As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, "how we ought to rejoice that this Firstborn Son in the spirit was willing to become the Only Begotten Son in the flesh." "A Message at Christmas" by D. Todd Christofferson at speeches.byu.edu

How have you seen the grace of Christ in your life? We can both receive and give grace this Christmas season.

God is aware of you and your afflictions. Heaven and its help are closer than they seem! "When Heaven Seems Distant: Principles and Practices for Connecting With God" by Tyler Griffin

Next up we're spotlighting Professor Mary Jane Woodger! What she enjoys the most about her work is her students! They make her job a joy and are the sole purpose of her career. Sister Woodger is most pleased when she sees the Spirit give insights to students or provide new thoughts to readers of her research. It's extremely rewarding to see students gain knowledge and grow their testimonies after struggling with some aspect of the gospel. A fun fact about Sister Woodger is that in her former life she was a junior high home economics teacher!

Next month is the BYU Religious Education Symposium in Honor of Sidney B. Sperry! Speakers will present on various topics concerning Christ in the Book of Mormon such as symbols of Christ, the role of Redeemer, the gathering of Israel, and more. You won't want to miss it!

Just as water is necessary for physical life, Jesus Christ is necessary for our spiritual life. He is the living water because of His cleansing power.

Do we exaggerate our goodness to others? Why not be "as good as we say we are" and strive each day to do and be good. "A Few Questions and Answers" by Cecil O. Samuelson at speeches.byu.edu

We're spotlighting Brother John Hilton III this week! What he loves most about what he does is learning from his students and colleagues. It's an honor for him to work with so many faithful and competent women and men. He's happy to be working on the Y Religion Podcast (which he highly recommends you check out, if you haven’t already)! His favorite thing about teaching is when the learning really clicks and everyone (including himself) is taught new things from the Holy Ghost. As far as his research, the publication that has brought him closest to Jesus Christ is "Considering the Cross." A fun fact about Brother Hilton is that he's a magician!

Interact with and learn from leaders of multiple world religions in and around London, England and Belfast, Northern Ireland! In addition to meetings with faith leaders, students will visit important religious and historical sites. Don't miss out on learning from religious leaders and becoming one yourself!

How have you shown thankfulness to the Lord recently? As we receive all things with gratitude, the Lord will reward us.

Why do we need an endowment? God will "endow us with His power" so we can truly come to know and become like our Savior, Jesus Christ. "We Need an Endowment" by Anthony Sweat at speeches.byu.edu

Our next faculty spotlight is Professor Jared Halverson! He loves the magic that happens in the classroom when the students, scriptures, and Spirit converge. For him, it doesn't get much better than seeing students want to change because of something they learn. His greatest joys come when people see real-world relevance in what he's trying to teach or write and feel moved to make changes in their lives as a result. Much of his time is spent working with people in faith crises and helping them navigate those in healthy ways is more than a research agenda to him—it’s a personal ministry. A fun fact about Professor Halverson is that his dream was to play football for the Cougs, and he made the team as a wide receiver his freshman year!