The sad pattern of lack of trust in God has persisted since the Creation.

The words of confirmation into the Church are an invitation: Receive the Holy Ghost. And that choice must be made not once, but every day, every hour, every minute.

We . . . have to open our mouths and bear testimony.

We can with confidence set a goal to make this Christmas brighter than the last and each year that follows brighter still.

. . . the enemy of righteousness also works in little steps, so small that they are hard to notice if you are thinking only about yourself and how great you are. Just as truth is given to us line upon line and the light brightens slowly as we obey, even so, as we disobey our testimony of truth lessens almost imperceptibly, little by little, and darkness descends so slowly that the proud may easily deny that anything is changing.

Invest time that will compound forever.

With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can watch over ourselves. We can pray to recognize and reject the first thoughts of sin. We can pray to recognize a warning not to speak words which would hurt or tempt someone else. And we can, when we must, pray for the humility and the faith to repent.