Know Who You Really Are
Regardless of where we are on our path of discipleship, our lives will fundamentally change if we better understand who we really are.
Several years ago our daughter had a profound experience on her mission. With her approval, I share an excerpt of what she wrote to us that week:
“Yesterday a returning member asked us to come over as soon as possible. When we arrived, we found her on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Through the tears, we found out that she had lost her job, was going to be evicted from her apartment, and once again become homeless.”
Our daughter continued: “I started frantically searching my scriptures, trying to find something—anything—to help her. As I was looking for the perfect verse, I thought, ‘What am I doing? This is not what Christ would do. This is not a problem that I can solve, but this is a literal daughter of God who needs my help.’ So I closed my scriptures, knelt beside her, and held her while we cried together, until she was ready to stand up and face this trial.”
After this woman was comforted, our daughter then used the scriptures to try and help her understand the reality of her divine worth and to teach her one of the most fundamental truths of our existence—that we are beloved sons and daughters of God, a God that feels perfect compassion for us when we suffer and is ready to assist us as we stand back up.
It is insightful that the first point of doctrine that our missionaries teach is that God is our loving Heavenly Father. Every subsequent truth builds on the foundational understanding of who we really are.
Susan H. Porter, Primary General President, taught: “When you know and understand how completely you are loved as a child of God, it changes everything. It changes the way you feel about yourself when you make mistakes. It changes how you feel when difficult things happen. It changes your view of God’s commandments. It changes your view of others and of your capacity to make a difference.”
This change is illustrated as we read about the experience Moses had when talking with God face-to-face. During that conversation, God repeatedly taught Moses of his divine heritage, saying, “Moses, … thou art my son.” God explained that Moses was in the similitude of His Only Begotten. Moses came to understand clearly who he was, that he had a work to do, and that he had a loving Heavenly Father.
After this experience, the adversary came tempting him and immediately addressed him by saying, “Moses, son of man.” This is a common and dangerous tool in the arsenal of the adversary. While our Heavenly Father consistently and lovingly reminds us that we are His children, the adversary will always try to label us by our weaknesses. But Moses had already learned that he was more than a “son of man.” He declared to Satan: “Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God.” Similarly, when we are confronted with the challenges of mortality or when we feel like anyone is trying to label us by our weaknesses, we need to stand strong in the knowledge of who we truly are. We must seek validation vertically, not horizontally. And as we do, we too can boldly proclaim, “I am a child of God.”
In a worldwide devotional for young adults, our beloved President Russell M. Nelson taught: “So who are you? First and foremost, you are a child of God, a child of the covenant, and a disciple of Jesus Christ. As you embrace these truths, our Heavenly Father will help you reach your ultimate goal of living eternally in His holy presence.”
It is no coincidence that in likely the most repeated scripture, God reminds us of our relationship with Him. Of all the names He could be identified by in the sacrament prayer, He has asked to be called “God, the Eternal Father.”
As we come to truly know who we are, we will believe more strongly that our loving Heavenly Father has provided a plan for us to return to live with Him again. Elder Patrick Kearon taught: “Our Father’s beautiful plan, even His ‘fabulous’ plan, is designed to bring you home, not to keep you out. … God is in relentless pursuit of you.” Think about that for a moment—our all-powerful, loving Father is in “relentless pursuit of you.”
Regardless of where we are on our path of discipleship, our lives will fundamentally change if we better understand who we really are. May I suggest two ways in which we can deepen this understanding.
First, Prayer
As the Savior was beginning His mortal ministry, he was led into the wilderness to “be with God.” Perhaps we should shift our mindset away from simply saying our prayers to taking sufficient time to really commune with and “be with God” each day.
I have found that the quality of my prayers improves as I take a few minutes to prepare to talk to my Father. The scriptures show us that this is a pattern that works. Whether it is Joseph Smith; Nephi, the son of Helaman; or Enos, all have some form of pondering and reflecting prior to their recorded communication with God. Enos said that his soul hungered as the words of his father sunk deep into his heart. Each of these examples teaches us the need to spiritually prepare for our time each day to “be with God.”
To the Nephites, the Savior instructed, “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father.”
Whether it is in a closet or a bedroom, the principle is to find a place where you can be alone to pray, to allow your soul to be still, and to feel the promptings of the “still small voice.” We can prepare by pondering on the things that we are grateful for and the questions or concerns that we would like to bring to our Father. We should strive not to have a rote manner of prayer but to talk with our Father, out loud if possible.
I realize that in the chaos of our lives, when we are wrestling with toddlers or running between meetings, we may not have the luxury of quiet closets and thoughtful preparation—but those silent, quick, and urgent prayers can be much more meaningful when we have made an effort to “be with God” earlier in the day.
There may be some who haven’t prayed for a long time or others who haven’t felt that their prayers are being heard. I promise you that your Heavenly Father knows you, loves you, and wants to hear from you. He wants to communicate with you. He wants you to remember who you are.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland recently taught: “However much you are praying, pray more. However hard you are praying, pray harder.”
In addition to increasing the frequency and fervency of our prayers, studying the Book of Mormon daily and worshipping in the temple will help prepare our minds for revelation. As we strive to improve our communication with our Heavenly Father, He will bless us to feel more profoundly that we are His children.
Second, Come to Know That Jesus Is the Christ
The greatest manifestation of Heavenly Father’s love for us as His children is the reality that He sent His Son, our own personal Savior, to help us come home. Therefore, we need to come to know Him.
Years ago, while serving as a stake president, I submitted a recommendation for a brother to serve as an ordinance worker in the temple. After explaining what a wonderful ordinance worker he would be, I inadvertently pressed “Do not endorse,” which submitted the recommendation. After unsuccessfully trying to recall the message, I called the temple president and said, “I have made a horrible mistake.” Without hesitation, this good temple president said, “President Eyre, there is nothing that you have done that can’t be forgiven and ultimately corrected.” What a great truth. Indeed, Jesus Christ is “mighty to save.”
In 2019 there was a profound change in the temple recommend questions. Previously, one question asked if you had a testimony of Jesus Christ’s role as Savior and Redeemer. It now asks if you have a testimony of His role as your Savior and Redeemer. Jesus Christ’s Atonement not only works for others; it works for you and for me. He is my Savior. He is your Savior. Individually. Only through Him can you and I return to be with our Father.
So, brothers and sisters, let us seek Him. Let us study His divine relationship with the Father and with each of us. Let us experience the song of redeeming love that comes personally to each one of us through our Redeemer as we repent. As we come to know “him who is mighty to save,” we will come to understand that we, as children of God, are His joy—His most important focus—and we are indeed each worth saving.
I testify that we have a loving Heavenly Father. As we come to know this eternal truth through mighty prayer, personal revelation, and coming unto Jesus Christ, we can now and always boldly proclaim, “I am a child of God.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.