Wednesday December 16

Today was spent getting ready for our YM/YW activity tonight.

We made a stable and manger with a star and assembled it on the stage at the church.

The youth were told that we were going to go caroling.

But we had a different plan.

We didn't tell the YM leaders what we were doing either :)

It took some planning to pull it off!

So we went caroling, but each person we went caroling too, turned us away.

Either their babies were going to bed, or they were on the phone, just pulling out of the drive-way.....etc.

So we did that to about 4 houses, and one of the girls said why don't we go to Sister Bakers house, because it was right there.....so we did.

We thought we should let them sing to one house!

Ha ha!!!!

Then we went to another house, and were turned away....again!

I think the Bishop's reactions were the best!

He was so shocked that people wouldn't just let us sing for a minute!

After that last house I turned and said, "Do you guys just want to go back to the church and have hot cocoa and donuts and we can just sing to ourselves?!?"

So we did.

We loaded back up in the cars and went back to the church.

The kids got their snacks and started talking.

Serena started playing the piano and then once they settled down, she started playing "Away in a Manger".

That was our cue to dim the lights and pull the curtains open on the stage.

And up on the stage we had a Nativity set up.

It was so funny to hear the kids when the curtains opened.....they were legitimately surprised!

But the best part, the people up on the stage dressed as the nativity, they were (some of) the people who had turned them away :)

It was so beautiful!

It made me all teary.

After the song, Cindy Peterson got up and she said this:

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar 

Agustus, that all the world should be taxed.

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem...

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

How many doors do you think Mary and Joseph knocked on that day trying to find a place to stay? How many rejections do you think they experienced? The Innkeepers who turned this couple away had their reasons: they were "too full" or "too busy". Only one innkeeper had compassion on the couple, offering their manger as a place to deliver their child, The Son of God.

During the Savior's mortal ministry, He again knocked on countless doors, some welcomed Him with open arms and fell at his feet and worshiped Him. Still others shut the door. 

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The Savior is still knocking at our doors, do we let him in? Do we pray and read our scriptures like we should so we can know Him? Do we do His will? Do we serve others? Or are we "too full" or "too busy" with other things in our lives, that we shut the door on our Savior. 

3. How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

It was so neat!

I really hope it touched the kids hearts like it did mine.

It was a very nice evening.

Madi invited her friend Hailey to come with us.

I think that she had a good time :)

It's not an activity you can pull off more than once, but it sure turned out great!