God the Father

The Father of Our Spirits

One of life's great questions is "Who am I?" A beloved Primary song helps even little children answer this question. We sing, "I am a child of God, and he has sent me here." The knowledge that we are children of God provides strength, comfort, and hope.

We are all literally children of God, spiritually begotten in the premortal life. As His children, we can be assured that we have divine, eternal potential and that He will help us in our sincere efforts to reach that potential.

The Supreme Creator

Heavenly Father is the Supreme Creator. Through Jesus Christ, He created heaven and earth and all things in them (see Moses 2:1). Alma said, "All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44).

The Author of the Plan of Salvation

Our Father in Heaven wants us to dwell with Him eternally. His work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). In order to make this possible, He prepared the plan of salvation. He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to loose the bands of death and atone for the sins of the world: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). This sacrifice is the greatest expression of our Father's love for us.

Coming to Know God the Father

As children of God, we have a special relationship with Him, setting us apart from all His other creations. We should seek to know our Father in Heaven. He loves us, and He has given us the precious opportunity to draw near to Him as we pray. Our prayers, offered in humility and sincerity, are heard and answered.

We can also come to know our Father by learning about His Beloved Son and applying the gospel in our lives. The Savior taught His disciples: "If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. . . . He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:7, 9).

We draw near to God the Father as we study the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets and as we give service. When we follow God's will and live as He would have us live, we become more like Him and His Son. We prepare ourselves to return to live in Their presence.

See also Creation; Godhead; Plan of Salvation

—See True to the Faith (2004), 74–76

• "Knowing God"

  Bernard P. Brockbank, Ensign, July 1972, 121–23
  There is a great difference in believing or knowing that there is a God and in knowing God.

• "The Grandeur of God"

  Jeffrey R. Holland, Liahona, Nov. 2003, 70–73; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 70–73
  [Jesus Christ] came to improve man's view of God and to plead with them to love their Heavenly Father as He has always and will always love them.

• "Heavenly Father Has a Special Plan"

  Yoshihiko Kikuchi, Liahona, July 2000, 94–96; or Ensign, May 2000, 78–79
  You are a son or daughter of Heavenly Father. You were once in His holy presence. . . . Your Heavenly Father has a special plan for you and your family to return to live with Him.

• "The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost"

  Gordon B. Hinckley, Liahona, Mar. 1998, 2–9; or Ensign, Mar. 1998, 2–7
  I believe without equivocation or reservation in God, the Eternal Father. He is my Father, the Father of my spirit, and the Father of the spirits of all men.

• "The Pattern of Our Parentage"

  Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Nov. 1984, 66–69
  We are the children of God. That doctrine is not hidden away in an obscure verse. It is taught over and over again in scripture.

• "A Basis for Faith in the Living God"

  N. Eldon Tanner, Ensign, Nov. 1978, 46–49
  Belief in the fact that God exists is of first importance, but it is not all that is necessary in order to exercise an intelligent faith that will lead us back into his presence for eternal life with him.

Search Church magazines for content related to this topic.

• "God, Godhead"

  Guide to the Scriptures

• "God the Father"

  Encyclopedia of Mormonism
  (Please note that the contents of the Encyclopedia of Mormonism, a joint product of Brigham Young University and Macmillan Publishing Company, do not necessarily represent the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) 

• "Father in Heaven"

  Guide to the Scriptures

• "God"

  Bible Dictionary, 681–82

• "Our Father in Heaven"

  Gospel Principles, Chapter 1

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