Our Efforts to Light the World

For the last two years the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has spearheaded a "Light the World" campaign that consists of doing specific Christ-like activities for each day of December leading up to Christmas. I tried to do it last year and loved the way it changed the Christmas spirit in our home. This year we wanted to get the children more involved. We tried to let them choose what we would do. We didn't incorporate as much of it into the month as I hoped, but the children would mention needing to Light the World, so it made some impression on them and maybe next year we will do better. But I do love the few things we were able to do.

Day 1: Jesus taught: "Freely ye have received, freely give."
How can you show your gratitude to someone who has positively affected you? Send the person a thoughtful thank-you card acknowledging the ways he or she has helped you.
Cheeks and Boy Howdy decided to write thank you cards to their friends Ginny and Bentley. They both decided that taping candy to a card makes it better. I agree.

Dear Ginny, I know you like your best friend named A--. Thank you for being a great friend. You always do great things and giving great things to me. We have a great time playing together. A--

Ginny is a girl from church. She is in Boy Howdy's primary class but will be in Cheeks' grade next year. They are inseparable.

Dear Bentley, I know you call me over to play a lot. Thank you for doing that. Maybe I will call you over to play soon too. Looking forward to seeing you. Z--

Bentley is a boy in Boy Howdy's kindergarten class. They have recently started playing together during recess.

Would someone less fortunate appreciate something you have? Make an anonymous donation to someone who's struggling to make ends meet.

It wasn't anonymous, and I'm not sure she's struggling to make ends meet, but I made a quilt a few months back that I never felt was my own. I prayed one night to know who I could send it to and a woman I used to visit teach immediately came to mind, even before I closed my prayer. I sent it a few days later and she got it as she arrived home from saying goodbye to her dying great grandmother, the third death in the year. In one year this poor woman lost her mother, grandmother, great grandmother, divorced her husband due to his poor choices and moved her 5 small children out of state. She desperately needed some extra love and I am grateful Heavenly Father let me use this quilt to help her feel of His love and mercy.

Day 2: Jesus taught: "I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink."

Did you know that access to clean water has the single greatest impact on global poverty? Consider donating to a cause that helps provide safe water to individuals or communities.

The children decided to donate money although I don't think they intended to donate their own. But with some LOVING coercion, they each gave $0.50.

Day 3: Jesus taught: "Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."

How can you use your talents on a day of rest? Donate your skills you use at work to bless someone's life on your day off.

There is a family in our ward going through some painful medical issues. The husband had book 1 of Matthew's Wordsmythe series and had expressed interest in the other 3 so Matthew wanted to give them the rest of the series to show them his love. I thought it was perfect.

Day 6: Jesus taught: "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

Do you find yourself sometimes thinking negative things about others? Help to overcome this habit by saying nice things behind people's backs.

There is a boy in Boy Howdy's kindergarten class that frequently makes Boy Howdy's naughty list. When we talked this morning about how we could light the world, this boy was mentioned that yesterday he called my son a "poop head". When I gave him the challenge to do something nice for this boy or say something nice about him, Boy Howdy was pretty adamant that he could not be nice to a bully. I mean, this boy can't even get up the courage to ask friends to play with him, let alone be nice to someone who calls him a poop head (not in a nice way).

But . . . when he got off the school bus he informed me that he offered to give this boy a piece of candy tomorrow at school and that mean is boy is going to give him a piece of candy. Color me shocked!! This is why we are doing this whole campaign! I am so proud of my son and thankful to have daily opportunities to find new ways to emulate the Savior.

Day 7: Jesus taught: "Suffer the little children to come unto me."

How could you make a child's day? Make plans to take time to help a child feel special.

I drove both children to school today. This made Cheeks especially happy as she has started asking me to drive her instead of sending her with our neighbor. Later that night Matthew did his part and said yes to playing "Chutes and Ladders". Both of us hate that game, though Matthew probably more so. But to help his sweet daughter feel loved he tamped down his aversion enough to say yes.

After Day 7 we REALLY lost steam, but on Day 19 we did one more:

Day 19: Jesus taught: "Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad."

How often do you stop to think about your blessings? Reach out to someone who has blessed your life, and thank the person for his or her example.

I encouraged the kids to write a thank you card to their daddy.

Dear Dad, thanks for playing Battleship a lot with me. You make cool lego creations. Thank you for working really hard even though you don't want to work. Thank you for giving tickles at night. Love Z--.

Dear Dad, you bless my heart with your love. Thank you for playing legos with me. Thank you for doing the dishes so much and for coming home. And thank you for playing battleship. Even for doing a great job cleaning up everything in our house. Thank you for giving us tickles at night that we keep our room clean. Love A--.

We didn't do tons, but what we did helped us more fully feel the true spirit of Christmas in our home. And I"m grateful we were more proactive this year in including the children. If we didn't Light the World, we at least lit our home more brightly.