"To Prepare to Meet God" (Alma 34:32) - April 25, 2022

Spiritual Thought 

Many people throughout history have asked the same soul-searching questions.  No matter the year in which these individuals have lived or the location they have called home each person has shared the same concerns and sought the same answers.  I am confident each person who has ever lived upon this earth has at one time or another wished for a deeper understanding of who they are and the reason for their own mortal experience.  Perhaps nothing unites the entirety of the human family more than this fundamental question.  The answers and explanations have varied greatly based upon time period and location.  However, this search for purpose and knowledge has been unchanging through time and has always pointed upward toward our Heavenly Father.

One of the multitude of blessings received from the restored Gospel is knowledge and eternal truth on this very topic, our purpose in mortal life.  If asked by someone not of our faith what the purpose of our life is I am confident the majority of members of this church would respond with an answer such as "to receive a body", "to have a family", "to learn", "to find joy", or "to progress".  Each of these answers is certainly true.  As with many topics, the Book of Mormon provides greater light on this subject.  In Alma 34 we find perhaps the most succinct and direct explanation of our mortal experience: "This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God."  Simply stated, our purpose in mortality is not only to prepare to return to our Heavenly Father and to be like Him when we do.  Such an achievement will be impossible for each one of us in mortality.  The great truth of this Gospel, however, is that we possess the spark of divinity within us.  To borrow a phrase from Brigham Young, we are Gods in embryo.  

The purpose of this life is so significantly greater and grander than we often remember.  We are instructed to have our own family because that is the defining and most cherished characteristic of our Heavenly Father.  We are here not just to learn, but to learn how to be more like our Savior.  We are not here simply to find counterfeit joy in a few fleeting moments of superficial happiness.  Rather, we are here to qualify to receive true joy, the kind our Heavenly Father embodies and is our divine destiny.  We do this through learning to rely on the Joy of the World.  

My prayer is that you and I will lift our eyes above the mundane routine of our lives.  As we do so, may we recognize this life and each experience which accompanies it for its true purpose: "to prepare to meet God".  My invitation is that we resolve this very day to strive a little harder to not only prepare to meet God, but to be like Him when we do.  Surely nothing could bring greater fulfillment than to stand before our Heavenly Father and have him see a reflection of Himself in our face.  That this may be our goal and that our Savior Jesus Christ may be our greatest guide along the path of mortality is my prayer.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Weekly Update

Hello everyone,

Well, I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is that Nagdine's baptism was rescheduled for May 21st.  The good news is that Edgar accepted an invitation to be baptized on May 7th.  In case you don't remember, Edgar is the sixteen year old the YSA missionaries found and we started teaching a few weeks ago.  He is such a special young man.  He told us this week that whenever we have a lesson he reads what we asked him to read the same night.  He thought he was not allowed to read more than we asked him to, so he told us sometimes he fans the pages just to try and see what some of the other books are named.  We very quickly told him to please read as much as he would like.  He was excited and started reading in 1 Nephi 1 that night.  Edgar also asked us how you go on a mission and if he could do it since he was not born in the church.  We explained the process to him and he told us he wants to be a missionary someday.  I am excited to see his progression and watch him bring those around him closer to the Savior, even before he serves a mission.

On Tuesday I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Burgoyne.  It was so fun to be companions for the day.  That evening we were in a trailer park and met the funniest kid.  His name was Jordan and we met him after he ran us down on his scooter.  When I say he ran us down I mean it.  He started yelling "Elders" at us from probably five hundred yards away and he must have been doing at least fifty on his scooter.  When he caught up to us, which took about half a second at Mach 3, he immediately started telling us the most random and entertaining stories.  My personal favorite was the one about the time a kid punched him after school and Jordan punched him back then had to run 17 miles to get away from the cops that started chasing him.  After a few minutes Elder Burgoyne and I started heading back to the car so we could leave but there was a small playground by the parking lot.  Jordan challenged us to see who could swing the highest, told us how to jump over a park bench (he had to do that while running from the cops), and how to thicken our skulls in case a sniper ever shoots at us (you have to hit your head against something medal for three hours every day).  The funniest part though was when he wanted to show us the Monkey Bars.  I have to do exact quotes for this one:

Jordan: "Do you want to see a trick?"

Me: "Sure"

Jordan: "Okay, hold my gun"

The funniest part was after we got in the car Elder Burgoyne said "I feel like I just met a younger Elder Hammer."  That's a pretty good description!

We have transfers again next week.  I've decided to stop making predictions because I'm always wrong.  I don't know where I'll be  but I will be sure to let all of you know next week.

I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Payne

In front of the Layton temple.

 The sunset was absolutely amazing.

Holding Jordan's gun so he could do the monkey bars.

Entirely normal decoration in Elder Burgoyne's house.  He would get along with the people who keep scissors and knives by the door.

With Elder Burgoyne 

Elder Holdaway (who I trained six months ago) baptized this man.  I happened to run into him.

I've decided to join the Masons.  Why?  Because that's my path to success, money, and power.

Yes, I have started eating toast with hot sauce on it.

There was a meeting the five of us had to go to the same day my district Temple trip was scheduled.  We decided just to have my district go earlier then we went together after the meeting.  From L to R: Elder Saunders, Me, Elders Anderson, Burgoyne, and Rawson.

In front of the Layton temple again.

Amazing Mexican food that was left on our doorstep.

The stairs into the creepy bathroom in our chapel.  It feels like I'm about to be sacrificed or attacked by psychotic clowns every time I go down there.

This week the STLs came to our District Council to make us feel bigger.