The Christmas season can be filled with joy, but it’s not always easy to feel that way. If you’re finding it hard to get into the spirit of the season, these 10 Christmas quotes from Church leaders are here to lift you up.
With messages of hope, love, and the true meaning of the season, these words will help remind you of the Savior’s light and the joy He brings to the world.
James E. Faust
Photo by Monika Stawowy on Unsplash“We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves—giving of the riches of the heart and mind—and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store.
“Of course, among the greatest of gifts is the gift of love…
“Some, like Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, have a hard time loving anyone, even themselves, because of their selfishness. Love seeks to give rather than to get. Charity towards and compassion for others is a way to overcome too much self-love.”
Thomas S. Monson
Photo by Jon Carlson on Unsplash“Born in a stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from heaven to live on earth as mortal man and to establish the kingdom of God. During His earthly ministry, He taught men the higher law.
“His glorious gospel reshaped the thinking of the world. He blessed the sick. He caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear. He even raised the dead to life. To us He has said, ‘Come, follow me.’
“As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always. We shall learn to forget ourselves. We shall turn our thoughts to the greater benefit of others.”
Gordon B. Hinckley
Photo by Beth Jnr on Unsplash“There is a magic in Christmas. Hearts are opened to a new measure of kindness. Love speaks with increased power. Tensions are eased…
“Of all things of heaven and earth of which we bear testimony, none is so important as our witness that Jesus, the Christmas child, condescended to come to earth from the realms of His Eternal Father, here to work among men as healer and teacher, our Great Exemplar. And further, and most important, He suffered on Calvary’s cross as an atoning sacrifice for all mankind.
“At this time of Christmas, this season when gifts are given, let us not forget that God gave His Son, and His Son gave His life, that each of us might have the gift of eternal life.”
David A. Bednar
Image via ChurchofJesusChrist.org“The account of the first Christmas in the Book of Mormon helps us to learn and more fully understand that Jesus Christ is the ‘light which shineth in darkness.’
“In every season of our lives, in all of the circumstances we may encounter, and in each challenge we may face, Jesus Christ is the light that dispels fear, provides assurance and direction, and engenders enduring peace and joy.”
John A. Widtsoe
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash“It is easy to give to our own, those whom we love. Their gladness becomes our joy. We are not quite so ready to give to others, even if they are in need, for their happiness does not seem so necessary to our happiness. It appears yet more difficult to give to the Lord, for we are prone to believe that he must give and ask nothing in return.
“We have foolishly reversed the proper order. Our first gift at Christmas should be to the Lord; next to the friend or stranger by our gate; then, surcharged with the effulgence from such giving, we would enhance the value of our gifts to our very own. A selfish gift leaves a scar upon the soul, and it is but half a gift.”
Jeffrey R. Holland
Image via ChurchofJesusChrist.org“Part of the purpose for telling the story of Christmas is to remind us that Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Indeed, however delightful we feel about it, even as children, each year it ‘means a little bit more.’
“And no matter how many times we read the biblical account of that evening in Bethlehem, we always come away with a thought—or two—we haven’t had before…
“I, like you, need to remember the very plain scene, even the poverty, of a night devoid of tinsel or wrapping or goods of this world. Only when we see that sacred, unadorned child of our devotion—the Babe of Bethlehem—will we know why… the giving of gifts is so appropriate.”
Marvin J. Ashton
“The shepherds were invited to come and see. They saw. They trembled. They testified. They rejoiced. They saw Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, the Prince of Peace…
“At this Christmas season I extend to you the gift of determination to come and see…
“A young man in deep trouble and despair said to me recently, ‘It’s all right for others to have a merry Christmas, but not me. It’s no use. It’s too late.’
“…We can stay away and complain. We can stay away and nurse our sorrows. We can stay away and pity ourselves. We can stay away and find fault. We can stay away and become bitter.
“Or we can come and see! We can come and see and know!”
Sharon Eubank
Photo by David Beale on Unsplash“If you think about the words you sing this season, you will find a divine message tailored especially for you that will lift you and comfort you. Here is one that found me this Christmas season.
“I’ve been fretting about all the people our humanitarian aid can’t reach and how the nations sometimes make it difficult for us to reach our brothers and sisters who suffer. And then just this morning in Relief Society, I paid attention to the song that we sang: ‘Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.'”
Russell M. Nelson
Photo by Eli Pluma on Unsplash“Let us focus on four gifts Jesus Christ gave to all who are willing to receive them. First, He gave you and me an unlimited capacity to love. A second gift the Savior offers you is the ability to forgive. A third gift from the Savior is that of repentance. A fourth gift from our Savior is actually a promise—a promise of life everlasting.”
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Unsplash“This is a season of rejoicing! A season of celebration! A wonderful time when we acknowledge that our almighty God sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world! To redeem us!
“It is a season of charitable acts of kindness and brotherly love. It is a season of being more reflective about our own lives and about the many blessings that are ours. It is a season of forgiving and being forgiven.
“But perhaps most of all, let it be a season of seeking the Lamb of God, the King of Glory, the Everlasting Light of the World, the Great Hope of Mankind, the Savior and Redeemer of our souls.”
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As we reflect on these 10 Christmas quotes from Church leaders, may we find renewed hope and peace, especially during those moments when we’re feeling less than jolly.
Christmas isn’t always a season of perfection, but it’s always a season of love, light, and the Savior’s grace. Let these words uplift your spirit and remind you that the true joy of Christmas comes from Christ and the way we share His love with others.
Which quote spoke to you the most? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Devin is a graduate of Brigham Young University where he studied English and Business Management. He is a writer, photographer, movie-fanatic, and a lover of street tacos. He served his mission in Tokyo, Japan.
