Christmas lesson on Service

I am right up to the very last minute with this lesson that I have been trying to prepare for weeks.  I have never had so many trials and things that have taken me away from preparing a lesson for any organization of the church.  This past month and a half have really been difficult ones for me and my family and one thing after the other keeps happening, and even up til today, more things have happened.  Have you ever felt like it wasn't just raining, but pouring? 

I have a testimony that gets me through even the most difficult challenges in life.  I know that my Heavenly Father is mindful of me and like the poem "Footsteps", He and my Savior, Jesus Christ, is walking beside me on my journey through life.  I beleive that Old Scratch, as my dad use to call Satan, tries to thwart every good thing from happening.  He has certainly bombarded me with everything he could possibly throw in front of me to make me stop my preparations for a message that he simply doesn't want spread.  Service is how we can feel better because the natural effect from giving service is joy.  Right now, I am feeling really good, because I know I have finally finnished, at the 11th hour, something that should make an impact on the Young Women of my ward.  I know how difficult this world is to live in and these young women need to have every tool the Lord has to offer, and understand how to use them to get them through these troubled times.  Service for me is the best drug off the market, and it has no alergic reactions, or detrimental effects.  But service produces a natural 'High" if you will, that leaves the giver as happy and the receiver. 

I'll stop rambling but before I leave this post, I will post my lesson in the event that any of you need a quick Christmas lesson.  I have also been sent several others from kind hearted women, that I will post as well, so hopefully from all of these ideas, you can find what you are looking for. 

As a bit of an explaintion, I selected all my picture stories out of the LDS Gospel Art Picture kit.  You can download them and print them off if you like, but you can purchase the kit, like I have online, or at any of the distribution centers.  It is so worth it as the pictures are lovely, and they even have a sumarized version of the story and scripture references that the picture has been created for.   For my handouts, I have the booklet that I have put up on the next post, and also a few other handouts.  Enjoy!  Katie G.