Ultimate indicator of being accepted!

I am really out of sorts today.  I think because I have been sick, exhausted, and missing a good friend.  Even though we just had October General Conference my mind remembered my favorite talk from April Conference of this year.  It is called, "Being accepted of the Lord" by Elder Kopischke.  Here are some portions of that talk that I would encourage you to read.  They have really helped me!



"Alma counseled his son Helaman, “See that ye look to God and live.” The ultimate source of empowerment and lasting acceptance is our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  They know us. They love us. They do not accept us because of our title or position. They do not look at our status. They look into our hearts. They accept us for who we are and what we are striving to become. Seeking and receiving acceptance from Them will always lift and encourage us.

First, we need to know that our hearts are honest and broken. How do we know that? We begin by engaging in sincere self-reflection. The heart is the center of our feelings. As we look into our hearts, we screen ourselves. What no one around us knows, we surely know. We know our motives and desires. When we engage in sincere, honest reflection, we do not rationalize or deceive ourselves.

Second, we have to know that our spirit is contrite. The word contrite in the Oxford dictionary is defined as “feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong.” If we have a contrite spirit, we acknowledge our sins and shortcomings. We are teachable “concerning [all] things pertaining to righteousness.” We feel godly sorrow and are willing to repent. A contrite spirit is willing to listen “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.”

The third step to being accepted by the Lord is a conscious decision to observe our covenants through sacrifice, “yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command.” Too often we think that the word sacrifice refers to something big or hard for us to do. In certain situations this may be true, but mostly it refers to living day-to-day as a true disciple of Christ.

Seeking and receiving the acceptance of the Lord will lead to the knowledge that we are chosen and blessed by Him. We will gain increased confidence that He will lead us and direct us for good. His tender mercies will become evident in our hearts, in our lives, and in our families.

Having the Holy Ghost as our constant companion is the ultimate indicator of being accepted of God."

I love that last line!  My ultimate goal in life is to be accepted by my Father in Heaven and His Son!

No God, No Peace, Know God, Know Peace.

The last 2 weeks in particular I have been overwhelmed by the crime, depressing stories, and wickedness in this world.  I am trying to avoid the news, but I unfortunately have to read things at my police job.  One of the police officer's that I work with (who is not LDS) commented that he used to get dispatched to Mental subjects calls once or twice a month and now it is almost a daily occurrence, what is going on??? (I am sure there are even more calls in a larger city)

I worry about my future kids and what they will have to go through.  I worry about the porn surrounding us.  I worry about violence and language in movies and video games.  I worry about drugs and other addictive things. 

So this week I have been trying to figure out how to protect myself and family from all of that.  I realize I cannot keep us all at home all the time, so what have I come up with?

I cannot solve this.  The only person who can bring us peace and lasting happiness is the Savior!  Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty (I love the show for the humor and devotion to God) said it best.....

It is sad that our country, state, and cities are pushing religion out the door.  I believe that if we pray, study the scriptures, seek to do good, listen and watch uplifting things, and have a sincere desire to improve out relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus that we can survive all of these worries. That's all for now folks, just had to get that out!