One of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon occurs just previous to the birth of Jesus Christ. Across the ocean on the American continent lived a people descendant from a prophet who followed the Lord and left Jerusalem with his family 600 years earlier. At the time of the birth of the Savior, most of the people had lost their faith and had become a wicked and idolatrous people. A handful, however, held fast to their belief that Christ would be born and, as the Savior, redeem all mankind.

A prophet named Samuel foretold the date of Christ’s birth and the sign of the star that would be given. As time passed, and the sign had not come, the unbelievers had set aside date, “that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.” Nephi, the prophet living among them at the time, wept over the wickedness of the unbelievers, bowed himself before God and cried mightily unto the Lord on behalf of his people who would soon be slain for their beliefs.

I love the answer he received.

“Behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:  Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.”

The Lord counsels Nephi to “Be of Good Cheer” for He was to be born in a lowly stable.  A humble, yet fitting place reflective of the man He was to become.

A midst the presents, the trees, and the Christmas Carols, let us all take a moment to remember the true meaning of Christmas: to celebrate the birth of a tiny baby born long ago. Be of Good Cheer. Rejoice. The Savior of the World was born. I can’t think of a better reason to celebrate.