~ Brian K. Ashton, Second Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency said in his talk, ‘The Father’, October 2018 conference…
“For her entire life, my wife, Melinda, has tried with all her heart to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Yet, beginning in her youth, she felt unworthy of Heavenly Father’s love and blessings because she misunderstood His nature. Fortunately, Melinda continued to keep the commandments in spite of the sadness she felt. A few years ago, she had a series of experiences that helped her better understand God’s nature, including His love for His children and His gratitude for our even-imperfect efforts to do His work.
She explains how this has influenced her: “I now feel sure that the Father’s plan works, that He is personally invested in our success, and that He provides us with the lessons and experiences we need to return to His presence. I see myself and others more as God sees us. I am able to parent, teach, and serve with more love and less fear. I feel peace and confidence rather than anxiety and insecurity. Instead of feeling judged, I feel supported. My faith is more certain. I feel my Father’s love more often and more deeply.”1 see below
Having “a correct idea of [Heavenly Father’s] character, perfections, and attributes” is essential to exercising faith sufficient to obtain exaltation.2 A correct understanding of Heavenly Father’s character can change how we see ourselves and others and help us to understand God’s tremendous love for His children and His great desire to help us become like Him. An incorrect view of His nature can leave us feeling as if we are incapable of ever making it back to His presence.
My objective today is to teach key doctrinal points about the Father that will allow each of us, but especially those who wonder if God loves them, to better understand His true character and to exercise greater faith in Him, His Son, and His plan for us.
. . . .During mortality, Heavenly father provides us with the conditions we need to progress within His plan. The Father begot Jesus Christ in the flesh 14 and provided Him with divine help to fulfill His mortal mission. Heavenly father will likewise help each of us if we will strive to keep His commandments.15(scroll down for more verses) The Father gives us agency. 16 Our lives are in His hands, and our “days are known” and shall not be numbered less” 17 And He ensures that eventually that all things work for the good of those who love Him.
. . . .Brothers and sisters, we can trust in and rely upon the Father. Because He has eternal perspective, Heavenly Father can see things we cannot. His joy, work and glory, are to bring to pass our immortality and exaltation.53 Everything He does is for our benefit. He “[wants] our eternal happiness even more than we do.”54 And He “would not require [us] to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for [our] benefit or for that of those [we] love.” 55 As a result He focuses on helping us to progress, not judging and condemning us. 56
~Brian K. Ashton is Second Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency. For his complete talk see ‘The Father’
Notes
- Notes in possession of the author; see also D. Melinda Ashton, “The Holy Ghost: Direction, Correction, and Warning” (Brigham Young University Women’s Conference, Apr. 28,2016), byutv.org.
