Talk - Our Self Value

Adam was asked to give a lesson to Tuggeranong Ward's Priesthood last Sunday based around Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk "You Matter to Him" from the Oct 2011 General Conference. I also had to give a Sacrament Meeting talk in Woden Ward that same afternoon. The talk developed out of the lesson, but when it came to give the talk, time was short, and I had to pare it down.  Having said that, both the lesson and talk went really well. This is the talk I gave, rather than the full talk I prepared.




Elissa and I were discussing about Tim Tebow, a Quarterback in American Football who has gained current notoriety in the USA for his regular public prayers on the field during NFL games. Elissa was reading an online debate where people were criticizing his actions, some for, many against, and some making the comment that if God existed why would God bother to listen to his prayer, suggesting that that prayer itself was evidence of arrogance that God would listen to you.

This athlete’s actions are interesting in his polarizing example. Whether we agree with how he does it or not, of more importance is to note that firstly, he has an understanding that he can talk to his Father in Heaven through prayer, and secondly, that he is willing to do so. Of his detractors, it was interesting to note that they failed to understand our relationship with God, and why therefore, he is interested in us. And that’s not a collective us. Heavenly Father’s interest is not just in mankind as a whole, but an interest, and tender, Fatherly love for each of his children. He is interested in and loves Brother East even with all my faults. He is interested in and loves Bishop Abel, in Sister Keanan, in Brother Sorensen, in Sister Howe, in every single one of us. Why? Because of our relationship with Him.

Please reflect - If I was to ask you what is your relationship with Heavenly Father, what would your response be. [There is a difference between our Relationship TO Him and our Relationship WITH Him - need to understand the first and have the second] Would you give me a Sunday School rote answer? Would you give me an intellectual response about him? Would you be unsure? Would you tell me about the times that you have talked with him, and how you have seen his hand in your life? Would you share with me the tender mercies that he has bestowed upon you in your times of trial?

I testify to you, that God indeed lives and loves us. Each one of us are his sons and daughters. He created our Spirits. He knows us individually. We are all literally children of God, spiritually begotten in the premortal life. As His children, we can be assured that we have a divine, eternal potential and that He will help us in our sincere efforts to reach that potential.

For those of us who have been blessed with children, we gain a small glimpse into Heavenly Father’s life as we see our own children grow and learn. Many times when they are young, we will know what they are going to do in certain situations. I can tell you perfectly that when presented with an opportunity to do whatever they wanted for an hour, my son will want to go and play Lego Star Wars on the computer, my eldest daughter will attempt to read, dance and then draw, in that order, and my youngest daughter will want somebody to play make believe games with her, probably about being Hermione from Harry Potter. If nobody will play with her, she’ll want to watch TV. I can also tell you that when the sugar amazingly disappears over several days from the sugar container in the pantry that my eldest daughter has been wetting her finger and sticking it into the packet of sugar and then sticking it into her mouth ... repeatedly. I can tell you she will also deny she does this if you ask her about it. [Pause] If we with our imperfect knowledge can get to know our children well, how much more, can Heavenly Father, know us, his young children, knowing that He is not limited by the many things that restrain our understanding,. Just as he spake to the prophet Jeremiah - Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee. (Jeremiah 1:5)

Compared to our Father in Heaven, we are spiritually young. In the Pre-mortal life he has watched over us, nurtured us and gotten to know us far better than even we understand ourselves. This relationship to us, of caring, loving and watching over us, has not changed, even though we are physically separated from him whilst in mortality. My earthly parents live in Albany, WA, and I do not have the opportunity to physically see them often. Despite this physical separation, their love and care for me has not diminished. Their desire to help me has not diminished either. Unfortunately, their capacity to physically help me is diminished by distance. This is an attribute that they don’t share in common with Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly Father created this world for us. It is the work of his hand and it obeys him. In addition, Father in Heaven when not physically with us, enlists us, when we follow his will, to take on the role of assisting our fellow brothers and sisters in accomplishing Heavenly Father’s will. Heavenly Father’s love for us, and his capacity to help us, are not lessened by our current physical separation from him. {Repeat} Heavenly Father’s love for us, and his capacity to help us, are not lessened by our current physical separation from him.

Heavenly Father’s plan for us, the Plan of Salvation, is wonderful. It is perfect, and provides the opportunity for all of us to be blessed. 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.

This is the initial step in strengthening our relationship with our Father in Heaven. Sincere prayer. It’s an interesting thing to reflect upon and to evaluate how sincere your prayers are. It’s been something we’ve been trying to teach our kids. My children’s prayers currently oscillate between a standard rote prayer – I’ve almost memorized them word for word, and a shopping list of things they want. I’ve been encouraging them to do more thanking of Heavenly Father, to get them to realize the blessings they have. Sometimes, as I kneel with them at bedtime I encourage them to offer just thanks to Heavenly Father – a prayer of gratitude. I’m encouraging them to learn to look for blessings. Sometimes, we don’t see Heavenly Father’s hand in our lives, because we’re not looking for it. {Repeat} Sometimes, we don’t see Heavenly Father’s hand in our lives, because we’re not looking for it. When we stop and take the time as Moroni encourages (Moroni 10:3-4) to reflect, to ponder and then pray, we will see evidence of Heavenly Father’s love all around us. This will strengthen our relationship with Him. The Father-child relationship turns from a theological or intellectual understanding, to a personal, spiritual reality.
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. Again, as we begin to see the Heavenly Father’s will being done around us, we begin to understand and see as he sees. We develop greater charity towards our fellow man. We learn to view from an eternal perspective, rather than the short-sighted perspective of man. Once again, our Father-child relationship with Heavenly Father becomes a reality.

What of this relationship? What does it mean to you? We are here to become like Heavenly Father. The potential within us is beyond our Earthly comprehension.

Elder Uchtdorf  stated “We need to realize that we matter to Heavenly Father. God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.” Recognise that no matter what our trials may be, with us and Him, nothing is impossible. This life time is but a test and trial, and the doubts and tribulations we face here will not endure with us into the eternities.
The invitation to us then is to recognise our potential. See yourself as your Heavenly Father sees you. As his child. See him as he is – your loving Father. Know that he loves you. Know that he wants to help you. Know that he feels the same of every single person that you see around you, no matter how proud or discouraged they may be. As you see this, you will recognise Heavenly Father’s will that you are the one to reach out to those around you. Let them see you carrying the Holy Spirit and the joy of the Gospel in your life. Let them know of your relationship with Heavenly Father.

I know that God lives. I know that he loves every one of us. I know that we can see his hand in our lives as we pause and take the time to look for them. I know that He has restored His Church today on the Earth, to help each of us to reach our potential as His sons and daughters. May we so realise and reach that potential within us, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.