This completeness of system is much like the fulness of the gospel found in the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Individual pieces of the gospel became known to men as the
Bible was published and made available to the world. Various religions were established,
bringing many to a generalized knowledge of Jesus Christ and His mission on earth. Through
these Christian religions and beliefs, the wonderful light and power of God became discernible,
touching the lives of countless men, women, and children for generations. But in 1830, the
original tree of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored once again to the earth. All ornaments—
the important truths and the saving ordinances of the gospel—were hung once again by the Lord
upon its branches. The full display of lights—revelation and the spirit of prophecy—was turned
on again for the great populations of Heavenly Father’s children set to come forth in the last
dispensation of time. Thus, the tree before our eyes is a representation of the fulness of the
gospel, and the bright star on top is Zion, the greatest achievement of civilization<\/span>. <\/p> <\/p>
Now, if there was no mistake made in our reckoning of time, Christmas Eve had passed
away and the big clock in the family room was about to strike midnight. The room had been
quiet for some time, but suddenly amidst the silence, there was excitement.<\/p>
<\/p>
Ding, Dong! Ding, Dong! Ding, Dong! <\/p>
<\/p>
The chimes continued one by one until the clock reached the count of twelve.<\/p>
<\/p>
Immediately, fire rushed down the chimney, igniting a powerful blaze in the fireplace and
consuming the logs that remained and the cast-iron grate upon which they sat (notwithstanding
they had been doused with water three times by Mark before going to bed). Sparks jumped from
the fireplace, creating a ball of light and fire at the base of the tree. Spinning rapidly atop the
packages, it gained strength and power within itself while ascending at every turn. The fury of
motion caused the branches of the tree to change in color from green to white. The ornaments
were also transformed, becoming gold in both color and substance, each sparkling and glistening
in spectacular fashion. A transformation of the lights followed, giving them the appearance of
precious jewels, the kind of which that might have belonged to kings and queens of the celestial
kingdom. Endowed with their own power, the jewels shined brightly in and of themselves,
spraying bright colors throughout the room. The tree, thus, was a perfect white color like snow,
with gold emblems and dazzling colors seen throughout.<\/p>
<\/p>
Soon, more sparks jumped from the fireplace and reached the top of the tree. The star
became engulfed in a ring of fire, having an orbit all its own. The rotation was incredibly fast,
full of sound and ferocity in its rapid movement. Shining brightly, the star created a glorious
radiance that burst upon the room and consumed the darkness. The light of the star was a
manifestation of the Spirit of Enoch; it filled the house and was dispersed everywhere. It shone
upon the floor, upon the walls, and upon the ceiling of the family room downstairs; through the
front room, the dining room, and the kitchen upstairs; across the driveway and the front yard,
through the garden and the trees, and throughout the sidewalks and streets of the neighborhood.<\/p>
<\/p>
The family room was transfigured, taking on the styling of a nineteenth-century ballroom
decorated with elegant benches, tables, chairs, mirrors, and lamps of that era. Of these, one table
was of particular interest. Upon it sat a book of remembrance, a book for guests to record their
names upon arrival and to write a phrase or two by the spirit of inspiration. <\/p>
<\/p>
The clock having struck midnight, and the house consumed with light, Christmas Day
had arrived and the celebration could begin.<\/p>
<\/p>
Familiar music of old now filled the dance floor. Couples quickly entered to dance. These
couples were, in fact, the Mormon pioneers of olden days from Kirtland, from Nauvoo, from
among all those who had lived and died along the great western plains of the United States, and
from those of the Salt Lake Valley and the other early settlements of the Intermountain West.
