Many people believe in or at least wonder about the existence of a supreme power or being. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe firmly in the literal existence of that Supreme Being, whom we call God. He is the Being we worship and revere as omnipotent and omniscient.
As Christians, we believe in the Godhead, which is comprised of God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. However, unlike many other Christian denominations who believe that these three members are part of one ethereal entity, we believe that the members of the Godhead are separate beings united in purpose rather than form. We also believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ both have glorified physical bodies, and that our own bodies are created in God’s image.
One of the most fundamental and dearly-held convictions of Latter-day Saints is that God is our Heavenly Father—the Father of our spirits and the Creator of our bodies. As such, we believe that He loves us infinitely and desires our eternal happiness. We each have, as part of our divine heritage, the potential to progress and become like Him. It is with that goal in mind that we believe He created the earth and authored the Plan of Salvation, in which mortality is a crucial component of our learning and growth. We seek to follow that Plan by coming to know God, obeying His commandments, and striving to attain His attributes.
Just as we develop earthly relationships through communication and active service, we can come to know God as we speak to Him in prayer and hear His words in the scriptures, in the counsel of latter-day prophets and apostles, and in the quiet promptings of the Holy Ghost. We can also see His influence in the miraculous complexity and beauty of the world around us. Furthermore, as we strive to be obedient to His commandments, we come to recognize His love and wisdom in a personal way.
The Latter-day Saint understanding of the nature of God is rooted in beliefs about the Restoration of the gospel, which began with the prophet Joseph Smith and continues through revelation given to current prophets and apostles. It includes the testimonies of God contained in the Book of Mormon.
Though all devotional addresses at BYU Speeches touch on the influence, teachings, and characteristics of God in one way or another, these addresses focus more particularly on His nature and attributes. We hope that as you read, listen to, or watch these devotionals, you find yourself drawn nearer to your loving Heavenly Father.
