Fatherhood of God This is a cryptic phrase what does it really mean? In fact, its kind of a doozy of an assignment.

. It didnt seem so bad initially but when it came to finding material to utilize, it was a bit of a challenge. I ended up on rather a convoluted journey, so I ask for congregation to bear with me as I try to make it all fit. Ezra Taft Benson said the following: Fatherhood is not a matter of station or wealth. It is a matter of desire, diligence, and determination to see ones family exalted in the celestial kingdom. 1 When we think about fathers, we usually think of a male parent, someone who holds a parental relationship towards another person, a male ancestor, and originator or establisher of something, or even an elderly man, but fatherhood can be the state of being or doing any of these things. So who really is our Father in Heaven, and what do we actually know about him? Joseph Smith said that without the idea of the existence of the attributes which belong to God, the minds of men could not have power to exercise faith in him so as to lay hold upon eternal life.2 So without such knowledge we cant begin to have confidence in Heavenly Father, or His plan. So what can we actually say about Heavenly Father? In Hebrews 1:10-12 we learn that He was God before and after the world was created, and in 2 Nephi 9:20 we learn He possesses all knowledge. In Psalm 103 we learn that He is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering, and full of goodness. He is patient with our sins and imperfections. He does not change. He is a god of truth and cannot lie. He does not love any one of us more than another. He is the very essence of love. Alma tells us Heavenly Father is omnipotent. Deuteronomy states that He is completely just. This is echoed in Doctrine and Covenants 82:10. I, the Lord, am abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no bpromise. These are amazing and admirable qualities in any father, but there is more. He is a perfected immortal being and we are His children. George Q. Cannon taught the following doctrine: We descend from this Father. We are his offspring. We possess his attributes. It is true they are not developed, but we possess them; and He desires to lead us forward until will shall be like Him. This is the object of the Gospel.3

1 2

Ensign, May 1981, p. 36 Lectures on Faith 4:2 3 Gospel Truth, sel. Jerreld L. Newquist, 2 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 195774], 1:131

I believe this means that we latently possess those same gifts our Father possesses and He is trying to help us master these gifts through our mortal experience. He knows each of us intimately and can orchestrate events to bring about just that outcome if we allow it. Brigham Young said: I want to tell youthat you are well acquainted with God our Heavenly FatherYou are all well acquainted with him, for there is not a soul of you but what has lived in his house and dwelt with him year after yearWe are sons and daughters of celestial Beings, and the germ of the Deity dwells within us.4 Thats a reassuring and daunting concept. But it is one we teach in our doctrine continually. Consider the literature we promote throughout the church: In the Duty to God materials it states clearly to the young men of the church, You are a son of God. In the YW theme the first sentence states, We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love him. In the Relief Society declaration it reads, We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and in the Proclamation to World dealing with the family it reads, In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as the Eternal Father and accepted his plan If you examine the primary manuals and music, more than 50% of the material talks of our Heavenly Father and His love for us. So why do we struggle with the ideas inherent in the doctrine of a loving Heavenly Father? I suspect it is because like all precious family relationships, it is largely dependent upon communication. Our Father in Heaven will force no one to talk to him or even obey him. It is the central principle of his eternal plan Helaman 14:30. for behold, ye are bfree; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a cknowledge and he hath made you free. It is the one thing we actually possess throughout our existence our ability to choose how to exercise our will. He will never violate that right to choose. It is why Satan was cast out of heaven. One of my favourite hymns helps me to understand just who my Father in Heaven is. #240 Know This, That Every Soul Is Free 1. Know this, that evry soul is free To choose his life and what hell be; For this eternal truth is givn: That God will force no man to heavn. 2. Hell call, persuade, direct aright, And bless with wisdom, love, and light,
4

Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954], p. 50

In nameless ways be good and kind, But never force the human mind. 3. Freedom and reason make us men; Take these away, what are we then? Mere animals, and just as well The beasts may think of heavn or hell. 4. May we no more our powrs abuse, But ways of truth and goodness choose; Our God is pleased when we improve His grace and seek his perfect love. It is only natural that our ideas of the character of our Father in Heaven are influenced and shaped by the relationships we have with our earthly fathers. That is why it is so important to strive to have a healthy relationship with our fathers and for fathers to strive for the same with their children. Probably part of the reason we havent been blessed with mountains of material regarding our Father in Heaven is because we are expected to find out for ourselves as we come to know him and develop a personal relationship with him. I found some very enlightening accounts of our Heavenly Fathers love written by church members on mormon.org. One brother related the following: Prayer plays a significant role in my life. Daily prayer is my time to talk WITH, not just TO, my Heavenly Father. When I pray I have the opportunity to thank my Heavenly Father for the blessings which I have received from Him. This daily thanksgiving helps me realize what I really have. It helps me see through the clouds of negativity that overwhelm this world and realize the beauties, both great and small that surround me. Prayer also allows me the opportunity to counsel with my Heavenly Father. I can tell Him how my day has been and what my concerns and worries are. I can express to Him my needs. I can just talk. I can talk, and I know that He is listening. When I dont feel like I can turn to anyone else, when I feel alone, I know that He is there for me. He is my shoulder to cry on, or the arm to hold as I regain my balance. He is my support throughout the hard times and an excited listener throughout the joyous times. But it isnt just that I can talk to my Heavenly Father that makes prayer meaningful. When I pray I also have the opportunity to listen and to learn from the greatest teacher of all, the Almighty God of heaven and Earth! That being who has all knowledge and all power is my Father and your Father. We have access to Him! I can seek His advice, His will, His counsel and His understanding. Because I can pray, because my Heavenly Father lets me pray, I am never alone, and I am never lost. He is always there to listen and to help. He is always there to guide. He is always there to love, and prayer gives me greater access to that love. Yet another brother had this to say:

