Erickson Epistles: December 2023

Dear friend,

It's a good thing we decorated for Christmas at the end of November because December was just one long party.

Amidst everything, we were able to sneak in a few cooking, craft, and science creations, giving away lots of Christmas gifts (Boyd loves these good-smelling soaps) and redesigning the craft room (everyone now has their own desk and Mom is not allowed to throw away anything on their desk).

Elias and his buddies snuck away for a little mini-styrka. They drove 5 hours to the white mountains, slept in sub-freezing temperatures in the parking lot for a few hours and then summited a few mountains. It sounded miserable and he was so happy. I'm glad he has friends that will do that stuff with him.

Elias and I enjoyed a date night of Korean BBQ and Karaoke in the city with friends.

We hosted our annual Christmas recital and sing-along. I think this is my favorite tradition.

We enjoyed a lovely Christmas Eve at the Francia's for the third year in a row.

They are great friends and their Feast of Seven Fishes is incredible.

I was asked to give a little thought during Sacrament Meeting on Christmas Eve. Here it is:

In the scriptural account of Christ’s birth, we read how different individuals received the news of the Savior’s birth.

King Herod had the prophecies in his possession, but he wasn’t concerned with them until wisemen came and told him of the Christ child’s birth. He received the news as a threat.

When Mary received the news that she would bear the Savior of the world “she pondered these things in heart.”

Joseph, received the news from an angel, and accepted the duty and responsibility of acting as Christ’s father on earth.

How did the innkeeper receive him? Whether for social or logistical reasons, he chose to not receive the Lord on the night of his birth.

How did the shepherds receive the news? With fear at first, then with awe and joy as they immediately left the fields to find him.

The wise men knew very well about Christ’s arrival, and they had to work hard to receive him. Choosing to believe the prophecies, studying and following the star for years in order to be in his presence and offer their best gifts.

And Anna and Simeon, the two that met Christ when he was only a few months old when he was presented at the temple. How did they receive the news of his birth? Simeon had received revelation years before that he would witness the Messiah before his life ended. And Anna, a widow of 84 years who had served in the temple day and night… can you imagine the understanding and clarity you would have with that kind of service in the temple? Simeon and Anna recognized their Savior right away, and they received him immense joy, gratitude and satisfaction.

And so here we are… a few hundred of God’s individual children that happen to live in this area… the Darien Ward family…gathered in this room to partake of the sacrament, and receive our savior into our life. How will we receive him?

Maybe we have the scriptures in our home, but we’ve gotten distracted and haven’t looked at them in years, but a wiseman or Instagram post reminded us of the reason for the season and brought us here today.

Maybe for social or logistical reasons, we just haven’t received him lately through daily prayer and scripture study.

Maybe we’ve been journeying to find Christ for years, maybe we are here out of duty, or we’ve been pondering things in our heart.

We are each here for our own reasons, but we’re here together.

John testified, “He came unto his own and his own received him not, but as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons (and of course daughters) of God. As we receive him, he blesses and empowers us.

In the football analogy, the ball has already been thrown, Christ’s atoning sacrifice has already been made, and it was a perfect pass. Will we choose to receive it?

How do we? As I wrote in my epistle:

Christ knew our conversion would take more than the one-time event of baptism, so He provided us with a weekly opportunity to recommit ourselves through the ordinance of the sacrament. Bread and water is blessed and sanctified through the power of the priesthood. Bread and water, arguably the simplest forms of food and drink, representing our Savior’s body and blood, are offered to us and we have a choice to receive it, a “choice to partake of it”.

As we do, we literally consume the symbol, placing it in our mouths and having it move down our throat and into our stomach. I envision my cells picking up the nutrients and distributing them throughout my body—distributing holy covenant power throughout my soul—until I am a (re)newed version of myself. A version that always remembers my Savior, that I may always have his Spirit to be with me.

I invite you to prepare your hearts to receive Him as we raise our voices in a song of praise together. Allow stillness to wash over you as we listen to the promises made in the sacramental prayer. And as the symbols of bread and water are offered to you, receive them as a symbol of receiving Christ and his promises.

I testify that as we make covenants with our Heavenly Father, we are enabled with a power greater than ourselves, providing pronounced strength and understanding to handle the world around us.

May we always choose to receive him, and choose to partake.

Christmas morning was everything we could have hoped for, with signing and all. The kids worked so hard to earn presents for each other so it was beautiful to watch them give gifts to one another.

The party never stops so that afternoon we drove over to Corie's to meet up with the Hawks, Linds and my parents. We loved celebrating with cousins and seeing the lights and creche exhibit at the DC temple.