We are all children of our Heavenly Father. In the pre-existence, we lived as spirit children of God and developed personalities and talents. God presented a plan for us to gain earthly experiences and become like Him. We would accept challenges and overcome trials through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Satan rebelled against this plan. Our knowledge that we are God's children should influence us to follow His teachings.

1. Our Heavenly Family
Gospel Principles Lesson 2
2011-02-06

2. We are children of our Heavenly
Father
✤ What do scriptures and latter-day prophets teach us about our relationship to God?
✤ Not only our ruler and creator, but our Heavenly Father.
✤ “Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to
maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in
a temporal [physical] body” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F.
Smith [1998], 335)
✤ Every person born on earth is our spiritual brother/sister.
✤ Because we are spirit children of God, we inherit his divine potential
✤ The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the instrument by which we can achieve this
divine potential and exaltation.

3. How does your knowledge that you are a child of
God influence your thoughts, words, and actions?

4. We developed
personalities and talents
while we lived in heaven
✤ Prophets prepared themselves
for their roles on earth (Alma
13:1-3, Abr 3:22-23
✤ Joseph Smith taught that
“every man who has a calling
to minister to the inhabitants of
the world was [fore]ordained
to that very purpose”
✤ We always retain agency to
choose to accept or reject any
opportunity to serve

5. ✤ We were different from one another in the pre-existence
✤ sons and daughters (male/female) ((see “The Family:
A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102)
✤ different talents and abilities
✤ called to do different things (patriarchal blessings)
✤ Veil covers our memories, but Heavenly Father knows
and remembers us. He chooses the right time and place
for us to get the experiences that will most help us and
do the most good with our talents and personalities.

6. Our Heavenly Father presented a
plan for us to become like Him
✤ How does earth life prepare us to become like Heavenly Father?
✤ Knew we could not progress unless we left Him for a time.
✤ Wanted us to develop the godlike qualities He has. What are
some?
✤ Plan of Salvation. How did this phase work?

7. The Council in Heaven
✤ Plan laid out. Abr 3:24-26, D&C 132:19-20, John 18:37
✤ Experiences both good and bad are needed. D&C 122:7-8
✤ All but little children would sin (D&C 29:46-47).
✤ If we allow them to, trials will purify us rather than defeat us.
✤ Teach us endurance, patience, charity.
✤ Satan rebelled over the plan, lost his first estate

8. ✤ Additional Scriptures
✤ Hebrews 12:9 (God is the Father of our spirits)
✤ Job 38:4–7 (premortal life implied)
✤ Abraham 3:22–28 (vision of premortal life)
✤ Jeremiah 1:5 (vision of premortal life)
✤ D&C 29:31–38 (vision of premortal life)
✤ Moses 3:4–7 (spiritual and temporal creations)
✤ 1 Corinthians 15:44 (spiritual and temporal creations)
✤ D&C 76:23–24 (begotten sons and daughters)
✤ D&C 132:11–26 (plan for progression)