We come to know our Father in Heaven through scriptures and prayer. We learn of Heavenly Father through the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the inspired words of the modern prophets. Once we hear these words we pray to God to receive confirmation that the message is true, in the name of Jesus Christ. If they are true, the Holy Ghost will confirm the truth to us. This confirmation can be expressed in many ways, a burning in your chest, a sense of peace, a still small voice. Each person feels the Holy Ghosts presence differently. Through scripture study, pondering the messages, and prayer we can all grow closer to our Heavenly Father. So, if we cant truly have the faith to lay hold of eternal life without understanding who Heavenly Father is, as Joseph Smith said, how can we make sure were coming to know him? Ive had the opportunity to teach the Marriage and Family Relations course in Sunday School several times now, and its been interesting to see some recurring themes not only in the curriculum, but in the lives of the individuals Ive taught. Everyone struggles with communication. And most of the principles of healthy family communication also apply to how we communicate with our Father in Heaven. Marvin J. Ashton said the following in an article from the October 1978 New Era:5 Communication in the family will often be a sacrifice because we are expected to use our time, our means, our talent, and our patience to impart, share and understand. Too often we use communication periods as occasions to tell, dictate, plead or threaten. Nowhere in the broadest sense should communication in the family be used to impose, commandor embarrass. Thats a fairly blunt statement. And yet how often do we catch ourselves dictating our needs in a prayer? Or how often do we tell someone else what we want instead of trying to listen and understand. Elder Ashton quoted the writings of Jones Stephens: I have learned that the head does not hear anything until the heart has listened, and what the heart knows today the head will understand tomorrow. Think of how often we struggle with the answers our Father in Heaven gives us. Perhaps we are not allowing our hearts to listen so that our minds can comprehend what is intended. So, if we want to not only come to know our Father in Heaven more fully and strengthen our faith in His promised blessings, but to also become more like him in the way we treat our family here on earth, we would do well to pay heed to seven basic suggestions Elder Ashton offers. Please think about each of these points not only in terms of family communication but also in how we communicate through prayer with our Heavenly Father:
5

New Era, October 1978

1. Develop a willingness to sacrifice a willingness to prepare for the moment, the sharing moment, the teaching moment. One must we willing to forego personal convenience to invest time in establishing a firm foundation for family communication. 2. Have a willingness to set the stage the location, setting or circumstance should be comfortable, private and conversation conducive. 3. Be willing to listen Listening is much more than silence. It requires undivided attention. We should increase our ability to ask comfortable questions, and then listen intently, naturally. 4. Be willing to vocalize feelings Too often we are inclined to let family members assume how we feel. Too often we could have performed better had we known how family members felt about us and what they expected. Remember that silence isolates, and strained periods cause wonderment, hurt, and most often, wrong conclusions. 5. Be willing to avoid judgment. 6. Show a willingness to maintain confidences. Individuals who are blessed to have a relationship with someone to who they can confidently talk and trust are fortunate indeed. Our Heavenly Father always does that for us. 7. Be willing to practice patience. It takes courage to communicate patiently, but this is how faith is built. Job 6:25 states: How forcible are right words! What are the right words? How can you know which words are right. Consider this - there is a power in the spoken word. Verbal prayers are so much more powerful and heartfelt than the silent pleas of our hearts. Think what a difference there is between being told that you are loved and important versus having someone simply be kind and hope you figure out what their actions are saying. If you think about it, as we come to understand our relationship with Heavenly Father more fully, we can see what a powerful example it can be for our own relationships in this life. Our Father in Heaven desires nothing more than to have us attain the character and attributes that he shares so selflessly with each of us on a daily basis. As small children we accept and trust in that love so completely. We dont struggle in the least with the idea of a loving Heavenly Father. We accept it at face value and trust in it. It is only as we age and allow the awkward distance of the world to weigh upon us that we lose touch with that truth, and our communication falters in quality, quantity and scope. Think of the words of the 4th Psalm: 1.aHear me when I call, O God of my brighteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in c distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 7.Thou hast put gladness in my heart, 8.I will both lay me down in apeace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

It is my prayer that we will remember what a blessing that knowledge is for each of us and the power it can provide in the face of adversity and doubt. We are children of a loving Father in Heaven who would give us everything He possesses. He would have us become as He is. But we have to choose the path that leads to it. He cannot choose it for us. That is not who He is. He has carefully planned this mortal experience so that we can learn exactly how to choose for ourselves exactly what He holds in store for us is we will allow it. Let us learn to communicate with him so it can happen. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.