All Sons Amp; Daughters Live

[Jenine Killebrew]

Aloha, my brothers and sisters. It is a blessing for me to be with you in this beautiful place. This is a wonderful setting in which to feel the Spirit. Every location and gathering in which the Spirit of the Lord is sought and welcomed is a beautiful place.

What a blessing for each of you to attend, work, or serve at a university that has been established by the Lord to bless His children, advance His work, and extend His Kingdom upon the earth. In addition to receiving a fine education, there is another reason for you to be at BYU-Hawaii. The preparation you receive here is critical to the designs of the Lord. It will strengthen your spiritual and secular foundation for future service in the Kingdom.

I heard Elder Neal A. Maxwell once say:"The Lord always performs multiple outcomes with a single transaction" . Your experience here, if you apply yourself and take advantage of the abundant opportunities for growth, will bless countless others throughout your lives: your own posterity, and the cumulative hundreds of people with whom you will associate and among whom you will live. You will be as the leaven spoken of by the Savior in Matthew 13." The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." Who knows the extent to which your testimonies will influence others - not only by your formal expression of what you know to be true, but also by the visual testimony of your thoughts and actions, your service and devotion to our Heavenly Father's children, and by your steadfastness and love of the Lord and this marvelous work and a wonder in which we are anxiously engaged.

I live in St. Anthony, Idaho. It is a small town near the metropolis of Rexburg, Idaho, where BYU-Idaho is located. Both of these places are within an hour's drive of the majestic Teton Mountains. On the western side of the Grand Teton - the tallest peak in that area at over 13,760 feet (4166.66 meters) - is a smaller peak called Table Mountain or Table Rock. It is 11,000 feet (3352 meters) in elevation. The main trail to get to the top is about 11 miles (17.7 kilometers) in length. It is a popular hike - especially for those who are in good physical shape. Many years ago, I went on this hike with my wife and two of our children, along with several ward members. It was beautiful, but challenging for me. It was especially difficult when, on our descent not far from the top, my wife sprained her ankle. It was a long way back for her, and for me. I remember telling her, when we arrived at our vehicle, that if I ever wanted to hike Table Rock again, she should remind me of how tired and sore I was at that moment. Just for the record, I did hike Table Rock again. It was still difficult for me and I was tired and sore for a few days afterward. But I was so happy that I did it.

I have thought about that, and other hikes, which I have taken. I know that completing a difficult hike brings satisfaction and is very enjoyable, especially when one has prepared for the hike by being in good physical condition, having the proper equipment, provisions, and knowledge of how to get where you want to go. Having a well-defined trail which has been traveled by someone else in the group is also helpful.

I believe hiking Table Rock, or participating in some other difficult expedition or task is similar to our life's journey. There are times when you wonder if you can actually make it to the end of the trail. There are times when you may want to give up. Pushing ourselves to do more than we want to do, or feel capable of doing, is a key element for success in completing our journey, but it requires a great deal of work and determination on our part - and very often, help from others.

If you would be kind enough to allow me to share with you some of the feelings of my heart, I would like to speak to you about the greatest journey of all - the journey of becoming a son or daughter of God. I will discuss why knowing we are children of God is so important, what it means to be a son or daughter of God, and how we can attain that wonderful relationship and lineage. If the Holy Ghost is present with us today, with you and with me, we will all learn something very valuable.

One of the important truths of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is the knowledge that we are spirit children of our Heavenly Father - sons and daughters of God. The scriptures teach of our literal relationship to Him. The Apostle Paul taught the Greeks that "we are the offspring of God" (Acts 17:29). To the Hebrews, Paul asked this question: "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live" Heb. 12:9)? In Psalms we read: "Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High" (Ps. 82:6).
In the book, True to the Faith, we are taught of our spirit relationship to Heavenly Father.

"You are a spirit child of Heavenly Father, and you existed as a spirit before you were born on the earth. During your life on the earth, your spirit is housed in your physical body, which was born of mortal parents" (p. 164).
We are all familiar with the beloved Primary song that illustrates this truth: "I am a Child of God." The hymn, "O My Father" , includes this important line:

I had learned to call thee Father, through thy Spirit from on High,
But until the key of knowledge was restored, I knew not why.
In the Heavens, are parents single? No, the thought makes reason stare.
Truth is reason, truth eternal, tells me I've a Mother there.

We are all related. Our common ancestor is not only Adam, but also Heavenly Father. Knowing that we are literally spirit children of Heavenly Father can have a powerful influence on how we conduct our lives and relate to each other. This knowledge should also improve the quality and sincerity of our prayers as we realize that He with whom we speak, ask, plead, listen, and share our most heartfelt thanks, is our loving Father. HIs love for us is divine. He wants us to succeed more than we do. He helps us in countless ways, and sent His eldest spirit child, Jesus Christ, to make it possible for each of us to return to His presence. Knowing who we really are should help drive away discouragement and feelings of despair. With few, if any, exceptions in my life, whenever I have needed strength or comfort, I have been able to access that help through prayer to my Heavenly Father. We are taught in the "True to the Faith" book:

You are a literal child of God, spiritually begotten in the premortal life. As His child, you can be assured that you have divine, eternal potential and that He will help you in your sincere efforts to reach that potential (p. 74).

President Boyd K. Packer has taught: "What could inspire one to purity and worthiness more than to possess a spiritual confirmation that we are the children of God? What could inspire a more lofty regard for oneself, or engender more love for mankind" (Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled , p.292)?

Primary children sing: "I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know who I am. I know God's plan. I'll follow him in faith" (Children's Songbook # 77). What a tremendous encouragement to live faithfully is the knowledge of who we really are!

In addition to being spirit children of Heavenly Parents there is another important meaning for the phrase, sons and daughters of God. This lineage does not come by direct inheritance, but by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and by our choice. The great Book of Mormon prophet and writer, Mormon, wrote this interesting verse in connection with his teachings about charity:
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that you may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen" (Moro. 7:48).

It is not enough to be a spirit son or daughter of God, though that is vital to our spiritual progression and hope for eternal life. Mormon taught that we may become the sons (and daughters) of God. The use of the word, "may" , indicates possibility, permission, right, request, or even a wish (Microsoft Encarta Dictionary). There is more to being children of God than spirit genetics.

Jesus Christ is often referred to as God and as Father. Sometimes members of the Church may be confused about the use of the name/title God, and the composition of the Godhead. We know that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are the members of the Godhead. The scriptures are clear that the Father and the Son are separate and distinct beings with bodies of flesh and bone (D&C 130:20). Of his First Vision, the Prophet Joseph Smith recorded, "I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other - This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him" (JSH 1:17)! The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit and is separate and distinct from the Father and the Son. Each member of the Godhead has the title of "God" (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p.53). Just as we refer to each member of a stake or mission presidency as "President" , we may use the title "God" , when referring to the members of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Each member of the Godhead is a God. Jesus, or Jehovah ("the covenant or proper name of the God of Israel" Bible Dictionary, p. 710), is the God of the Old Testament - the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is in reference to Jesus, that Jacob, son of Lehi and brother of Nephi, exclaimed, "O how great the goodness of our God" and "O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel" (2 Nephi 9: 10, 19). Speaking of Jesus Christ as "God" does not diminish our respect for the Father, but helps us realize the authority and power resident in the Savior, knowing that only a God has power to resurrect all men and atone for the sins of mankind.

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