Christmas With the Prophets

by Laura F. Willes

How did Joseph Smith celebrate Christmas? What did John Taylor say about the pioneers first Christmas in the Salt Lake Valley? What was the heartening message that Heber J. Grant included on his 1945 Christmas cards? Christmas with the Prophets provides glimpses into the individual Christmas celebrations of each President of the Church, with recurring themes of missionary efforts, Church work, family, and service. Some of the vignettes are personal, others soul-stirring, poignant, and tender. Often their experiences and messages reflect the world conditions at that time and serve as little snapshots of history. Illustrated throughout with historical photographs and illustrations, each story of a Christmas past reminds us of the wondrous birth of the baby of Bethlehem, the Lord Jesus Christ. Discover how each Church President has celebrated Christmas, from Joseph Smith to Thomas S. Monson Beautifully designed and illustrated A Christmas keepsake for every Latter-day Saint family

Genres: Christmas, Religion, Lds, Nonfiction, Holiday, Church, History

228 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2010

Reviews

[Susan Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, quick read that will put you in the Christmas spirit. Heart warming and inspiring, just what you want to read during the holiday season.💚❤️

[Ashley Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first chapter about Joseph Smith was not very exciting because we just don’t have records of him that include inspiring Christmas traditions. So I turned to the back of the book and read the chapters on Presidents Monson and Hinckley. They were fabulous and got me in the mood for the rest of the book. I loved the many stories of our prophets in their youth and as parents and church leaders. It made me want to do better at serving others and showing Gods love for them.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

We received this last year for Christmas and I read it this week in preparation for a RS class I am teaching next week. I found it generally to be enjoyable, with some great stories. I appreciated getting to know more about the prophets' experiences at Christmastime and how varied they were, even for a single prophet.

My main complaint is that it was not all that well written--there were some awkward parts--and after looking through the notes, it was clear that she didn't do much research. She generally just quoted research that other people did, which is fine, but it is not as impressive at it first might appear.

[Kim Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very easy read with some sweet, tender stories about the prophets. There were some really good reminders about what the true meaning of Christmas is. (And some reminders that the current pandemic isn't the worst thing the world has ever gone through.) Christmas is a time for family and service and love.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I great series of vignettes about Christmases from the youth and ministries of modern LDS prophets. Heart-warming and charming. ❤️

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book to finish reading Christmas morning! Merry Christmas!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really touched my heart and helped me feel the Christmas spirit, especially reading about the prophets I have known in my own lifetime and being able to hear their voices speak in my mind as I read their teachings. I’m so grateful to be a member of a church whose leaders are so devoted to worshiping and following Jesus Christ. The lives of these men are such a precious example for us to follow.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every year I set this book out with our other Christmas books and every year I’ve packed it away without reading it. It was published in 2010 and was a Christmas gift from my parents that year. The next December my dad died just before Christmas. So that makes this book the last Christmas gift I received from him.

Each chapter highlights a prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and shares several Christmas vignettes from their lives at different stages of their lives, i.e. childhood, young adult, parent, grandfather, prophet. At the end of each chapter is a short message from that prophet written about Jesus Christ, or Christmas, or both.

I learned so much about how Christmas has been celebrated over the last 200 years, here in the USA as well as in other countries where these men traveled. There were Christmases barely acknowledged because of work or specific conditions, there were Christmases of want and plenty, Christmases of sharing and laughter and family, and Christmases spent alone. I loved getting to know each man a little better and felt more surely the truth that God loves to use those who love Him and are willing to choose to follow His Son, not those who are flawless.

I loved this book and look forward to next year when I will make each chapter a part of our evening storytelling. I read several sections to my children and they laughed right along with me. I treasure books that bring people together.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet book. I enjoyed the tender memories from childhood to adulthood of special Christmases experienced by the latter day prophets from Joseph Smith to Thomas S Monson.

Each section ended with a Christmas message or testimony of the Savior.

