How to Plan a Christmas Program

**UPDATE** I am so surprised that 8 years later, I am still getting requests to share this program! Though I’m proud of that program, I’ve organized several since then that I feel are much more centered on the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His gospel, so I would like to share the most recent of those with you. Nearly all of the text is taken from the scriptures. You could easily adapt this to be done with one narrator, but I found that by inviting several people to participate we were able to help nearly our whole ward feel known and included. The congregational hymns are taken from the book Hymns, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I hope that this helps you bring the spirit of Christ to your Christmas celebrations this year. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U6kxZx_BtF-rU-8iX8tTawWfJLjD2wQaJPf7z7FSr2M/edit

Original Post

This year I was in charge of putting together the ward Christmas program. It was a lot more work than I expected and I couldn't have done it without the wonderful people who helped with the readings and music, and of course, the Savior. Overall I think it turned out really well, and I'm excited to keep working on and improving this program.

For anyone looking to write their own Christmas program, let me just say, keep it simple. For text, use the scriptures. For music, look to the hymns before going elsewhere. A pattern that I've noticed in other programs and used for the one I wrote is to have one or two readers reading from the scriptures, with some commentary thrown in if you like, and musical numbers and speakers intermingled throughout as they correspond with the text.

Make sure that you ask people who you would like to participate, especially soloists, well in advance. This way they can have time to practice and feel comfortable with everything, plus it's just polite. Most people can't sightread their way through a complex piece. Give them time to learn it.

If you would like to borrow mine, or use it as a reference, you are more than welcome to! Here it is:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3PBFcn4jMuMNjBWTWtla0lNcGM/edit?usp=sharing

The text I used comes mostly from the King James Bible. The hymns I used can be found here. "Come, Lord Jesus" is from a program that the LDS church puts on at the Conference Center every year called "Savior of the World," and can be downloaded here.

Have a very merry Christmas!

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

In Women's Chorus we're singing "Come, Thou Fount" at our concert this coming week. I am so excited! I love this song. The music is so beautiful and the lyrics are so sweet. Until this past week I'd always felt the spirit in this song, but never had the words stand out  to me so clearly, especially during one particular line.

"Jesus sought me, when a stranger wandering from the fold of God, came to rescue me from danger from the downward path I trod."

Due to the King James-y English and poetic grammar, I rearrange the words in my head to make more sense and they come out something like this:
"Jesus sought me when I had estranged myself from him and was wandering away from God's fold. He came to rescue me from the spiritual danger in which I was placing myself." He came for me. How powerful is that message?

I have been the sheep that has wandered from the fold. There have been far too many times when I have turned my back on my Savior. I am so sorry that I have done this, and I keep trying to be better, but I am human and I make mistakes. I am proud, and I am selfish, and I ashamed when I let myself and others down. I often feel that when I am going through something difficult that I could have avoided if I had been smart and following the spirit, that I should take care of it myself--that I don't deserve the help and care of my loving Father in Heaven and the Savior. Yet the moment I fall to my knees, the very second I humble myself and ask for help and forgiveness, the Savior is there to sweep me up in the arms of his love. He takes away my pain, my sadness, my guilt, and my stress. He is always waiting to take care of me. No matter how far I wander, he follows me and waits for me to let him help and strengthen me. He leaves the ninety-and-nine for my sake. (Luke 15.)

I am so grateful for the love of my Savior, and for his amazing atonement which allows me to repent and be cleansed so that I can move forward, and upward, without being hindered by my past mistakes. I know that the Lord loves each of us. He will always, always accept and forgive us as we repent and try our best to change. He doesn't expect perfection, he only asks that we do our best. I am so grateful for this knowledge. I am grateful for music. I am so thankful for the way that music and singing can soften my heart when nothing else can, and give me a way to bear my testimony when my own words don't seem like enough.

I love my Savior. I know that he lives and loves us, that his atonement is perfect, and that he wants so much for us to come home to him. I have felt the spirit testify of this to me, and I cannot doubt that.

BYU Women's Chorus

I love being in Women's Chorus. It fills me with so much joy! It doesn't matter if we're singing beautiful hymns, crazy chord clusters, fun pop songs, or if we're going super crazy nuts having fun together and pigging out, it's always a fun and uplifting experience.

Here's the commercial for our upcoming concert. Hope you can make it!!!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zV-J_nDeFOw

The Engagement

Cameron and I have known that we want to get married for a while. He asked (well, tried to ask, but that's another story) my dad for my hand almost two weeks ago and we pretty much immediately started working on picking a date and colors and things, but we didn't want to go around telling people that we were engaged before he'd officially asked me. Let's just say that by the time he proposed I was more than ready to say yes.

