From YA Weekly
What a Christmas Disaster Taught Me About My Covenant Relationship
Stolen gifts and a new family tradition helped me realize the value of nurturing my covenant relationship with Heavenly Father.
Illustration by Stephen Neilsen
I grew up in American Samoa as one of 13 siblings. All of us lived in a small three-bedroom home in the village of Leone. Christmas was always special for our family—it was a time to reflect on the birth and Atonement of Jesus Christ and a time to serve and give.
One Christmas season, after working hard and saving up, my parents bought each one of us a gift and placed them under the tree. We were so excited!
But before Christmas arrived, my older brother woke us up one morning with devastating news: Every single present had been stolen. Someone had broken in during the night and taken them all.
From that heartbreaking experience, a new tradition was born. Every Christmas after that, we’d sleep around the Christmas tree to protect our gifts.
As funny and tragic as that memory is, it taught me more than to be cautious about Christmas gifts—it reminded me how important it is to safeguard and prioritize our covenant relationship with Heavenly Father.
A Reminder of Our Covenant Relationship
President Russell M. Nelson has often taught about the significance of covenants. He said: “Making a covenant with God changes our relationship with Him forever. It blesses us with an extra measure of love and mercy. It affects who we are and how God will help us become what we can become.”
Just as my family protected our gifts, our covenant relationship with Heavenly Father is the most valuable relationship we can have. We should treasure it. But how do we do that in a world full of distractions? Here are a few ideas that have helped me:
1. Establish Your Nonnegotiables
As a young adult juggling school, football, and dating at Brigham Young University, I often felt overwhelmed. That’s when I realized I needed to set “nonnegotiables”—priorities I would commit to no matter what.
Spending time with the Lord and focusing on Jesus Christ became one of my nonnegotiables. Every morning I have a scheduled time with the Lord where I unpack the scriptures and most recent general conference messages. This daily routine gives me small spiritual experiences and sets the tone for my day.
President Nelson said, “Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.” Prioritizing time with the Lord doesn’t remove life’s challenges or distractions—but it does help me face them with His strength.
As President Nelson also taught, “Yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.” When you establish your own nonnegotiables and prioritize your covenant relationship with the Lord, your challenges will become more manageable and you’ll have strengthening, spiritual experiences every day.
So what will your nonnegotiables be? How can you make sure to prioritize your relationship with God every day, every day, every day?
2. Put in the Spiritual Work
Setting nonnegotiables is just the start; we also need to do the spiritual work. Sometimes we know what to do—read scriptures, pray, attend church—but lack motivation. I’ve felt that way too.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “Faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power.”
When I find myself lacking the motivation to do the spiritual work, I pray for the desire and strength to act. And when I do, I notice that the gap between myself and the Lord closes. My covenant relationship with Heavenly Father, like any relationship, requires effort. It’s not a checklist but a process I nurture throughout my life.
3. Find Opportunities to Serve
As I strengthen my covenant relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the Spirit often guides me to serve others. That guidance further deepens my connection with God. The Spirit doesn’t wait for Christmas—we can serve daily in our homes, churches, and communities.
In a world full of isolation and disconnection, one of the best ways to feel more connected is by looking outside ourselves and serving others. As King Benjamin testified, when we serve others, we are serving Heavenly Father (see Mosiah 2:17).
When we become casual in our covenant relationship, we lose our ability to truly make a difference in the world. As Elder Bednar taught, “Every act of selfless service that we render helps us become more acquainted with the Master whom we represent and every act draws us closer to Him.” As we actively seek ways to serve, we not only bless the lives of others but also strengthen our own connection with Heavenly Father, reinforcing our commitment to our covenants.
Let Your Covenants Guide Your Life
Just as we protected our gifts, we need to protect and prioritize our covenant relationship.
Many of us face big decisions—about school, dating, careers, or missions. It’s easy to feel uncertain or inadequate. When I feel that way, I let my covenants guide me.
What do your baptismal and temple covenants say to do? What blessings has God promised you?
When you prioritize your covenant relationship, everything else begins to fall into place. President Nelson shared, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” And feeling the Savior’s love and joy is certainly the best Christmas gift we can receive.