The women were adorned in beautiful long white gowns and the men in wonderfully tailored
suits of that era. All sang, danced, and rejoiced. They were in numbers so large that the walls of
the room had to be extended far in all directions by the Spirit to contain them all. The dancing
pioneers were happy, enjoying the salvation of their souls. <\/p>
<\/p>
After several minutes, there was a stop of the music. Several of these choice individuals
took the opportunity during the break to come over to sign their names and write words of <\/p>
wisdom in the book. There were many entries made, but the writing of one expressed the
sentiments of all:<\/p>
<\/p>
S<\/i>tay faithful<\/i> in the gospel of Jesus Christ<\/i>, obey the commandments, and endure to the
end.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Outside, in front of the house, a well-groomed and well-dressed lady, a Countess,
watched as a boy of thirteen shoveled snow in preparation for more guests to arrive. The
additional light that had filled the house and the surrounding grounds delighted the boy, for he
could now more easily see the edges of the snow banks to ensure that they matched up precisely
on both sides of the driveway, as if he were meticulously pruning a hedge or edging a lawn with
shears. Completing this task, he next got down on his hands and knees with a small ice scraper to
remove the ice and snow packed down on the driveway. As he worked, he thought to himself, <\/p>
<\/p>
Surely, t<\/i>he C<\/i>ountess will be so<\/i> pleased to see what I’ve done<\/i>!<\/i> Another two hours and I’ll
have this driveway completely shoveled and wrapped up for the day. I wonder how much I'll get
paid this time?<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Satisfied with the quality of the work being done outside, the Countess entered through
the front door of the house and made her way downstairs to the celebration going on in the
ballroom. Noticing the important book placed over on the table, she approached it forthright and
reviewed the comments written by others. She set her cane against the wall and picked up an old-
style pen that was left nearby. In excellent handwriting, she wrote the following:<\/p>
<\/p>
Creating<\/i> a Zion-like stake in <\/i>the Church<\/i> requires hard work, daily supervision<\/i>,<\/i> and
attention to detail. There are no shortcut<\/i>s to perfection.<\/i><\/span><\/p> <\/p>
Signed,<\/i><\/span><\/p>The Countess<\/i><\/span><\/p> <\/p>
Standing nearby was the famous Ebenezer Scrooge. He read what the Countess had just
written and gave her an approving smile. All were very happy to be here on this day, but
Ebenezer was perhaps the happiest of all. Amazed at this marvelous new world he was
experiencing, he was lost in the joyful celebration of Christmas like no other in the room. The
world of Scrooge was now a world of happiness, a world of goodness, and a world of limitless
possibilities to serve others. But as for this moment, he had just been engaged in a little prank
upon the Countess, hiding her cane out of sight behind a nearby chair.<\/p>
<\/p>
Waiting with the eagerness of a little child for the Countess to finish, he smiled at her and
then took hold of the pen to write a few words of his own:<\/p>
<\/p>
Perfection without love is not perfection at all. <\/i>Zion<\/i> requires hard work and the daily
supervis<\/i>i<\/i>on of the labors to be performe<\/i>d<\/i>...<\/i> <\/i>I know<\/i> this<\/i> all too well<\/i>. B<\/i>ut it is<\/i> also<\/i> to be filled with
love.<\/i><\/span><\/p> <\/p>
Your solemn friend<\/i>,<\/i><\/p><\/span><\/p>
Ebenezer Scrooge<\/i><\/span><\/p> <\/p>
He paused for a moment, then wrote still more:<\/p>
<\/p>
PS: Let mankind be your business in life<\/i>. S<\/i>ubordinate your careers and <\/i>other <\/i>life <\/i>goals <\/i>to<\/i>
t<\/i>he gospel of Jesus Christ<\/i>.<\/p>
<\/p>
Walking towards him and the book that sat on the table were some excellent friends of
Mr. Scrooge––the Ghost of Jacob Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas
Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Reaching the table first, and moving his
chains out of the way to prevent the other ghosts behind him from accidentally tripping over
them, Jacob took the pen to write thoughts of his own:<\/p>
<\/p>
Remember <\/i>all <\/i>of <\/i>those who have died in the past generations of man<\/i>. <\/i>R<\/i>emember,
remember<\/i> well<\/i>,<\/i> all those who wait in bondage for the go<\/i>spel to be preached to the dead!<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Enjoy <\/i>this wonderful<\/i> Spirit of Enoch<\/i> today<\/i>, but <\/i>remember also<\/i> the Spirit of Eli<\/i>jah, that