From Gordon B. Hinckley:
This is the wondrous and true story of Christmas. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea is preface. The three-year ministry of the Master is prologue. The magnificent substance of the story is His sacrifice, the totally selfless act of dying in pain on the cross of Calvary to atone for the sins of all of us.
The epilogue is the miracle of the Resurrection…

There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The babe Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of Gethsemane and Calvary, and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection.

The Wondrous and True Story of Christmas
By President Gordon B. Hinckley
Liahona December 2000

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really started to enjoy the memories of the prophets when it got to the later years or the prophets that I sort of remembered...Kimball and beyond. But, the earlier prophet stories were also interesting...I just didn’t get as much out of them until the latter. I especially enjoyed Spencer W. kimball’s Message at the end about how to keep Christ in Christmas.

I have decided after reading this book that I’m going to ask my family members to write down a Christmas memory from their childhood that stood out to them inside the back flap of the book as a keepsake for me and eventually could be passed down to my son when he’s older. A genealogy of sorts.

I loved the reminders of what Christmas is really all about.

[Jennilynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The stories are wonderful and the historical content of the lives of the prophets was fascinating. Fantastic illustrations! The pages are glossy and thick. My favorite story was of Pres. George Albert Smith and the church's 1945 Christmas card; it was a picture of the lit spires of the Salt Lake Temple with the phrase "the lights are on again" denoting that the blackout restrictions were over. The picture and phrase meant so much more to me than just that the lights could be turned on, but that Christ's light is available to all and in every condition.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so busy at this time of year that I rarely have time to read. This book pulled me in. I read at night before I went to sleep, when usually I’m too tired to read. I read in between times. The vignettes were short and easy to read. I thoroughly enjoyed learning a little more about the prophets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was a great book and when I can see myself reading again in future.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my children durning the Christmas seasons. We loved all the short stories about how the prophets celebrated Christmas. It was wonderful to read their testimonies about our savior. It really Brought the spirit of Christmas in our home.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully put together. I learned so much about past Prophets that I never knew. A lot of interesting stories and new ways to keep the spirit of Christmas alive. Definitely a book to read every season.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read. History of the saints, traditions and Christmas all in one. It was so interesting to read some of the stories of prophets Christmas past.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories! I loved the one about George Albert Smith and his Christmas stocking.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing earth-shattering here. Just some really sweet accounts of prophets and their Christmas experiences. It was a quick read and provided some nice insights into the prophets' lives.

[Elizabeth Ricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to get me in the Christmas spirit. As expected, the stories of the LDS prophets focus on giving and unselfishness. It is a sweet read.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read! Fun to know what some of the prophets did for the Christmas holiday!

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas With The Prophets by Laura F. Willes
This wonderfully written and heartwarming collection of Christmas vignettes by all sixteen of Our beloved Prophets is a must for every Latter-day Saint library. Each chapter is devoted to little vignettes in each prophet's life during Christmas.
Joseph Smith's Christmas of 1838 was being incarcerated in Liberty Jail that had a ceiling so low, the few men couldn't even stand. Brigham Young doing Temple Ordinances all day on Christmas 1845, shows how much he cared for his people. John Taylor spent a Christmas hiding with members and one mother made him a pair of socks. Wilford Woodruff spent Christmas Day 1836 in the Kirtland Temple, which was common in those early days. Lorenzo Snow staged a play in his small log cabin on Christmas Day while in Mt. Pisgah in 1846. Joseph F. Smith, son of Hyrum Smith, felt so bad one Christmas because he couldn't afford even a dollar for his family, sobbed, then realized that his love for his family is the best Christmas gift he could give. Heber J.Grant, a man after my heart, loved to give books as Christmas gifts. George Albert Smith learned whenhe was quite ill how very important tithing was, so that Christmas became a "Tithing Christmas." David O. McKay spent one Christmas talking to some Japanese members, esp children, who sang "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam." Joseph Fielding Smith's fond Christmas was when one of hisd daughters, fearful of being caught coming down the stairs to see what Santa had left, hid underneath a table in the den while he kept reading. Harold B. Lee spotted a young boy walking in the snow without much in the way of clothes and helped this boy's family to have a good Christmas. Spencer W. Kimball started giving fifty dollars to a special member in need. Ezra Taft Benson loved to go into the canyon to cut their family tree and he had to find one that would reach the ceiling. Howard W. Hunter spent one Christmas as a boy going "Hookeybobbing" with his sister, fixing a sail to his "pushmobile." Gordon B. Hinckley made a make-shift chimney out of wood, as they didn't have a fireplace when he was growing up. Pres. Thomas S. Monson has always remembered the widows during the Christmas season, and started visiting each one in his ward when he was bishop.
At the end of each vignette, each prophet leaves a special message to stay close to the Savior, as He is the Reason For the Season. I absolutely love the cover of this special book on our beloved prophets.

