The earliest Christmas gifts that Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy can remember were a toy rifle that fired a cork on a string, and a wind-up duck, given to him when he was 4 years old. But as with all material things, they soon broke, and “the happiness it gave was temporary and quickly forgotten,” he said.
In his address during the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional on Dec. 8, Elder Palmer taught about three gifts that “will not bring temporary happiness but instead will bring true and lasting joy.”
Testimony
The first gift is that of testimony — a personal gift that reveals the deepest expressions of one’s soul when freely given without guile, Elder Palmer said.
“More precious than gold, frankincense or myrrh, pure testimony of Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Redeemer is the very center of all that we celebrate at Christmas.”
Elder Palmer recounted a home evening when his six children were young. He and his wife, Sister Jacqueline Palmer, decided that instead of teaching a lesson, they would bear their testimonies.
He said: “After I shared my testimony, our sweet daughter Chelsea, probably 16 years old at the time, said with wide eyes, ‘Dad, I have never heard your testimony before.’” She had no doubt heard him bear testimony when speaking at church or at home. “But in that moment, she both heard and felt my testimony as if it were the first time,” he said.
She taught him an unforgettable lesson, he said. “The gift of testimony is precious, and there is power in sharing it often.”
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is the second gift. Everyone has been hurt by — and hurt someone with — unkind words or actions, Elder Palmer said. Jesus Christ has taught, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (Doctrine and Covenants 64:10).
Elder Palmer said, “As we freely and frankly forgive others, we become free from the poison of bitterness, judgment or vengeance.”
He then shared Sandile Makasi’s personal story of forgiveness. Makasi was just under 2 years old when his father was killed by police under South Africa’s apartheid regime.
Elder Palmer quoted Makasi, who said: “During my early years as a boy I felt bitterness and hatred because of what they did to my father. … As I learned the violent manner in which they tortured him, this fueled my heart and mind with immense anger, hatred and hostility towards the police officers and [toward] white people.”
Makasi harbored these feelings until he found the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, which helped him understand that his spiritual progress depended on him forgiving the police officers.
“This was easier said than done,” Makasi said, “but I persisted with much prayer, and over time the Lord helped me forgive my enemies. … Instead of hurt, I felt comfort; instead of hostility and hatred, I had love; instead of darkness in my [heart and mind], I had light and peace.”
Christlike love
The third gift is Christlike love. Elder Palmer taught, “As we follow the Savior’s example by expressing love for others in word and action, they can then experience the love of God through us.”
A few years ago, Elder Palmer met a young man in Washington whom he called Michael. The young man experienced a great change in his countenance and lifestyle after missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had taught him for three months. One night after talking to the missionaries on the phone, they said, “Love you, Michael,” as they hung up.
This wasn’t something he was used to, he thought, but he could say it to others. So he called his mother, who lived a few hours away, to tell her that he loved her.
“What’s wrong with you?” was her immediate response. Did he get some bad news from the doctor? Was he going back to jail?
Elder Palmer said: “He told her about finding the gospel and how it had changed him. And that he had now given up smoking and using drugs and that he planned on being baptized.
“I think this is a terrific illustration of what happens when people feel God’s love through others. It softens hearts and then creates a desire to share that gift of love with others.”
In closing, Elder Palmer bore testimony of Jesus Christ. “Because of His gift to each one of us, bought at unfathomable cost, we can qualify to receive the greatest gift of all, even eternal life in the presence of our loving Father in Heaven.”