the ordinances of salv<\/i>ation <\/i>may<\/i> be performed<\/i> quickly<\/i> for every soul. <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
After he had written this, one of the three ghosts behind him whispered something into
his ear, to which Jacob responded aloud, “Oh yes, that’s a good one, too.” <\/p>
<\/p>
After signing his name, he wrote choice words on behalf of those who stood behind him,
quoting the famous D&C Section 93 scripture:<\/p>
<\/p>
Truth is a knowledge of things as they <\/i>are<\/i>, <\/i>and <\/i>as they<\/i> were<\/i>,<\/i> and as they <\/i>are to come<\/i>.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Signed, <\/i><\/p>
The Three Ghosts of Time<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Not far away from this table was an antique desk of similar style, with a lamp on top, and
a man of advanced years seated behind it. The man was Charles Myriel, the good Bishop of D––
dressed in his customary black cassock. His head rested comfortably in his hands, and his eyes
were focused firmly upon a book of another kind, one that was curious to him and that he had
laid out in front of himself. He had been in a state of deep thought and study for several days,
well in advance of the Christmas celebration. Even now, his eyes did not leave the confines of
the book, even to rest. Pondering deeply, and with great passion for what he was reading, he
carried on a conversation within himself:<\/p>
<\/p>
I have<\/i> studied the Bible all <\/i>my life, but never before have I <\/i>encountered a <\/i>fulness of the
gospel<\/i> like<\/i> this<\/i>.<\/i> Lehi, Nephi, Jacob, King Benjamin, Mosiah, Alma and his son Alma, Ammon,
Captain Moroni, Helaman, Mormon, Moroni, the Brother of Jared, Ether...<\/i> <\/i>what great
testimonies of Christ are these! And there are new words of Jesus Christ <\/i>H<\/i>imself—a fifth gospel,
a second testament! Where did all <\/i>of <\/i>this all come from?<\/i><\/p>
I am like a child, learning the gospel anew! And what are these other books here? The
Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price...<\/i> <\/i>more scriptures! Ah, this Joseph Smith! Yes,
what a great prophet of God was he! Surely, I am the most blessed of men to find such treasures. <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
A few minutes later, and largely unnoticed to the other guests, a stranger arrived at the
entrance of the ballroom. He had traveled a long way on foot to reach here. Les Miserables<\/i>
introduces him to us as follows: <\/p>
<\/p>
No one knew him. He was evidently only a chance passer-by. Whence came he? From the
south; from the seashore? This man must have been walking all day. He seemed very much
fatigued. A cap with a drooping leather visor partly concealed his face, burned and tanned by
sun and wind, and dripping with perspiration. His shirt of coarse yellow linen, fastened at the
neck by a small silver anchor, permitted a view of his hairy breast: he had a cravat twisted into a
string; trousers of blue drilling, worn and threadbare, white on one knee and torn on the other;
an old gray, tattered blouse, patched on one of the elbows with a bit of green cloth sewed on with
twine; a tightly packed soldier knapsack, well buckled and perfectly new, on his back; an
enormous, knotty stick in his hand; iron-shod shoes on his <\/i>stocking less<\/i> feet; a shaved head and
a long beard. He must have been very thirsty: for the children who followed him saw him stop
again for a drink, two hundred paces further on, at the fountain in the market-place<\/i>.<\/p>
<\/p>
It was this brusque sort of man who had now arrived to the ballroom. He was a man of
considerable size and strength, yet timid in manner. He gazed into the ballroom from a spot just
inside the entranceway. He seemed lost and confused, not knowing what to do.<\/p>
<\/p>
S<\/i>hould I enter<\/i> into this <\/i>place or<\/i> leave quickly<\/i> before I’m spotted<\/i>?<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
His heart took courage, however, when he saw a familiar face—his friend, the good
Bishop of D––! He made his way in, moving towards the left side of the room, thinking to
perhaps touch the bishop on his shoulder and kindly greet him. He stopped––the bishop was busy
and in deep concentration––and withdrew to a corner of the room, out of the way, and close to
the doors by which he had just entered. <\/p>
<\/p>
Behind the bishop in the room, he beheld the wondrous Christmas tree, something that
excited him and warmed his insides. But, in fact, everything in the room was dazzling––the glory
of righteousness was prominently on display. His eyes caught hold of the mantel of the fireplace,
off to one side and, upon it, two silver candlesticks... the bishop’s candlesticks... his<\/i> candlesticks!