On Thursday night we were just hanging out and he asked if I would like to go on a date next week. I thought for sure that's when he would propose then. When he was leaving he VERY casually asked if I'd like to go hiking with him the next morning so he could build up stamina for his Elders Quorum activity on Tuesday to hike the entirety of Timpanogos. I said yes before he told me that he'd be picking me up at 6:00 am. Good thing, too, because it was going to be the best hike of my life.

Friday I woke up at 5:30, after a whopping five hours of sleep. I thought vaguely as I was brushing my teeth that he's a pretty sneaky guy and might be trying to throw me off by asking me on that date for next week. I quickly brushed it aside, not because I thought I was wrong, but because the last thing I wanted was to get my hopes up only to be disappointed when we got back and I still had no ring on my finger. At multiple points throughout the hike I stopped him to point out the view and give him a hug and a kiss, and I'm sure he was getting frustrated with my dragging pace, but he didn't show it. I didn't know we were trying to do anything but get to the waterfall and turn around.

The hike was absolutely beautiful. *(I LOVE nature, especially trees and animals so this hike was perfect for me. As my mom puts it, if a woodland fairy would like it, so will I.)* Almost the entire trail was covered by beautiful green trees, there were hundreds of butterflies and honeybees, we even saw a family of wild turkey, a few chipmunks, lots of birds, and a doe! So, needless to say, I was having the time of my life.

We finally got to Stewart Falls it was an amazing. The sun was out, the air was warm, the water was cool, and the view of the river and canyon was spectacular. In the back of my mind I thought, "this is such a romantic spot, he should just propose to me right now."

He must have read my mind because a moment later he sat me down on a giant rock and handed me an envelope. Inside was this: 

Each page was a dated journal entry of memorable days we'd spent together (all written on staff paper.) *(we love reading books together)* The second to last page was this...

And that's when I was sure he was going to do it. The last page, though I wasn't quite sure what it was at the time, was lyrics to a song he had written for me, and they were so, so sweet. Then he asked if he could ask me a few questions, the first of which was, "may I have this dance?" *(we tend to spontaneously slow dance to non-existent music)* 

As we were dancing he asked if he could sing a song for me. *(We love singing, especially together. We met through choir.)* He started singing a beautiful song, the one he wrote for me, and I started... well I'm not sure what to call it. It was somewhere between laughing and crying, but I didn't have any tears. My shoulders were definitely shaking though, and I just had my face buried in his shoulder. Then he finished the song, pulled back a half step, and walked me backwards the few feet to the rock where I'd been sitting before. He sat me down and reached behind me without me noticing, and pulled the ring box out of his back pack. 

As soon as I saw him on one knee holding the little wooden box I started really crying. When he opened it and I saw the ring my hands flew to my mouth and I started sobbing. It was the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. I immediately noticed the leaves and vines and knew that he knew me and loved me. *(He picked the ring all by himself)* Then he asked me one more question:

"Will you be my wife?"

I, of course, said yes. Then he asked if he could put the ring on my finger, and of course I said yes again. He slipped it on and stood up. I kissed him and held him and told him over and over that I loved him. He was crying, too.

Then we continued to cry and and laugh and look at the way the ring sparkles in the sun. Then he looked at his watch, looked me in the eye, and said, "Dana, four months from today, at this very moment, we will be waiting in the temple to be married!" *(We'd already picked our wedding date, November 20th)*

It was the most absolutely perfect proposal I could have imagined. I am so in love with him and I can't wait to be married in the temple so we can be together, not just "till death do us part," but for all eternity, even after we die. I am so grateful for his kindness and faith and love. It is so wonderful to have this constant reminder on my hand of how much he loves me, and how we get to be together forever. 

I get to marry my best friend.

5 days down, 119 to go ;)

Thank You, Adam, for Sharing This:

Adam Young (aka Owl City) is one of the more spiritual people I've never met.

Yes, you read that correctly.

He genuinely has the spirit with him and is not afraid to hide it--his heart is completely open. I always feel uplifted after reading his blog or listening to his music. I thought this entry, as well as most of them, was really touching.

My Wonderful Family

I love my family. They are so amazing. We may be a quirky, nerdy, silly, eclectic group, but we know how to laugh and we know how to love. I got to skype with my family today, and it was fantastic. I miss them so much, and really wish I lived closer to home. Or that they lived closer to here.

I love that we all love music and make it together. I love that my little brother is enough of a man to make up for the fact that he's the only boy out of five kids, and that he's willing to put up with the rest of our girly ways.

