President John S. Tanner, along with his wife, Susan Tanner, brought to light the international nature of Christmas at BYU–Hawaii by showcasing part of Sister Tanner’s extensive Nativity collection at the Christ in Christmas devotional and lighting ceremony on Nov. 25. They also reminded students to make Christ the center of their Christmas celebrations.
Susan Tanner said, “I want to bear my witness to you that Jesus Christ is the light of the whole world. He is the Savior for each one of us, no matter where we come from or how we imagine Him in our minds and our hearts.”
Pres. Tanner explained, “What we wanted to do was put Christ in the center of our Christmas tradition. We have a wonderful tradition of lighting the tree for the community, and it’s sort of a ‘Santa Claus’ tradition… We still are doing that, but we want to make sure you know… Christ really is the center of Christmas.”
Susan Tanner explained how Christmas at BYUH is inevitably going to have an international twist, but at the center of every nation is Jesus Christ. “You in the audience represent a whole array of many nations. We really believe Christ is at the center for all of our nations. In fact, in the Living Christ, as it refers to Christ it says, ‘None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.’”
Pres. Tanner explained this is why the BYUH Nativity is in the center of the Flag Circle. “We have decided to put that in the Flag Circle so all the nations of the world will be around that manger. I like to think of this as the nations of the flags, which represent you and me, all coming together with Christ as the center. Christ is what brings us together and unites us in a gospel culture.”
Susan Tanner said whenever she visits a country, instead of buying souvenirs, she will try to find a Nativity representing that place. “I really love doing this because I feel like each country’s manger scenes represent their culture. Christ is universal, but in these little depictions, the Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus often will look like the people of that nation. Even the animals at the manger scene will represent animals of that nation.”
She showed 10 of her manger scenes, including an all-shell Nativity from Hawaii, and ebony Nativity from Tanzania, and a traditional olive wood Nativity from Israel.
Pres. Tanner said, “I love that because it’s a way the cultures embrace the story of Jesus and
Mary, and they translate that into figures that look like women, men, or babies they would see next door. I love the one from Bolivia. In the Palo Alto region, the women wear bowler hats, so Mary has a bowler hat. It’s quite charming because that is Mary the way they would see her. They are embracing the story and translating it into something they love and something that expresses who they are.”
He then asked students to consider how they worship the Savior and bring their unique cultural gifts and blend them with the gospel.
Pres. Tanner emphasized the importance of the message the angels gave to the shepherds, who said, “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
He explained how, “Sometimes we pass over the idea of ‘all people,’ and, in fact, ‘good tidings.’ The two words have interesting meanings. Good tidings can mean gospel or good news. Tidings is just an old-fashioned word for news. So, I bring you good news. That’s what gospel means: I bring you the gospel, which is a joyful message. Who will have that message? It will be to all people.
“When you think of the scope in The Living Christ where it says, ‘None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.’ That’s the message we want to stress today. The gospel is for all nations, all people, all tongues, all kindreds.
Students and community members then headed to the Flag Circle, where they joined together to count down to the lighting the lights around campus. A large, red Mele Kalikimaka sign above the McKay Building lit up the night, and lights of all different colors lit up nearly every tree on campus, all the way to the front of the school along Kulanui Street.
Three clubs performed Christmas songs in their native languages.
The Filipino choir sang “Bro, Ikaw ang Star ng Pasko” (The Star of Christmas), which they explained was produced after a particularly bad storm “as a tribute to the unsinkable Filipino spirit, influenced by our faith in the Savior. The song gives importance to light of hope that emanates from each one of us and from Jesus Christ himself, and, most importantly, the light He gives during our most trying times.”
The Mongolian choir sang “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
The Samoan choir finished the musical part of the devotional by singing “Sa i Iutaia o Leoleo Lelei” (Far Far Away on Judea’s Plains), “Na Oso Mai Mea e Ofo ai” (With Wondering Awe), and “Manuia le Kerisimasi” (We Wish You a Merry Christmas).
Susan Tanner challenged, “I hope that as we see these lights and enjoy their beauty, we will reflect on the light of Jesus Christ in our lives. I hope we will also reflect his light in our campus and our deeds and our thoughts, and that we will follow his light, and be a light to others.”
Writer: Haeley van der Werf