What shall we give?
“Times change; years speed by; but Christmas continues sacred. Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.”
In this new Mormon Messages video, President Thomas S. Monson offers timeless counsel for capturing – and keeping – the Spirit of Christmas. To grasp the real meaning of Christmas, he tells us, we must look out into the world and become more interested in people than things. The three-minute film intersperses festive scenes with quiet images of the Nativity, and Christ-like acts of kindness and compassion with footage of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing “What Shall We Give to the Babe In the Manger?”
This is a message for everyone who ever wished, hoped, or yearned for the true Christmas Spirit.
What Shall We Give to the Babe in the Manger?
Traditional Catalonian Carol, arr. Mack Wilberg
What shall we give to the Babe in the manger,
what shall we offer the child in the stall?
Incense and spices and gold we’ve got plenty,
are these the gifts for the King of us all?
What shall we give to the boy in the temple,
what shall we offer the Man by the sea?
Palms at his feet and hosannas uprising,
are gifts for Him who will carry the Tree.
What shall we give to the Lamb who was offered,
rising the third day and shedding His love?
Tears for his mercy we’ll weep at the manger,
bathing the infant come down from above.
“What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. It was said of Him that He “went about doing good.” As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will be ours.”
