Surprising Reference of Heavenly Mother in the Book of Mormon

The belief in a Heavenly Mother is possibly one of the most distinctive beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s not just something that we wonder or hypothesize about. It’s a doctrinal necessity.
​
Based on our belief in the principles of exaltation, eternal marriage, and spiritual families, there’s no way that we couldn’t have a Heavenly Mother. In fact, according to revelation received by Joseph Smith, Heavenly Father could not be God without a Heavenly Mother.

However, as grateful as we are for the assurances we have received from modern prophets and general authorities, we long to see a hard reference to the Mother we know watches over us from above.

Well, as it turns out, the Book of Mormon may have a surprisingly clear and intriguing reference to Heavenly Mother.

I found the reference as I was doing a careful study of 1 Nephi 11.
​
It all starts with verse 18 where the Spirit of the Lord is teaching Nephi about Mary, Christ’s earthly mother.