God the Father is the Supreme Being in whom we believe and whom we worship. He is the ultimate Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. He is perfect, has all power, and knows all things. He “has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's” (D&C 130:22).
Additional Information
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
Scripture References
Church Magazine Articles
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In word and in deed Jesus was trying to reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in Heaven.
“The Grandeur of God”
“The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”
“The Pattern of Our Parentage”
Additional Study Materials
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"God, Godhead"
Guide to the Scriptures -
"God the Father"
Encyclopedia of Mormonism -
"Father in Heaven"
Guide to the Scriptures -
"God"
Bible Dictionary, 681-82 -
"Our Father in Heaven"
Gospel Principles, Chapter 1
