McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding, renowned authors of LDS children’s books such as Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Courageous Women from the Bible and Our Heavenly Family, Our Earthly Families, introduce their groundbreaking project, A Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother. This book aims to empower young girls by providing them with a deeper understanding of their divine heritage and the vital role of Heavenly Mother in their lives.
The authors share their journey of creating A Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother, highlighting the inspiration and research that fueled their vision. Bethany’s ability to identify needs and McArthur’s lifelong connection to the concept of Heavenly Mother’s significance formed the foundation for this empowering guide.
Alt Text: Celestial Bodies artwork by Allen TenBusschen, depicting a spiritual representation of Heavenly Mother.
The Genesis of a Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother
McArthur recalls a pivotal moment at age 12 when the concept of a Mother God resonated deeply. This realization reorganized her world, influencing major life decisions from adolescence to adulthood. This profound understanding led her to seek environments that honored her worth and soul. With this personal conviction, she joined Bethany to create a book that would offer the same guiding light to girls and women everywhere.
The authors recognized a pressing need for a resource that specifically addresses the importance of Heavenly Mother. They believed this book was essential for girls, boys, families, and the world at large. Building upon their previous work, Our Heavenly Family, Our Earthly Families, they sought to create something that truly captured the power and efficacy of our Heavenly Mother.
Crafting a Guidebook: Research and Inspiration
Facing the challenge of conveying complex concepts in an accessible way, Bethany was inspired to create a guidebook. Drawing from their shared love of travel and the usefulness of guidebooks in exploring new places, they envisioned a format that could share information in an engaging and flexible manner.
Despite living across continents—from rural India to Richmond, VA, Bhutan, Australia, South Africa, and Greece—Bethany and McArthur collaborated using technology to bring their vision to life.
Their process began with extensive research, gathering quotes from prophets, apostles, and female church leaders. They aimed to ground the book in solid doctrine, avoiding mere conjecture. The sheer volume of information they uncovered was astonishing.
Alt Text: Cover of “Our Heavenly Family, Our Earthly Families” book, featuring artwork that celebrates diverse and inclusive families.
Dispelling Myths and Unveiling Truths About Heavenly Mother
The authors challenge common misconceptions surrounding Heavenly Mother, such as the notion that She is too sacred to discuss, that there isn’t enough information about Her, or that church leaders discourage discussion about Her.
They highlight the existence of the LDS church’s gospel topic essay on Mother in Heaven and point to the most frequently downloaded article from BYU Studies, “A Mother There,” which contains over 600 quotes about Heavenly Mother from historical church leaders. Their own research yielded numerous recent quotes from prophets, apostles, and female church leaders, many from General Conference. To make this information more accessible, they partnered with www.SeekingHeavenlyMother.com, a website dedicated to compiling research on the topic.
Inclusivity and Empowerment Through a Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother
Creating A Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother was a complex undertaking. The authors were mindful of the book’s potential impact on diverse individuals, including single women, families of different structures, and LGBTQ individuals. They strived to be inclusive, true to doctrine, and share revolutionary concepts of Heavenly Mother in a way that resonates with young girls.
The book is specifically tailored to girls, acknowledging the unique aspects of being a woman through the lens of Heavenly Mother. While the doctrine is important for everyone, the authors believe it is particularly vital for girls to understand their divine destiny.
Alt Text: “Makua” artwork by Esther Hi’ilani Candari, showcasing Heavenly Mother’s nurturing and loving nature.
Celebrating Diversity Through Art
The authors recognized the importance of diverse artistic representations of Heavenly Mother. They sought to avoid a single, canonized image and instead showcase a wide range of styles, looks, and ethnicities. Their goal was to ensure that girls from all over the world could feel that they were made in Heavenly Mother’s image.
They recruited twenty-seven artists from around the world to contribute their talents. The artists’ visions of Heavenly Mother are rich, varied, and powerful, depicting Her as a creator, a welcoming Mother, a teacher in the pre-mortal life, a Queen, and a Female Master of the Universe.
Holding the completed book for the first time was an emotional experience for McArthur, representing a culmination of years of dedication.
Alt Text: Close-up image of A Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother book, emphasizing the visual appeal and artistic diversity within.
A Blessing for All
McArthur Krishna and Bethany Brady Spalding hope that A Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother will bless the lives of all who read it. The book is available for purchase at https://dstreetpress.myshopify.com/.
The success of A Girl’s Guide to Heavenly Mother led to the creation of Boys Guide to Heavenly Mother, authored in collaboration with Martin Pulido. This companion book features different text, activities, art, and quotes, tailored to the unique perspectives and needs of boys.
List of Contributing Artists
Allen TenBusschen, Ashmae Hoiland, Ben Crowder, Caitlin Connolley, Claire Tollstrup, Courtney Vander Veur Matz, Esther Candari Christiansen, Heather Ruttan, J. Kirk Richards, Jenedy Paige, Joumana Borderie, Kathy Peterson, Katrina Berg, Kwani Povi Winder, Laura Erekson, Lisa DeLong, Louise Parker, McArthur Krishna, Melissa Kamba Boggs, Michelle Franzoni Thorley, Michelle Gessell, Normandie Shael Luscher, Paige Anderson, Rachel Hunt Steenblick, Richard Lasisi Olagunju, Sherron Valeña Crisanto, Sopheap Nhem, Susana Silva.