They were hardly noticeable to most with all the marvelous things to see in the room, but for
Jean Valjean, these candlesticks had great meaning—priceless emblems that clearly belonged to
the eternal world. He made a move towards them that he might see them up close and hold them
again in his hands, but again he hesitated and stood still. <\/p>
<\/p>
Better <\/i>not to touch them<\/i>.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Feeling at peace, and with a sigh of relief, he exclaimed within himself:<\/p>
<\/p>
How <\/i>fortunate<\/i> I am to be <\/i>here!<\/i> To<\/i> be among the good things of God<\/i>!<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
For the next few hours he stood alone in the corner. He was content just to watch others
in their celebration, sharing their same joy. With great pleasure, he took occasional glances back
at the fireplace and the candlesticks there, a reminder to him of who he once was and who he was
now. He had repented. His soul was redeemed. Here, in this place of celebration, he was home.<\/p>
<\/p>
Outside the Chandler house, with the snow fully cleared by the young friend of the
Countess, it was now possible to make use of the driveway. While the light was very bright
already, someone nevertheless saw fit to turn on one more light from inside the garage to shine
upon the driveway. The sound of a ball bouncing could be heard—a basketball, in fact. It was the
middle of basketball season, and for one aspiring to be a star basketball player, it was necessary
to be out there in the cold night air, perfecting one’s shooting, dribbling, and quick movements
on the court. This was the young James Hancock, age thirteen, at a time before his accident when
he still had full use of both feet, a time when he could run and jump like all the other boys his
age. In the driveway, he was learning the principles of the five-dollar lawn, a lesson that would
later serve him well building Zion in North Ogden. <\/p>
<\/p>
These glorious events and others continued in and about the house for some time. The
clock struck one, then two, and then three. Soon, the light emanating from the star atop the tree
began to fade, darkening all the rooms in the house and causing the family room to once again
take on its normal size and appearance. The celebration had come to a close. <\/p>
<\/p>
It should be noted, however, that during the earlier Christmas Eve celebration, Kathleen
had also presented to the children the contents of the platform’s left side—a miniature village of
the town of Springville surrounded by mountains. The train had ascended from the Salt Lake
Valley scene and entered the Springville scene from the right side, coming to a stop on the valley
floor next to a tiny replica of the Chandler home and causing bright lights to turn on. The bright
lights of the Chandler home then initiated a chain reaction among all the other homes in the
neighborhood, and throughout the entire valley of Springville, each one lighting up in impressive
fashion to the delight of the children. <\/p>
<\/p>
With everything quiet in these early hours of Christmas Day, and with only a trace of
light remaining in the family room, the little electric train was powered up by the Spirit for one
final pass through the mountains. The movement and lights of the train quickly attracted the
interest of one special guest we have failed yet to mention, and who instinctively might have
thought it her duty to sweep and clean up after the other guests who had departed. Ignoring an
old broom propped up in the corner, a young girl of eight by the name of Cossette moved closer
to take a look at these miniature villages on display. Adorned in a beautiful white gown, she held
a doll in her arms adorned in a gown even more beautiful. Fantine, her mother, held her hand,
joyful and filled with gladness. She beamed in the knowledge that many in the celebration had
seen Cossette, her beautiful young daughter. <\/p>
<\/p>
Cosette moved close to the mountain scene. She found the presentation of lights, train,
and tiny village breathtaking. The train on the valley floor of Springville had one last stop to
make, moving up the tracks slowly to a place called “West Mountain” back along the wall.
Assembled there was a group of tiny figurines––Christmas carolers, arranged in a circle, holding <\/p>
song books in their hands. Inside the circle of carolers was a small music box with tiny angels on
top. As the train arrived at the final stop, the music box started to turn and play a short melody.
Cossette's eyes grew wide at the sight of this.<\/p>
<\/p>
As the last act of the celebration, some final words were written by the Spirit in the book. <\/p>
<\/p>
Behold, the eyes of a child! <\/i>How great and infinite are <\/i>t<\/i>he works<\/i> of the Father!<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
The lights dimmed, and the book on the table was closed by wind from the fireplace.<\/p>"}