"Remember Lot's Wife" (Luke 17:32) - December 27, 2021

Spiritual Thought

While teaching a multitude on one occasion the Savior offered the second shortest verse in all of scripture: "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32).  These three short words teach a profound lesson on how we are and are not to face change and progression in our lives.  During the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his family were commanded to flee the city.  Included in this instruction was a charge to not look back.  However, as this family was escaping this wicked city she violated this charge, she turned back and looked.  Upon doing so the scriptures say she was turned into a pillar of salt.

Considering the eternally patient and empathetic nature of our Savior I do not believe this punishment was the result of merely looking back.  I am confident the Savior fully understood the sacrifice this woman and her family were being asked to make.  They were leaving all they knew and loved, their home and livelihood, to wander in the harsh desert.  Rather, I am confident that the judgment of our Savior was because Lot's wife looked back longingly.  She longed not only to return to her home but to return to the lifestyle of Sodom.  She looked back doubting the plan the Lord had laid for her and longed to return to a wicked and degenerate state.  Metaphorically speaking, Zion lay before her while she longed to return to Babylon.

At this time of year in which many of us possess increased motivation to change and progress, may I ask that each of us do exactly what the Savior counseled: "Remember Lot's wife".  In particular, may we remember the reason her action was wrong and resolve to not repeat her mistake.  The past should be learned from, not lived in.  As we begin a new year may we choose to look forward to all things the Lord has instore for us, rather than longing to return to days past.  I invite each of us to choose to develop a deeper more personal relationship with our Savior during this new year.  Let us make 2022 the year in which we gained the greatest witness of who our Savior is and view him not only as a distant, redeeming figure, but as our closest and most constant friend.  As part of this personal relationship I pray we will access the power of his greatest gift to us as we repent of our past mistakes.  In addition, may I ask that we allow those around us to repent of their own mistakes.  If something has been fully repented of and has been forsaken in the past then leave it there.  If the Savior of the World himself, he who made repentance and forgiveness possible, has said in mercy "thy sins be forgiven thee" then who are we to hold on to the past mistakes of others or ourselves?  I fear that if we continue to hold grudges or without forgiveness after full repentance then we may have committed the greater sin. 

I promise that as we resolve to press forward with faith to this new year we will receive the help of our Savior at every turn.  He is anxious to assist and reward any good effort.  Indeed, it is for this reason that he sacrificed his own life.  I testify of his atoning sacrifice which makes such progression possible.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Weekly Update

Hello everyone,

Christmas is always a wonderful time of the year and this one has been no different.  We were able to eat dinner with a family on both Christmas Eve and Christmas.  We were very grateful for both families kindness and generosity.  The one part of Christmas that confused me was that the direction from Pres. Johnson was to eat our meal, talk to our families, then carol for the remainder of the day.  For the sake of impressing the significance of this on all of you, let me make sure you know that our day ends at 9 in the evening.  This means that we were supposed to carol for six to nine hours.  I have never been the biggest fan of caroling.  I find it to be awkward and uncomfortable for all involved.  However, I also know there are some who find great joy in standing in the cold in their pajamas while a group of uninvited guests performs an unpracticed and out of tune rendition of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" the instant the instant the door is opened.  Typically it would be seen as socially unacceptable to sing to someone without allowing them to speak.  In the name of caroling, however this is entirely acceptable.  Nonetheless, I was prepared to set my own opinions aside for the sake of one or two hours of doorstep performance.  As I learned more of how long we were supposed to enjoy this cherished tradition I could feel my level of anger rise exponentially.  I was very concerned that I would say rude things or even physically assault an innocent bystander if I was forced to sing "Silent Night" for the seventh straight hour.

Tender mercies really do happen though.  Someone called and asked us to help them move.  I don't fully understand why they chose to do this on Christmas but I and about thirteen other missionaries were more than willing to replace some caroling time with this new project.  We were still left with about three hours of caroling but it could have been much worse.

We have transfers again tomorrow.  I can't believe that it has already been six weeks in Syracuse.  Elder Arce and Elder Gray are being made APs.  I am very excited for them and know they will do great things.  If the decision had been mine to make I would have chosen both of them.  I will be changing areas once again.  I will now have had a new area every transfer for the past three transfers in a row.  I am staying in Spanish and will be in Clearfield.  My companion is Elder Hammer.  I am excited to see what this transfer has in store.

I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Payne

We were practicing extending a baptismal invitation to Daniel and Yerli.  Elder Ditto was the missionary and I was Daniel for the role play.  We decided we needed Yerli as well so this is what we came up with.

On exchanges with Elder Kolberg.

Elder Ditto saw a full stack of pancakes on the menu and thought he could eat it.  He bet Elder Arce a meal that he could do it.  Then they brought the pancakes out and he realized they were each about the size of our bike tires.  There were three and he barely was able to eat one of them.

We had an end of transfer celebration dinner with the ZLs and STLs.  From L to R: Elder Arce, Elder Gray, Sis. Hill, Sis. Berkabile, Elder Ditto, Me.

Elder Ditto made Santa Claus pancakes on Christmas Eve.

I thought mine kind of looked like Africa if you turned it upside down.  The only problem was that Elder Ditto forgot to add Madagascar.  Don't worry though, I fixed that.

What a Peruvian Christmas dinner looks like.