I love that we're such comedians. I think we inherited it from my dad... actually I'm positive. He's hilarious, and I love it. I don't think we had more than one or two conversations over Christmas break that didn't end with me crying from laughter. I love laughing, and I love being happy, and I'm so grateful for my family's ability to help me stay that way.

I love that we have so many common interests, and also so many different ones. For example, we've all played soccer, all of the girls have taken dance classes, and we all sing or play an instrument. Cameron is a PRO beatboxer. He and my sister Sarah frequently do spontaneous dubstep arrangements, and it's awesome. It drives Mary crazy, who much prefers her classical piano and flute (she's a prodigy--absolutely amazing at everything she tries), and Lizzie just goes crazy dancing and singing to any music being made or played on the computer.

My parents are wonderful. They are such hard workers, and so kind and generous to others. My dad is such an amazing example of patience and love. I've rarely seen a man look at a woman with so much love as I see on my dad's face when he comes home. I want to marry someone who looks at me that way.

Besides always being there for me to talk to, and offer advice, I love how good of a cook my mom is, and how she's taught me her magical ways in the art of perfect baking. Not only does everything that comes out of her kitchen taste good, but it looks amazing as well! She's a wizard. No lie.

I'm so grateful for the examples ALL of the members of my family set for me, and that even though I'm 2,000 miles away, I can stay in contact with them and have the promise of being with them forever.

Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go

1. I am so grateful for music and the power it has to bring the spirit to me and teach me the lessons I am to stubborn to hear when they are merely spoken. Last year in Women's Chorus we sang a beautiful number, combined with the other choirs, called "Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go," and today I was listening to it on my iPod while considering how I need to stop being so selfish in asking for what I want, and wanting it now. Last year, this song touched me so much, and now listening to it again, I feel that same peace and resignation and ability to press onward, not because of my own strength, but because of my Lord's power and the strength he grants me when I give myself over to him. I am so grateful for this love and knowledge that I have of my Father in Heaven.
2. 
   
3. O Love that will not let me go,
   I rest my weary soul in thee;
   I give thee back the life I owe,
   That in thine ocean depths its flow
   May richer, fuller be.
4. O light that follows all my way,
   I yield my flickering torch to thee;
   My heart restores its borrowed ray,
   That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
   May brighter, fairer be.
5. O Joy that seeks me through pain,
   I cannot close my heart to thee;
   I trace the rainbow through the rain,
   And know the promise is not vain,
   That morn shall tearless be.
6. O Cross that raises up my head,
   I dare not ask to fly from thee;
   I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
   And from the ground there blossoms red
   Life that shall endless be.
7. O Love that wil not let me go.

Men's Chorus

I just realized that even though I love them so much, I have yet to write about the wonderful Men's Chorus here at BYU. Why do I love them so much? Not only do they make beautiful music, often incorporate dance, drums, organ, cello, and other of my favorite things into their performances, but they have the spirit. And really ladies, what could be better than 200 righteous, singing men with beautiful voices and testimonies to match?

(me with the oh, so fabulous president of Men's Chorus,

wearing our respective choir t-shirts)

Women's Chorus

Once again, or I suppose as always, I am ever so grateful for Women's Chorus. I love the music that we make, the sisterhood we share, and the strength we can offer each other. I very, very rarely leave feeling down or upset with myself, although I'm generally kind of sad to leave. All of these are wonderful, but my very favorite thing about Women's Chorus is the spirit and the testimony that each girl brings that allows us to have the Holy Ghost with us as we sing, and to share our testimonies with others.

This past week we were blessed with the incredible opportunity to sing with all of the BYU audition choirs at devotional when Thomas S Monson, the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Prophet of the Lord came to speak. It was such an amazing experience. The spirit was so strong, and I received a stronger testimony that Thomas S Monson is in fact a prophet of God who receives revelation on our behalf and who loves us. I love him, although I have never had the opportunity to meet him in person. I am so blessed to be a part of this wonderful community at BYU, and to interact with the people in the choirs, and to sit at the feet of prophets and apostles and be taught the words of God. I am so grateful that I was able to get in to this university and Women's Chorus and to have all of these wonderful experiences.

General Conference

This was probably my favorite conference weekend to date. Saturday morning my roommates and I had some of our friends over and made breakfast to eat while we watched the first session, which was a lot of fun, and really spiritual. After the second session, Rachel and I took Ashley's very large Jeep Wrangler (with her permission) and went to Spoon It Up (frozen yogurt) while Ashley was at a mocktail bar. When we all got back we drove up to Brianna's house and had a sleepover there.

