Friend to Friend

He Wants the Best for Me

By Elder Hugo E. Martinez

Of the Seventy

“I know Heav’nly Father loves me” (Children’s Songbook, 228).

Illustrations by Glenn Harmon

When I was a child, I liked doing things my dad did. He worked as a doctor. I often went with him to the hospital, where I saw him help patients. Watching my dad made me want to be a doctor too.

One day I was walking into the hospital with my dad. Another doctor walked out. He saw me and asked my dad, “Is this your son?” My dad said yes. The doctor knelt to look at me. He asked, “What will you be when you grow up?”

I said, “I want to be a doctor, like my dad.” Then he replied, “Well, I hope you’re as good a doctor as he is.” But my dad said, “No, I want him to be better than me.”

That helped me realize that my dad really loved me. He wanted the best for me.

Years later I thought of that moment again. My wife and I were being taught by the missionaries. The missionaries asked me, “Do you believe that you can become like God?” I had never thought about it. But I thought, If Heavenly Father is actually my Father, He would want the best for me, like my dad did. He would want me to be able to become like Him. So I said to the missionaries, “Yes, I believe I can be like my Heavenly Father.”

The moment I answered, I knew what I said was true.

I want you to know that your Heavenly Parents love you very much. They want the best for you. You can become like Them.

All Grown Up

We are children of Heavenly Parents. We can grow up to be like Them. Baby animals grow up to be like their parents too. Follow the path from the baby animals to their parents.