What is it that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe? My family originally belonged to a different denomination, but upon studying the teachings within the Mormon church, chose to be baptized. This article begins a series of sharing official beliefs active members hold. These beliefs were originally articulated in response to a request from John Wentworth, a newspaper editor clear back in the 1800s. Joseph Smith responded and that response is now formulated in what is known as "The Articles of Faith."

1st Article of Faith: We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

TERMS THAT MATTER
Believe.
Abram, in Genesis 15:6, believed in the Lord. And the Lord counted it to him for righteousness. Belief in the Godhead can be an elevating and transformative experience. For example, as one draws closer to the Lord in prayer and humble scripture study, there is a spirit of truth that begins to sanctify the individual and brings peace, even in the midst of societal turmoil. It is a most cleansing experience. And one in which the Spirit guides us to. The Spirit of love is how God functions, never through contention or animosity or expressed hatred.

God the Father.
We believe in God the Father. He is our Father in Heaven. Jesus Christ prayed to and went to His Father (as in Mark 14:33-36 and John 20:17), as should we. From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's website, it states: "God the Father is the Supreme Being in whom we believe and whom we worship. He is the ultimate Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. He is perfect, has all power, and knows all things." Stephen, in the New Testament, while being murdered, looked up and saw Jesus Christ at the right hand of God. God is our Father, and we can trust in Him. We learn of Him and His Son through studying the scriptures.

Jesus the Christ.
We believe in Jesus Christ. He is the Savior, the Redeemer, and our Friend. From the church's website: "Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of God. He is our Redeemer. Each of these titles points to the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can return to live with our Heavenly Father.

"Only by His mercy and grace can anyone be saved. In the future Jesus Christ will return to reign on earth in peace for a thousand years. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He will be our Lord forever." Again, we learn of our Friend, Redeemer, and King by studying His word in the scriptures.

The Holy Ghost.
From the church's website: "The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit, without a body of flesh and bones. He is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter. The Holy Ghost works in perfect unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, fulfilling several roles to help us live righteously and receive the blessings of the gospel." We can learn of the Spirit's role by, again, studying the scriptures.

The Godhead is perfectly united to bring "to pass Heavenly Father's divine plan of salvation." For this I am most grateful. In fact, it is why I worship on Sundays and seek to serve others. It is why my goal is to never say unkind things to or about others.

I'm so grateful for the grace of Jesus Christ and for the redemption offered me through Heavenly Father's plan; this is indeed why I seek to love others and to help lift another's burden any way I can.