Of Bloopers, Quests and Family

BY JANET WARREN
Journal columnist
My first holiday faux pas of the season happened on December 6th. I typed Christmas Peace Cannon in a printed program instead of Canon and created an oxymoron to rival jumbo shrimp or economy car. I didn’t catch the mistake until the night of the event and, of course, it was too late to do anything about it. The next day, still feeling stupid, I was hoping no one noticed my blunder. A friend who had been at the program saw me in Wal-Mart. “I thought the program went well,” she said. “Except for my misspelled word,” I fished, wanting to hear she hadn’t noticed. Instead I got, “Oh you mean Canon?” Arggg. It goes in my Life Bloopers file.
Blooper aside, this Christmas has been different for me and I’m not really sure why. I have been feeling more spiritual. Sure there was still the rush to mail out Christmas boxes, there was still some grumbling about how busy I am. (Really? Jury duty in December?). I’ve already eaten too much chocolate and spent too much money—so what’s new? What made the difference? I think it was the “Women Who Knew Jesus” program I was in charge of, which was written by a woman in Chandler, Arizona. It is historical fiction because four of the six women aren’t mentioned in the New Testament; specifically the mother of Joseph, the mother of Mary, the Innkeeper’s Wife and a Shepherd’s Wife. I had to condense the reading to fit into our timeframe, but the words that remained were very poignant for me. As the ladies read their parts, I was caught up in it. I had read the words at least a dozen times, but this time, aided by the heartfelt delivery of women I have grown to love, I felt a peace and a stillness. The program also included Nadine Adams, Pamela Sortomme, Velvet Chamberlain, Jan Gwynn, Carol Nelson and Trina Bair who make such beautiful music together I was grateful they agreed to provide musical numbers in between the readings (one of which was the infamous Christmas Peace Cannon). The experience made me think of the quest I have been on since childhood to know the Savior. This year it went deeper than the sayings we always hear this time of year: “Jesus is the reason for the season,” or “Keep Christ in Christmas,” or “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” My feelings transcended to this:“Each of us is an Innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus” (Neal A. Maxwell).
My quest continued into motherhood. Years ago when a couple of my children asked why some of their friends didn’t think we were Christian, I explained to them that we, as Mormons, are Christian—after all, Mormon is just a nickname; the name of our church is actually The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. That sufficed for awhile, but as the years went on I met people who told me I don’t believe in the same Jesus Christ that most Christians believe in. I realized I didn’t have an easy answer for that, so I began studying in more earnest. Who is this Jesus I believe in? My friend, Beth Stephenson, who
Of bloopers, quests, and family
lives in Oklahoma, put into words what I have been thinking. Beth and I met years ago in Black Forest, Colorado, and forged a bond when we were pregnant with our last children together. We, along with our friend Pam, were the first card-carrying members of the OPLC (Old Pregnant Ladies Club). Our sons Spencer, Jeffrey, and Thomas were born just weeks apart. Beth recently wrote on her blog a thought-provoking essay on the Jesus that Mormons believe in. I will only quote a few things from it, but it is well worth visiting her blog (chocolatecreamcenters.blogspot.com) to read the whole essay.
“I feel frustrated in my impotence to answer the repeated assertion that ‘Mormons believe in a different Jesus Christ than most Christians.’ I don’t know if that’s true, having been a ‘Mormon’[…] all my life. I don’t know exactly who other Christians believe in, but I know who I believe in. I know who I’ve been taught to love and trust from my mother’s knee. So I must leave it to all of you who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to judge whether you believe in the same Christ that I do.
The Jesus Christ that I believe in was prophesied to come throughout the Old Testament. He was born of a virgin named Mary in Bethlehem and laid in a manger. Angels proclaimed the glad tidings to the shepherds and the heavenly hosts sang for joy. A brilliant new star rose as a sign of his birth. Both Anna and Simeon testified that he was the Messiah when they saw the infant Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem. Wise men brought him gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Beth goes on in a very beautiful way to portray the New Testament Jesus we, as Mormons, believe in.
My spiritual quest kept on through my divorce and remarriage. This year, my Ghost of Christmas Past visited me during my epiphany to make room for the Savior in my life. I was brought back to the Christmases where my heartstrings were stretched so tight I thought they might sever. Those years my sons spent Christmas Eve or Christmas with their father and I was left alone. I find comfort in this quote from Taylor Caldwell: “I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses.” I prefer my Ghost of Christmas Present, however. My daughter and son-in-law are bringing our grandchildren to us, despite the expense, despite the inconvenience. The twins, Seth and Noah, will be here just in time to decorate cookies with Grandma to leave for Santa. Our precious Ivy, will be here in time for Grandpa to get her dressed in her new Christmas Eve jammies. My quest to know my Savior has always been inseparable from my love for my family. Once again, I discover He runs through my life, coloring every event. I never forgot Him. I just needed to be reminded to praise Him.
Just
Sayin’