Published by: Deseret Books
Date Published: November 2010
ISBN: 978-1-60641-825-4
191pp

I received this review copy from Deseret Books.

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Posted By Forever Friends to LDS Forever Friends Book Nook at 12/04/2010 11:56:00 PM

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the chapters on Lorenzo Snow, Howard Hunter, Ezra Benson, Gordon Hinckley, and Thomas Monson. Some of the lessons important to me are highlighted here for my own memory....

The chapter on Lorenzo Snow was very touching. He was worried about Pres. Woodruff whose health was failing. He prayed earnestly that the prophet would recover because he knew he was next in line to be the prophet. He attended the temple and plead with the Lord that the great responsibility of church leadership would never fall upon his shoulders. Yet he promised the Lord, he would devotedly perform any duty required at his hands. When he received word of the prophets passing. He traveled to the temple and prayed to the Lord for guidance and instruction after he reminded the Lord of his earlier prayers. He expected a reply. None came. He left the alter and went out of the celestial room disappointed. Then a glorious manifestation came to him. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him! Elder Snow, saw the Savior and talked with him face to face. He was given instructions (his prayer was answered). He knew then with a perfect knowledge that Christ guided His church and still lived. His patriarchal blessing had been fulfilled, he was promised to have power to stand in the flesh and see Jesus Christ.

Pres. Hunter advised us to strive to give as Jesus gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift. Mend a quarrel, seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter, give a soft answer, encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Apologize, try to understand, think of someone else first, welcome a stranger, gladden the heart of a little child, speak your love and then speak it again.
Pres. Hunter also played Santa Claus for Jon Huntsmans family for 3 years.

Pres. Hinckley remembers his mission. His mom died 3 years before and he often felt her while on his mission. He wrote a letter to his dad thanking him and remembering their family Christmases together. Family was very important to him.

Pres. Monson shared memories about how his ward helped a family immigrating from war-torn Germany. How they worked hard to make an old apartment like new and even decorate it with a Christmas tree. The people arrived and after visiting the apartment they asked the members with them to take them to their home and were surprised to find they were already there! Also, Pres. Monson's example of taking care of the widows was shared. It seems that is mentioned quite a bit - must be something to it? Right?

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

These snapshots from the lives of the sixteen men who have led the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this dispensation focus on what is most important during the Christmas season. Each chapter highlights a different prophet and contains a handful of vignettes from notable Christmases in his life, closing with a Christmas message he delivered. Themes of family, service, gifts of love and time, and Christ-centered celebrations crop up over and over. After reading Christmas with the Prophets, I'm newly inspired to purposefully incorporate more meaningful activities into our family's Christmas festivities.

Because of their commitment to the Lord, several prophets found themselves occasionally separated from loved ones during the Christmas season. On December 25, 1839, John Taylor was being tossed to and fro during rough weather somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean on his way to serve a mission in England. Joseph Smith and Lorenzo Snow each spent a Christmas in jail. As a young apostle, David O. McKay was assigned by President Grant to tour all the missions of the world, leaving in early December of 1920 and returning on Christmas Eve the next year. He observed Christmas of 1920 in Japan, serenaded by a few Japanese Saints singing “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam.” An unorthodox song selection, perhaps, but how appropriate for a celebration of Jesus' birth!

