What I believe...

I meet a lot of people every day who belong to a lot of different religions. I wonder how many of them could state their core beliefs (what their church believes) in more distinctive terms than "whatever it says in the Bible."

I am grateful for the newspaper reporter Mr. John Wentworth who requested that Joseph Smith write a "sketch of the rise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-day Saints" (Wentworth Letter, lds.org). Included in the Wentworth Letter are The Articles of Faith which are thirteen statements of our fundamental beliefs. 

The first Article of Faith is, "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

I love this statement, it is pure and simple and profound. It is the core of our religion. Our faith in God as our father, Jesus Christ as our Savior, and the Holy Ghost as our guide and teacher is the foundation of everything else we believe. I know that I am a daughter of God and that He loves me, I know that He loves me (and all of His children) so much that He sent His Son to atone for my pains and my sufferings so that I can have the hope of living with God again someday. I know this because the Holy Ghost has testified of the truth of this to me in my mind and in my heart. 

Heavenly Father wants everyone to receive this knowledge for themselves, you can know that God is your Father by praying and asking Him. You can ask Him if He is really there and He will answer you. 

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" -Luke 11:9-13

I know that as you act upon the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ you will be able to say for yourself that you "believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost," and when someone asks you what you believe, you will know what to say.