Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

This past General Conference my family took the opportunity to attend a session in person at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. It was a great experience!  (I will say that we probably get more out of the talks sitting at home watching due to fewer distractions.  But there are other things that move and inspire when you're there in person.) We attended the Sunday afternoon session.  It was of course awesome the moment the prophet, President Monson, walked into the center to take his seat, all the hum of the masses of people immediately going silent as everyone stood to honor him. It was also interesting to see all the behind-the-scenes movement that doesn't make the screen at home.  I was especially appreciative of all the help that Elder Packer received as I have always enjoyed learning from him.

This morning I was revisiting his address from that session.  He, though sitting of necessity in a chair, stood as a strong witness that session, bearing an unwavering testimony through a voice physically weakening.  The part of his testimony that stood out to me was this:

"One eternal truth that I have come to know is that God lives.  He is our Father.  We are His children.  'We believe in God, the Eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.' (Articles of Faith 1:1)

"Of all the other titles that He could have used, He chose to be called 'Father.'  The Savior commanded, 'After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father who art in heaven' (3 Nephi 13:9; Matthew 6:9).  His use of the name 'Father' is a lesson for all as we come to understand what it is that matters most in this life. 

"Parenthood is a sacred privilege, and depending upon faithfulness, it can be an eternal blessing.  The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children can be happy at home."

 

The above reminded me of one of my favorite Mormon Messages, "Earthly Father, Heavenly Father."

 

The Parent-Child relationship is one I feel very strongly with God.  In all His Glory, He is approachable because I am His daughter and He loves me--and I know it.  President Uchtdorf said it so beautifully a few years ago, "This is a paradox of man:  compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God." 

My Heavenly Father's patient, personal, unfailing parenting of me is the perfect example for me to learn how to parent my children, who belonged to Him first.