The spirit of Christmas encourages us all to perform acts of kindness and service.

The joy of paying it forward and giving back to others has a profound impact on families and communities around the world, leaving a memorable mark on those receiving and a rewarding sense of love for those giving.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is doing its part this Christmas to encourage everyone to give in the form of acts of kindness as well as monetarily to make this holiday season meaningful, especially for those in need. 

The church's “Light the World” campaign is kicking off its eighth year this Christmas season.

The initiative provides shareable content online at lighttheworld.org for each day of December to encourage acts of service.

The initiative has grown to coincide with the church's Giving Machines that provide people worldwide with the opportunity to give to those in need.

The first Giving Machine was placed in downtown Salt Lake City in 2017 and this year there will be roughly 100 Giving Machines available worldwide to fulfill global needs for necessities such as groceries, clean water, child vaccinations and medical care, hygiene kits, farm equipment, education supplies and even livestock.

The Giving Machines nearest to Southeast Idaho will be at 55 W. Center St. in Logan, Utah (in the parking lot east of Great Harvest).

The three Logan Giving Machines will open Dec. 16 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with musical performances by Sadie Mortensen, Cristina Edlund and Robert Linton. The machines will then be available 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily until Jan. 1.

The common goal of the Light the World campaign and Giving Machines is to spread the true meaning of Christmas across the globe.

For many the holiday season is considered to be the hardest time of the year. Feelings of loneliness, financial struggles and other pressures can seem especially overwhelming.

The Light the World campaign and Giving Machines are great ways to spread kindness and hope this Christmas season.