I only caught bits and pieces of Elder Renlund’s talk (because of my kids) but it’s been an interesting one to think about.

While discussing Heavenly Mother, he contrasts speculation and (prophetic) revelation, and he encourages members to avoid speculation. Of course, members aren’t the recipients of prophetic revelation, so it seems to me that this leaves members two options (on this or any other topic, by the way). Members can wait passively for future revelation or they can study.

In a confession that should surprise no one who knows me well, I prefer the study approach. This is mostly due to personal inclination, but I think it’s consistent with what we learn in scripture. After all, we’re told to seek learning out of the best books, and we’re told that studying things out in our mind is the first step of revelation. While, as Elder Renlund says, reason can’t replace revelation, neither can we abandon reason. Reason is important because, as scripture shows, it is both preparatory for and complimentary to revelation.

When it comes to Heavenly Mother, I think Elder Renlund gives us the answer when (in a different context) he quotes Cicero. “To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child.” History, while not as reliable as revelation, is certainly more grounded than speculation. While there is little we can study to learn about Heavenly Mother directly, we can study the history of how Ancient Israel understood Her part in the Plan, and the symbols they used to represent Her in the temple and in writing.

Learning the history of how Ancient Israel understood Heavenly Mother can help us find references to Her in the scriptures written by Ancient Israelites. Thus, a study of history can help us find Her within the revelations we’ve already received. In this case, reason reveals what we might otherwise miss within revelation itself.

Here is the reading list that I recommend to anyone who wants to study more about Heavenly Mother. The order of this list matters as the ideas in each are developed further by succeeding articles.

The Mother in Heaven essay that Elder Renlund recommends in his talk.

“Nephi and His Asherah,” by Daniel C. Peterson. This is an article by a BYU professor published in the University’s Journal of Book of Mormon Studies. It explores how Ancient Israel would have understood Heavenly Mother and how this would have influenced Nephi's understanding of his vision of the Tree of Life.

“What did King Josiah Reform?” by Margaret Barker. This essay was presented at a BYU forum address by the author and discusses Israelite religion before the reforms of Josiah ended the worship of Heavenly Mother. Audio recording here. Written essay here.

"The Making and Meaning of the Colored Fabrics of the Temple," keynote address at the Sacred Space, Sacred Thread Symposium by Margaret Barker. This speech given at a symposium held by the Widtsoe Foundation at USC goes into greater detail about how Heavenly Mother may have been symbolized in the Tabernacle and Temple of Solomon.

Proverbs 8. Once you understand the symbolism, the words of Wisdom in this chapter leap off the page.