The next morning we woke up way too early for my liking, had breakfast, and drove up to the conference center in Salt Lake City to go to Music and the Spoken Word, and General Conference. It was an amazing experience. Not only did we get to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir live, but we were able to hear the word of God preached to us by his holy prophet and apostles, while in the same room. My favorite part was singing "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet" while looking straight at Thomas S Monson. The spirit was so strong, and I was so overwhelmed by how blessed I am to live in this time when the Lord's church is on the Earth, and we have the technology to hear his word from almost anywhere in the world, and then have access to the records of what they said.

We also got to walk around Temple Square, go to the visitors center and see the Christus statue, and enjoy the spirit and the beautiful weather. After that we went to Alissa's house and had lunch with her family, which was amazing, and then watched conference with them.

Over all I had so much fun in between sessions, and the best time spiritually as I was uplifted, edified, and taught by those wonderful men and women called of God to lead his church. I amso grateful to the Lord for this opportunity, and to those who took my roommates and me into their homes and took care of us.

Women's Chorus

I am so grateful that I get to be in Women's Chorus. It is a wonderful, wonderful place where I feel safe to drop my emotional burdens at the door and spend an entire every day stretching myself becoming a stronger singer, and also praising and drawing closer to my Father in Heaven. We are asked at the beginning of the year to promise to live our lives in such a way that we can have the spirit with us, not only during rehearsals, but in performances so that we can reach out to those listening, as well as each other. We are all sisters within our Choir, and it is such a phenomenal experience to be able to sing, and praise, and love with these beautiful women.

Vanilla Twilight

Don't you love it when you are having trouble expressing how you feel, or for some reason are embarrassed to do it out loud, or just can't quite put to words what is so strong you feel that you have to sing it to show the proper emotion, and then you find a song that says exactly what you want to? I do. This happened to me on Wednesday. Thank Heaven for Adam Young and his uncanny ability to sing exactly what I wish I could say.

Owl City

On my birthday my mom took Sarah, Cameron, and me to Owl City's concert in Detroit and it was AWESOME!!!!! I love the fact that Adam Young writes ALL of his songs, and they're all so sweet and innocent. They're mostly electronic and upbeat, but when he performed live, he made them more like alternative rock, with more electric guitar than keyboard. It was pretty hype :) He also has quite a few songs Christiany songs that are super fun to listen to, and also really spiritual.

Adam's blog is also awesome. Its really funny most of the time, and the rest of the time its just really pleasant to read. He talks a lot about how much he loves nature and the Lord, so I think we'd get along pretty well. In a nutshell, I love Adam Young! As an artist. I obviously don't actually know him, but I think we could be good friends if I did.

Thank you for the wonderful birthday present Mommy :)

And happy 4th of July! :)

D&C 98:8 I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.

My Mother

Today I am especially grateful for my mom. I can be a pain in the butt sometimes, especially when she wants me to wake up relatively early even though we stayed up until 1:30 the night before and I have a gift for sleeping until my body says its not tired anymore. Or the fact I have a tendency to procrastinate and get distracted by anything sparkly or fluffy and thereby give my mom a heart attack because I cut my deadlines too close. No matter how many times I do all of this dumb stuff, she is always there for me with a hug and a smile, and whatever comfort I happen to need at the time.

My mom is incredibly smart and can read me like an open book, even more so than others can. She can always tell when I need to "refocus" on spiritual things because I am getting to caught up in the little things that don't make any difference in the long run. Last week I was stewing over something that I really couldn't control, which was in turn affecting my productivity. Because my mom is a super hero and always knows what to do, she took me over to the piano and handed me a hymn book and opened it to page 124: Be Still My Soul. It is one of my favorite hymns and says basically that we don't need to worry about what happens to us, or what the future holds, because the LORD will take care of us. It really helped me to put this tiny trial in perspective and remember to turn to the one person who knows what I am going through and has the power and the knowledge to guide me through it.

I love my mom so much and I am so grateful to her for all she does for me.

Music

I've had so much to be grateful for lately, and yet I've managed to be in a grumpy mood, which is really dumb of me to let such little things get me down when I am so blessed. One thing that always helps me get out of these funks is music. Last year I had the privilege of being in the BYU Women's Chorus and we sang some AMAZING spiritual music, which I now have recordings of, and nothing helps me to feel more at peace and close to my Father in Heaven when I am having a bad day than listening to, and singing along with that music. It brings me so close to the Lord to really think about the meanings of the songs and pour my own testimony into them as I sing.