For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.

[Cami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful introduction to each of the modern-day LDS prophets. I loved learning about their Christmas traditions and celebrations and learned a lot about not only these men, their lives, experiences, and teachings, but also about history in general. I loved reading about Brigham Young's dances, Heber J. Grant's habit of giving books as gifts, George Albert Smith's huge stocking joke, and Howard W. Hunter's popular band and would like to read more about these men. Every once in awhile the author's "voice" or interpretations would slip in and seemed a little out of place but as a biography lover, this was an enjoyable book that glances the highlights of the Lord's anointed. I have become more deeply acquainted with and fond of each of the prophets from Joseph Smith down to Thomas S. Monson through these short accounts and teachings. I definitely want this book to remain on our family bookshelf.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This is a wonderful book for the Christmas season. Each of the 16 prophets of the LDS church are highlighted with glimpses into how they spent Christmas. Details are sketchy for some of the earlier prophets and full of detail for the more recent.

I loved hearing the excitement over receiving fruit, nuts and a stick of candy - a vast difference from the Christmas my children are used to. Stories of serving others, Christmas traditions and messages about Christ fill the pages of this book. Some of these stories were familiar to me and others I had never heard.

The quality of this book, Christmas with the Prophets, is incredible. Thick, glossy, full color pages with a glittery cover make this a beautiful book to add to any LDS home

[Linda Orvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our neighbor's mother wrote this book, and it has done really well in our area. It was such a pleasure to read during the holidays. What I liked about it most was to see how Christmas has gradually changed throughout the decades. The children of the 1800s received a stocking with nuts, small amounts of candy, maybe an orange or apple, and sometimes a small gift like a pair of stockings. I was surprised that they didn't get regular gifts as we do today. The stories in this book were taken from the actual writings of the Prophets of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and that made the stories even more interesting. The writing was flawless, and I especially loved the cover. Good book.

[Tandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great Christmas read about the LDS Prophets and what their Christmas' were like. The first few prophets it talks about just aren't that interesting because they really don't have exact memories recorded of experiences those prophets did for Christmas, they are assumptions. As you read through on to the more current prophets it gets more interesting and enjoyable. I really enjoyed reading Joseph F. Smith's. I would recommend reading this book leading up to Christmas, reading a chapter a day which works out to be a prophet per day. I look forward to reading this again next year with my children.

[Annalisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting book that takes the lives of all of the lds prophets and turns them into a holiday book. Each prophet has a chapter that is comprised of basically 3 categories - a brief summary of his life, holiday stories either related from their own journals, family accounts or described based on where history dictates the prophet was (i.e. Liberty Jail or a mission in Europe) and then an inspirational message from that prophet about the Savior. I really enjoyed reading it this holiday season.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas gift from my hubby! I love the layout of this book. Each section features a painting of a prophet, a short biographical sketch, and then 3-4 specific Christmas experiences of that particular prophet. At the end of the section, there is a Christmas message in that prophet's own words to conclude. I was so touched at several stories relating acts of selflessness at Christmas time. Truly, a lifetime of service and caring is part of what qualifies these men to be prophets. Overall, a great compilation, and definitely a treasure!

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book to read at Christmas time. It was very interesting to see what was happening in the world at the time of individual prophets. It was also interesting to find out facts I never knew about early prophets. There were some great faith-building stories. My daughter especially liked the tithing Christmas story. There were also some great Christmas quotes from each prophet at the end of his chapter. We used President Kimball's quote as part of our Christmas family home evening.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! There is a chapter on each modern prophet, and it was easy to read just one chapter at a time when I had a few minutes. The book itself is lovely, with glossy pages, paintings and/or photographs of each prophet (plus other photos), and interesting and personal stories relating to Christmastime and what it was like for each prophet at various times in their lives. Many of the stories reflected the hardships they experienced, and offered a window into history, showing some of the things that shaped the lives of these faithful men.