American way of life - Our Blessings!

Interestingly since living in Europe I've always been thankful for America and how we live. The spaciousness of our country, the ability to move around state to state without having to get papers or approval to do so. Our ability to have relative peace in our lives, free from dictator style oppression with mass murders because we disagree with a leader whether elected or not. No worries of a coup from the military or a rouge general regardless what Hollywood would make us believe. Basically, we are free to live, travel, explore or not and worship or not as we see fit. Sure there are safe guards built into our government through federal and state laws that provide for order and general safety for all. So that one person(s) cannot take unfair advantage of another person(s) without some type of justice that satisfies the Rule of Law! Is America perfect no! Can we accept that change has and will take place yes!

So why the diatribe above? This past week I attended a conference that was put on by our state law enforcement folks on issues that may and do affect us here in the US. What struck me as significant was having these experts who have lived in these foreign countries explain the history of why these trouble spots are so volatile and why we need to be aware of these areas of the world. When they explain that for many who live in these areas violence and starvation, age old hatreds created by well meaning people or governments or some times created by self serving and in I believe in some cases "Evil" people will never go away. No matter what we do as a nation or as a people. Many for these people have had conflict all of their lives. They understand what it means to truly survive day to day.

So this morning I commented to Grammy how fortunate we are that we don't live in Russia with the corruption that according to Business weekly tells of the issues IKEA is having with local regulators. She said doesn't it make you wonder how out of all of God's spirit children we were chosen to live in America. Then during Gospel Doctrine we talked about the Priesthood in D&C 84 and why those who accept the Priesthood have certain obligations to use it righteously for the blessings from Heavenly Father to take hold. So how do we that have this blessing in our lives come to have it. It's because we have been selected or "of the elect" of Heavenly Father to be here at this time. What an awesome responsibility and trust! Makes me wonder when the time comes to meet him again what will he ask us of the trust and the "Talents" he gave us while we lived in America. What good did we do while we had the opportunity? Did we say kind words to others? Were we nice to others? Etc.

I wonder?