In a Facebook message posted on December 8th, President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency said:
As we look forward to possible Christmas gatherings of our families, we need to remember the cautions we have been given to reduce the exposure to COVID-19. The Oaks family takes those cautions very seriously. For example, here is how Kristen and I had Thanksgiving dinner “with our family.”
Many members in the comments section praised President Oaks in following the guidelines and restrictions that have been placed on social gatherings during this nationwide pandemic. One Facebook comment said:
This makes my heart happy. We sacrificed and did it with only our children this year and it turned out to be a special experience. I think that the Lord is present in a special way in our lives to fill many voids during this season.
One trend in the comments though that was hard to see was the amount of widows who had lost their spouses and were unable to spend time with their children this year due to Covid-19. One elderly Facebook user said:
I wouldn't mind that at all if my husband was still alive to be with me. We lost him in January, my son in June, and my son_law in October. This has been a hard year. I need to be with my family.
Truly this has been a trying year for so many people. As we continue to follow the examples of Church leaders and continue to do what we feel is safe for our family and loved ones, we will be able to overcome the trials that 2020 has placed upon us.
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