Last week I mentioned several things that I pulled from our Stake Conference talks, one being that God knows each of us personally and by name. 

I really love the musical movie "Fiddler on the Roof".  Throughout the story, Tevye talks to God.  As he's walking, as he is confronted with a problem…as he deals with each of his life experiences, both good and bad.  As I watch this interaction, I am impressed with what I see as someone who has a comfortable relationship with his Heavenly Father.  We are told to pray always, in public and in secret.  To me, this means that there must be someone on the other end that is listening to me, Helen.

Today in Gospel Doctrine, we discussed the creation of the world.  In the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, God reveals himself to Moses and Moses is transfigured in order to endure His presence, or glory.  Moses witnesses the glory of God and the glory of His creations.  In Chapter One, verses 27 – 28 it reads:

27 And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, and even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the spirit of God.

28 And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore.

I have a finite mind and can't always comprehend these kinds of numbers.  But what I do take from this is that each of His creations, both of the earth and on the earth, are known by our Heavenly Father.  Later, in verses 37 – 39, God explains more about His creations:

37 And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: the heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.

38 And as one earth shall pass away,and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

The worlds that He has created are many…they are numbered unto Him, for they are His…as are we, His children.  If He numbers and knows the heavens he has created, wouldn't it make sense that He knows each of us, BY NAME, for we are His? 

I am grateful to know that my Heavenly Father knows my name.  Tevye asked if it would spoil some vast eternal plan…if he were a wealthy man?  What it didn't propose is that the relationship he had with God made him a wealthy man indeed.  For our knowledge of God's love and for knowing His purpose, we who believe are the wealthiest of all the inhabitants of this beautiful, glorious world that He created.