I shared this on my personal Facebook page in July and wanted to share it again here on my blog.

I believe this about each and every person that I meet: that we are daughters and sons of God (a Heavenly Father, and also a Heavenly Mother). It is truly the most powerful identity I possess. When I went through the temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and received an ordinance called the endowment several years ago, part of the ordinance discussed my potential to become like my Heavenly Parents and included a promise that, in essence, if I lived a good life according to the knowledge I had received and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I could become a queen and a priestess in the eternities. Men are similarly instructed in the temple that they have the potential to become kings and priests, to continue forever to hold the priesthood to bless and unite their families jointly with their wives someday. Not everyone has the opportunity to get married during mortality. Not everyone has a spouse who has treated them well or a spouse with whom they could build their lives together, and not everyone will want to take a spouse. But the ordinance gives a promise that there will be a fair opportunity either during or after mortality to partake fully in this ordinance in a way that is ennobling and worthwhile. And we learn that this blessing will certainly be extended to everyone who has ever walked the earth (which is why we do ordinance work for dead ancestors who “didn’t have the fullness of the Gospel” in their lifetimes).

Whatever your faith background may be, it can be difficult sometimes to see ourselves as Heaven sees us, rather than as we perceive that the world or others see us, or the narrow ways we sometimes view ourselves. We are so loved by our Heavenly Parents who want us all to succeed and return to their presence. Life hurts many times, and it’s often filled with confusion and uncertainty. But we can strive toward our eternal potential as we live righteous lives by working to do what we know is right, seeking wisdom and understanding in our choices for dealing with others and the vicissitudes of life, keeping integrity, repenting by accepting consequences and making amends when we do something we shouldn’t, forgiving others, and approaching others with kindness, respect, dignity, and edification.

I love you all very much. You are of far greater worth than you know, and I’m grateful to have crossed paths with each of you. Happy Sabbath!

Here is the LDS meme I linked to on my social media: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/inspiration/theme-meme-you-are-a-daughter-of-heavenly-parents?lang=eng&fbclid=IwAR0U0kTsvYmU40sDs2bP9qqT9z8fVAmtSa0zaUlwgNJ6zfpgbTsThjDAwsI