"After All That Has Been Said" (Joseph Smith) - April 4, 2022

Spiritual Thought 

On a certain occasion the prophet Joseph Smith emphasized the importance of preaching the Gospel.  He said: "After all that has been said our greatest responsibility is to preach the gospel."  This statement serves as one of our latter-day calls to action and underscores the Savior's great commission given to his disciples.  However, in light of the experiences we have just participated in I would like to use first part of what Joseph said as the theme for this thought: "After all that has been said"

Twice each year the world is blessed by the opportunity to hear counsel and direction from living prophets and apostles.  This bi-annual event has long been one of the pillars of our church culture and tradition.  I wonder, however, if we sometimes lose the vision and grandeur of what is truly taking place?  Our blessing and privilege is to receive direction specifically for our day from a living prophet equal in calling and responsibility with the ancient scriptural prophets.  What a blessing!  This principle of ongoing revelation is one of the great truths restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.  Each conference weekend is a declaration to the world that "God does not sleep nor slumber".  That "he speaks, not spoke".  That the Savior of the World is extending his redeeming hand in this day.  That a Heavenly Father continues to guide his children today rather than leaving them alone and adrift in a sea of confusion and difficulty.  These are truths the vast majority of the world do not possess.  Relatively few people are blessed with such knowledge and instead face their individual journey without the light which is available to them.  There are many who have already and many more who will continue to sacrifice all that they have to unite with this Gospel and receive the guidance of a living prophet.  My fear, however, is that the import of these conference weekends is too often lost on those of us who are blessed to participate in them.  Do you and I focus more on the activities, food, and traditions, than on the word of revelation being delivered by a prophet?  Do we view this weekend as an interruption of our recreation or an opportunity to be taught at the feet of the Master?  After the conference ends do we ponder on the prophets words again?  If asked in the weeks or months following the conference could we tell what the prophet counseled us to do and how we have done so?  

It is something of a common joke to talk about sleeping through conference weekend.  I have heard it said that "conference sleep is the best sleep".  What a tragic outlook on this heaven sent opportunity!  If we had been blessed to hear counsel from King Benjamin would we have casually lounged in our tent and drifted off to sleep?  If we were part of the ancient Israelites would we, when Moses came down from Sinai bearing the commandments from God, would we have exclaimed "You really are slow of speech. Why couldn't the Lord called a more exciting speaker to lead his people? this is boring me."  Each of the lse examples seems ridiculous and even childish.  However, my concern is that if we sleep, literally or figuratively, through this weekend of prophetic guidance it will be no less tragic.  There are those who would sacrifice everything they have to be lead by a prophet and would surely weep to see such a blessing treated lightly or casually by us.

My invitation for each if us is to frequently study and ponder the guidance we have been given.  Return to these words again and again.  Apply them in our individual lives.  Treat them as the declarations of "Thus saith the Lord"  which they are.  As we do so my promise is that we will be blessed with a greater abundance of spiritual light.  We will be guided and directed through the storms of life.  That we will take full advantage of our latter-day blessings is my prayer.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Weekly Update 

Hello everyone,

Over the past three weeks I have had four different companies.  I started with Elder Morse in Clearfield.  Then we had an ET (emergency transfer) and I was companions with Elder Porter.  That lasted for one week then we had our official, mission-wide transfer.  I was made companions with Elder Anderson and moved to Bountiful.  Then, on Tuesday there was another ET.  I am still in Bountiful but am now with Elder Allen.  I am currently in my seventh transfer in the field.  Elder Allen is my ninth companion so I am now averaging more than one companion per transfer.  It has been a wild and exhausting few weeks but hopefully it will calm down now. 

Life in Bountiful is going great!  Elder Allen probably has the best Spanish in the mission so it is nice to be able to have him connect with people well.  We are teaching several promising people and are excited to see them progress.  

You may remember my story about the car last week.  Well, things have changed again.  Our car was given to another set of missionaries.  We are now covering all of Bountiful on foot.  It makes things a little more difficult but the Lord always provides a way.  

I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Payne

With Elder Anderson

The massive hill Elder Anderson and I rode our bikes up.  This doesn't do it justice at all.  If you know Bountiful at all this picture is taken close to the temple and it started by the Bountiful Tabernacle.  Sorry if that doesn't help anyone.

The deer at the top of the hill.

Entirely normal porch decoration.  I'm not sure how I feel knocking on doors with knives next to them.

There's a story behind this picture.  I'm not exactly sure why but the Spanish zones have decided I feel threatened by one of the ZLs in the North zone and have an inferiority complex with him.  His name is Elder Golden.  The truth is that I actually like Elder Golden and I don't know why people think I have an Alpha male complex with him.  Last week Elder Hammer (who I was comps with a couple transfers ago) sent a text that said "Luke Golden showed up to ZLC today riding a bike and wearing a short sleeve shirt and sunglasses"  I responded with "I feel like there's something strangely attractive about that".  Naturally I had to take my own picture on a bike in a short sleeve shirt and sunglasses.

I taught my first English class this week.  Luckily it was just the alphabet.

The pictures of the three temples that will be in this area.  These are in the visitor's center for the Old Testament Tabernacle.