It can be difficult to feel like our efforts are enough—especially when serving the Lord.
Recently, Elder Bednar posted on his Facebook page about how members can know when their work is acceptable to the Lord. In his post, Elder Bednar wrote:
One of the questions I often am asked is “How do I know my service is acceptable to the Lord?” The Savior has provided an answer that applies to each of us.
“Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.
“For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit” (D&C 97:8–9).
In the Lectures on Faith we learn about the important relationship between the law of sacrifice and our faith.
“Let us here observe that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. For from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It is through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life. And it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God.”
Sacrifice motivated by faith and hope produces increased commitment and a desire to obey. If we sincerely love God and are willing to make every sacrifice He commands, then we can have an assurance that our service is acceptable to Him.
And a missionary sent home three times from his mission for medical reasons gave the perfect response to Elder Bednar's post. Feeling like he had "disappointed God," this missionary received this inspiring revelation about how God truly felt about his service.
I have to agree with this. As someone who was sent home three time[s] from a mission, the third time being a week ago. It was hard and is still hard to know that my work and labor was accepted by the lord. I can't help feel like I've disappointed God but when I pray and ask I know that God is proud of me. I may not know why I was sent home three times. I thought this surgery would have worked and I would be able to complete my mission but the fact is I love God and I know I will understand some day why this all happened. I know Heavenly Father has accepted my work. Maybe this whole experience was just to show my faith and I'm so okay with that! From 2013 when I left on my mission till now 2017 it truly has been the best experience I've been [through]. Even at times if I feel like I've disappointed God, I know I can pray and ask in faith if I did my best to work as hard as I could to show my faith. I love this church!