Editor’s note: “The Spoken Word” is shared by Derrick Porter each Sunday during the weekly Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square broadcast. This will be given Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. This week is No. 5,020 of the broadcast.
Another Christmas season is upon us. For most, it’s a joyous time of year. But for some, it can bring feelings of loneliness, or it may awaken tender memories of loved ones who have departed.
When I was a little boy, every Christmas season our family would dress up in our Sunday best and make our annual visits to the nursing and retirement homes in the community where we lived. My mom would play the piano, my dad was the music director, and my younger brothers, sister and I would sing Christmas carols to all who gathered — doing our best to stay in tune.
At first, I felt a little uncertain about our family performing. I was convinced we rehearsed more than anyone else putting together a holiday program, but my parents assured me that the sacrifice would be worth it.
Night after night, we sang the same set of songs to different groups of elderly people. And yet, as the nights — and, for that matter, the years — rolled on, I began to see and feel things differently.
Often, our final song was “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Without fail, our new friends would weep as that music began to fill the room. We could see that tender memories were being relived and that hopes of reunion were being rekindled, and we were blessed with a front-row seat.
I had thought our holiday evenings spent away from home were meant to provide service for them, but I came to learn that we were the ones who benefited the most. Whatever small sacrifice we made was returned a hundredfold. Witnessing their smiles, sharing their embraces and seeing their free-flowing tears brought great joy to our family. We became the recipients of Christmas blessings never to be forgotten.
This Christmas season, may we each look for those who may feel alone, those who could be warmed by new friendship and neighborly love. May we include them in our festivities and offer them our Christmas cheer. As we do, we will discover great joy, even Christmas blessings never to be forgotten.
Tuning in …
The “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast is available on KSL-TV, KSL News Radio 1160AM/102.7FM, KSL.com, BYUtv, BYUradio, Dish and DirecTV, SiriusXM (Ch. 143), tabernaclechoir.org, youtube.com/TheTabernacleChoir and Amazon Alexa (must enable skill). The program is aired live on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Time on these outlets. Look up broadcast information by state and city at musicandthespokenword.com/viewers-listeners/airing-schedules.
