Family History

The Real Heirlooms are Memories that Get Passed Down

It’s November and the season of feeling and expressing gratitude is upon us. We are in the midst of what Dickens called “the best of times and the worst of times”. The gospel of Jesus Christ is upon the earth and all of the joys that it brings with it. Now is the season to show our thanks for the many blessings that we have. Sometimes when things are hard we have to look a little harder to find them but they are there.

This season leads us into the month of December. After expressing and feeling gratitude we turn our thoughts to the Christmas holidays. We are all feeling the pinch of what is going on and we wonder how we will celebrate without causing greater stress in our lives. It is time to pause and consider our heirlooms, our treasures. What can we do to make these the center of our holidays?

This year my mother passed away and went to join my father. I know that was a very happy reunion. They spent 76 years of their 90 plus years together. I know they are happy. That makes me stop and ponder: How can I share some of those memories and stories with my children? How can

I make the lives of their grandparents a part of their lives? How can they remember their dad’s parents? How can I help these people become the real heirlooms in their lives? I can write stories and I can add pictures to FamilySearch. But, is there more that I can do? How about turning one or more of those stories into a play that they could act out? My mom told the story of being taken to the principal’s office for throwing snowballs the wrong way. Can you this scene acted out and the different versions that would come out of that? Would costumes be added to the play? How would The author’s parents. a 10-year-old girl dress back in 1938? Did she cry or was she mad? So, let’s get creative. Think outside the box. What can we do that will bring the greatest memories? When our children were growing up we would read a different Christmas story each night in December. We would drive around the city looking at lights. This reminds me that the lights will be back on at the Mesa Arizona Temple this year. I can’t wait to see how they will look. We listened to and sang carols all month long and sometimes longer.

Last year for Christmas we gave our children memories. We had each family over individually for dinner and games. It was fun. I hope it will be something that they will remember for many years to come.

Maybe taking time to ponder can help all of us to slow down and enjoy the greatest gifts our Heavenly Father has given to us. It can By Lynne bring the joy of family and Tolman giving and remembering our Savior into the center of our holidays.

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