JOEL - Mothers and wives in general are seldom mentioned in the Bible, although they are on certain occasions. The fact that there is no reference to a mother in heaven either in the Bible, Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants, is not sufficient proof that she does not exist. The idea of there being a mother in heaven is not new. Although the scriptures are quite silent on the concept it is evident that at least some of the early Christians knew that it was a possibility. Historians say that within one hundred years after Christ, as many as thirty splinter groups and separate denominations of Christians arose. Among these was a group called the Archontics, who taught the existence of a supreme mother in heaven. (Mark E. Peterson, “Salvation Comes through the Church,” Ensign, July 1973, 108)
Also interesting to note that early Catholic writers, who received their information directly from the Indians during the early days of the Spanish conquest, recorded some pertinent information which indicates that the Indians not only believed in a pre-mortal existence of man but also claimed that human beings had a father and mother in heaven. (Laurette Sejourne, Burning Waters-Thought and Religion in Ancient Mexico (London, 1956)
Most Christians and the Bible teach that all of us are children of God our Heavenly Father: "For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device." (Acts 17: 28-29)
And that we were begotten in His image:
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:" (Gen. 1: 26)
If we are the offspring of God, then He is literally our Father, which would imply that we might also have a mother as well. And if we are made in God's image, is it not feasible to believe that female spirits were created in the image of a "Mother in Heaven"?
In addition to this the LDS Church believes that we dwelt with him in a pre-earth life before we were born onto this earth with our mortal bodies. God asked the prophet Job:
"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"(Job 38:4, 7)
Who were all those sons of God who shouted for joy when God created the earth? It seems logical that these spirit children(offspring) are not born to a Father only. We are the offspring of Heavenly Parents. We lived in a family unit in the pre-existence. As one of our doctrinal hymns says:
“In the heavens are parents single?
No; the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason, truth eternal
Tells me I’ve a mother there.”
("Oh My Father", Eliza R. Snow, LDS Hymns, no. 139)
Sister Snow learned of the existance of a mother in heaven from the prophet Joseph Smith: "In 1916, David McKay, patriarch and father of a later prophet, shared with a Relief Society sister in Scotland memories of a long conversation with Eliza R. Snow he had when he was asked to take her by buggy from Huntsville to Eden, Utah. He had decided he "wanted information on some things that was not clear to my mind." "Did the Lord reveal that doctrine of motherhood in heaven to you?" he asked Eliza. He remembered her saying, "No indeed." Rather, the Prophet had taught the Relief Society sisters "many things that transpired in our Spirit home. . . . I got my inspiration from the Prophets teachings [and] all that I was required to do was to use my Poetical gift and give that Eternal principal in Poetry." (David McKay to Mrs. James Hood, March 16, 1916, photocopy of holograph, LDS Church Archives.)
In 1909 the First Presidency, under Joseph F. Smith, issued a statement on the origin of man that teaches that "man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father," as an "offspring of celestial parentage," and further teaches that "all men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity" (Smith, Joseph Fielding. "Mothers in Israel." The Relief Society Magazine 57 (Dec. 1970):883-87.)
We also believe that we are to gain eternal life; to advance and progress and become like our Heavenly Father. This means that we too must live in a family unit in the world to come. In other words, we must gain eternal family units of our own that are patterned after that of our Eternal Parents. This is the high and holy hope that the gospel holds out to both men and women. (Bruce R. McConkie, “Mothers in Israel and Daughters of Zion,” New Era, May 1978, 35)
Church members have often wondered, if we do have a mother in heaven, why don't we hear more about her in the scriptures?
Sister Patricia Holland, a past member of the Young Women's Presidency of the Church said:
"I have heard it said by some that the reason women in the Church struggle to know themselves is because they don’t have a divine female role model. But we do. We believe we have a mother in heaven.
I have never questioned why our mother in heaven seems veiled to us, for I believe the Lord has his reasons for revealing as little as he has on that subject. Furthermore, I believe we know much more about our eternal nature than we think we do; and it is our sacred obligation to express our knowledge, to teach it to our young sisters and daughters, and in so doing to strengthen their faith and help them through the counterfeit confusions of these difficult latter days." (Patricia T. Holland, “ ‘One Thing Needful’: Becoming Women of Greater Faith in Christ,” Ensign, Oct. 1987, 26)
Some sisters have even felt that if she is there, why would it not be appropriate to pray to her sometimes instead of the Father?
According to President Hinckley:
I speak of those who advocate the offering of prayers to our Mother in Heaven. I quote from (an) earlier address:
“This [practice] began in private prayer and is beginning to spread to prayers offered in some of our meetings.
“It was Eliza R. Snow who wrote the words: ‘Truth is reason; truth eternal / Tells me I’ve a mother there.’ (Hymns, 1985, no. 292.)
“It has been said that the Prophet Joseph Smith made no correction to what Sister Snow had written. Therefore, we have a Mother in Heaven. Therefore, [some assume] that we may appropriately pray to her.
“Logic and reason would certainly suggest that if we have a Father in Heaven, we have a Mother in Heaven. That doctrine rests well with me.
“However, in light of the instruction we have received from the Lord Himself, I regard it as inappropriate for anyone in the Church to pray to our Mother in Heaven.
“The Lord Jesus Christ set the pattern for our prayers. In the Sermon on the Mount, He declared:
‘After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.’ (Matt. 6:9)
“When the resurrected Lord appeared to the Nephites and taught them, He said: ‘After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.’ (3 Ne. 13:9.)
“And so I might continue with other specific instances from the scripture. Search as I have, I find nowhere in the standard works an account where Jesus prayed other than to His Father in Heaven or where He instructed the people to pray other than to His Father in Heaven.
“I have looked in vain for any instance where any President of the Church, from Joseph Smith to Ezra Taft Benson, has offered a prayer to ‘our Mother in Heaven.’
“I suppose those … who use this expression and who try to further its use are well-meaning, but they are misguided. The fact that we do not pray to our Mother in Heaven in no way belittles or denigrates her.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Daughters of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1991, 97)