With Mother’s Day coming up, we’re so honored to bring you this conversation with McArthur Krishna about her new book, Mother in Heaven: A Gospel Topics Essay Study Guide.
The doctrine of Heavenly Mother is one of the most beautiful and distinctive Latter-Day Saint teachings—but for many, it’s still unfamiliar territory. McArthur and her co-authors created this study guide as an invitation to engage with this doctrine more deeply. Drawing on the church’s Gospel Topics essay, the book explores each point through art, rich personal reflections, and theological insights with contributions from many people whose names you may recognize—Patrick and Melissa Mason, Tom Christofferson, and Bethany Brady Spalding to name a few. What emerges is a beautiful tapestry of reverence, curiosity, and lived faith.
In this conversation, we explore how the simple truth that we are “beloved spirit children of Heavenly Parents” carries profound implications for how we understand the nature of God. It suggests that divinity isn’t solitary or hierarchical, but relational; we are not subjects of a distant king, but members of a divine family. And that shift transforms the way we see God, one another, and ourselves.
McArthur highlights how essential it is for women to have a divine role model and that becoming like Her means learning to use our agency with wisdom and courage. It means aligning with God, trusting the revelation we receive, and standing by it—even when it’s hard. As McArthur puts it, “sovereignty is how we begin to practice godhood.”
We hope that as you celebrate Mother’s Day this year, this conversation invites you to remember and honor our Heavenly Mother and embrace the truth that we are Her daughters and sons too, born with the divine potential to become like Her.
We’re so grateful to McArthur for her courage, vision, and voice.
For even more on these topics, check out:
And don’t miss McArthur’s episode on The Soloists podcast for even more on spiritual sovereignty!
You can read the LDS Living Article McArthur mentions here: ‘I don't understand, but I trust you’—how Pres. Nelson’s response to new perspective could help your ward
Heavenly Mother 101
We’re also pleased to be launching a new short video series with McArthur Krishna & Bethany Brady Spalding called “Heavenly Mother 101,” which we’ve included in our new Big Question: What do we know about Heavenly Mother? along with several other podcast episodes and resources for you on this important topic!
You can also watch a bonus conversation with McArthur & Aubrey, “Becoming Godlike is Now,” offered as a part of the Gospel Topics Essay Study Guide. It appears in the chapter "Highest Aspirations" and is one element of a broader collection of essays, artwork, and curriculum designed to foster deeper engagement with the Church’s Gospel Topics essay on Heavenly Mother.
Virtual Discussion of The Mother Tree
Join us on May 8, 2025, at 7 PM MDT for a discussion of the power of the Divine Feminine as we conclude our reading of The Mother Tree. Author Kathryn Knight Sonntag will share her thoughts on the increased relevance of her book in our current cultural moment. Participants will be able to offer their own insights and raise questions about the themes of the book during this live, virtual event.
“COME FOLLOW ME” RESOURCES
How can we find safety, peace, and holiness?
What does it mean that Jesus Christ is our advocate? What does it mean to stand in holy places? What is Zion, and how do we build it? Is the Church a sanctuary, or a school? How should we think about the Second Coming?
Imagining a Church where everyone feels truly welcome
How can we help others feel more welcome at Church? Can not knowing the Church is true be a spiritual gift? How can we appreciate a wider range of spiritual gifts? How should we think about Church history? How do we create Zion?
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HEAVENLY MOTHER IN WAYFARE:
COMING UP AT THE COMPASS:
Celebrate the launch of the newest Faith Matters book, learn about creating a Zion community, break bread with a leader in the Baha’i community, and hear Terryl Givens and Philip Barlow discuss the Big Question: Is Ours the Only True and Living Church?
Stay up-to-date with future Faith Matters events at The Compass by subscribing to our special Compass Events newsletter.
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