Mosiah - Chapter 3

What an appropriate and magnificent message for Christmas Eve.  This must be the first recorded declaration that Christ's name should be Jesus.  I love this verse:

 13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare these things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.

The revelations of Nephi, Jacob and Mosiah are so detailed and specific that those who lived prior to Christ's advent had no less advantage than we with regard to knowing of His life and ministry, knowing of His purpose and mission and knowing of His love and atoning sacrifice.  Even before his holy birth, willing Saints could enjoy all of the blessings we enjoy, if only the would.

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Here is another very interesting word in the language of the Lord - yield.  In this context it seems to mean, to surrender or submit.  If one is willing, surrender ought to be such an easy thing.  I have a dear niece whose grandfather and grand uncle were German soldiers in WWII.  One was a POW in Russia and the other was a POW in the United States.  One came home malnourished and in poor health, the other came home robust and happy and gathered his immediate family and migrated to America.  Can you imagine the relief it was for him to surrender and become an American POW?  There was trepidation at first I'm sure, but as he continued to submit he made discoveries and familiarities that clearly comforted and astonished him.  For the first time in a long time he was safe and nurtured and respected.  Such, is the surrender we must make and more magnificent than we can imagine will be the results.  I hope in the New Year I can make such a complete, wholehearted surrender that I am willing to relocate entirely in Zion and leave Babylon behind.