one way you could act on it. At the end, prioritize your list into a few you'll actually do. Remember, it's better to act on one and feel some regret that you didn't get to them all than to intend to do a dozen things, overwhelm yourself, and end up doing nothing.
Additional Resources
Download a copy of these invitations: Google Sheets | PDF. If you use these resources as a handout in Church, use the PDF (it prints prettier) and please invite the members of your ward to subscribe to the General Conference Applied newsletter and podcast!
General Conference Applied S6 E42. J'aime et J'espère, I Love & I Hope—Inspiration & Invitations from the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional - Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube. Mitch and Clay share invitations and inspiration from Presidents Eyring and Holland, along with personal stories of meaningful Christmas traditions.
External Resources Shared In This Episode:
3 Nephi 1 - "[13] Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets."
President Henry B. Eyring, "Draw Near unto Me", April 2025 General Conference
GCA S5 E4 – Thursday, April 24, 2025 | "'Draw Near unto Me'" by President Henry B. Eyring; April 2025 General Conference - Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
The Church has issued guidance on utilizing other Bible translations. Here are two timely YouTube videos (1 and 2) that Clay recorded about the change. (You can also learn more about the guidance in our Tuesday, December 23, 2025, General Conference+ Newsletter).
GCA S6 E39 – Friday, December 19, 2025 – 200th Episode! Danger & Miracles—One LDS Family, 6 German Missionaries!—Elder Cuvelier, "The Name by Which Ye Are Called" – Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Elder Patrick Kearon, Receive His Gift, April 2025 General Conference
GCA S5 E17 – Sunday, June 8, 2025 | "Receive His Gift" by Elder Patrick Kearon; April 2025 General Conference - Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Spiritual Gifts:
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Do Your Part with All Your Heart, October 2025 General Conference: "It may be true that our spiritual gifts are not always flashy, but that does not mean they are less important."
Elder David A. Bednar, "Quick to Observe", May 10, 2005, BYU Devotional: "I want to talk with you about another seemingly simple and perhaps underappreciated spiritual gift—the capacity of being 'quick to observe.' I will also attempt to explain why appropriately seeking for this blessing is vitally important for you and for me in the world in which we do now and will yet live."
Elder Marvin J. Ashton, "There Are Many Gifts", October 1987 General Conference: "Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost."
GCA S6 E41 – Sunday, December 21, 2025 – Hindu LDS Converts Know How to Celebrate Jesus—Elder William K. Jackson, "Remembering the Sheep" – Amazon Music | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Take Action
Clay's Application (President Holland): I know a family that is not literally alone, but is experiencing their first Christmas without a loved one who passed away this year. I will check in on them and pray to know if there's something the Spirit wants me to do for them.
Clay's Application (President Eyring): President Eyring shared how after having experienced poverty, his parents remained frugal and Christmas gifts were modest. However, one of his favorite "gifts" was his mother leading the family in singing Christmas carols and sacred hymns. He described feeling "inexpressible joy in singing those songs. The music filled our small home with a spirit of peace. I could feel not only the love of my mother and father and two brothers, but of my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ."
Seeing someone experience "inexpressible joy" is the elusive aim of all gift giving. Maybe we try too hard sometimes and President Eyring's suggestion of "simple gifts of kindness" would go further.
With that in mind, paired with President Hunter's nudge to "keep a promise" and "gladden the heart of a child," I owe my family some more consistent effort at using some talents that make all of us happy—playing music and creative writing. I'll write at least one children's picture book length story and learn to play at least one Christmas song before Dec. 25th. I'll also set New Year's resolutions regarding both music and writing.
Mitch's Application (President Holland): I will speak with my wife to determine if there are any families we know who would benefit from some extra love during this Christmas season.
Mitch's Application (President Eyring): President Eyring shared the "inexpressible joy" he felt as a boy, gathered around the family piano singing "familiar carols and sacred hymns" with his family. If I don't make the time to sit down at the piano, the time will pass and I'll have missed another opportunity. Thus, I am committing to sitting down at the piano for at least 30 minutes during the week of Christmas and playing the piano.
Reply to this email and tell us how you'll take action on one of these invitations and whether we can share your response in our newsletter, podcast, and/or on social media.
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