There Is a God

To my daughter, 

                Recently you have had some friendly arguments with your grandpa about whether Santa Claus really exists. You have insisted that he does not exist while your grandpa has tried to convince you that he does. You found out that there was indeed a man who lived a long time ago who gave gifts to children and so you adjusted your argument with your grandpa suggesting that Santa Claus did live once but he doesn’t anymore: he’s dead. The person you were referring to is Saint Nicholas who lived in the 3^rd and 4^th centuries in what is now Turkey. He was known for giving secret gifts and even sometimes putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out. Some of the traditions about the Santa Claus we talk about today came from him, and for some Santa Claus represents the spirit of giving and charity as shown originally by Saint Nicholas. There will always be children who wonder about and question the reality of the story told of elves and the North Pole and a big man in a red suit with a white beard. I hope from this tale children will at least be inspired to give more at Christmas time like the original Saint Nicholas.

But I hope that you know that while Santa Claus may not be real, our Heavenly Father and Jesus are! I know that you have a Father in Heaven who loves you and sent you here on earth to gain a body and get experience. You can pray to God anytime and He will hear you and help you in all your struggles. I love the account of Aaron in the Book of Mormon who taught a king—the father of Lamoni—about God. This king did not know much about spiritual matters, and Aaron asked him, “Believest thou that there is a God?” The king suggested that he could believe, and Aaron responded, “Behold, assuredly as thou livest, O king, there is a God.” I hope that you know as well that as sure as you are alive, God too is alive. Aaron taught, “He is that Great Spirit, and he created all things both in heaven and in earth.” God created this earth for us to come to as well as our bodies that we receive here. Aaron also taught to this king about “the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all whosoever would believe on his name…. The sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance.” God knew that our lives here would be difficult and that we would make mistakes, and so He created a plan of redemption so that through Jesus Christ we can receive help and forgiveness from our sins. After Aaron taught the king these truths about God, the king responded with this question: “What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken?” Aaron taught him what to do in very simple terms: “If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest” (Alma 22:7-16). In other words, the king needed to humbly pray and ask for forgiveness from God, and if he truly believed he would receive an answer from the Lord. I know that as you pray to God and remember Jesus, you will also know that they are real and feel their love for you. I hope that you will continue to pray every day and seek to know for yourself that Heavenly Father and Jesus are really there for you.

 

Love,

Dad