The heart of any religion is their belief concerning man’s relation ship to God. For Mormons, this belief is succinctly stated as “we believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” This is the first, and most basic, of thirteen beliefs written by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, in answer to a newspaper reporter’s questions. We believe in an all-loving, all-knowing, all-powerful God. He knows His children (each of us) and wants His children to succeed. He created us and He has a plan for us to return to live with Him when our time on earth is through.

According to Mormon belief, our sins make returning to God impossible, since no unclean thing can enter His presence. For this reason it was necessary for a Savior to intercede in our behalf, as a mediator between man and God. Jesus Christ is that Savior; He is our Lord and Redeemer, our advocate with the Father. Mormons fully believe the Bible when it says “for God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ conquered death and sin, showing us the way-and preparing that way-for us to return to live with God. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ, and only by His grace, that we have any hope of salvation.

Throughout history, God has called inspired men to declare the gospel of Christ. These men, called prophets, receive a personal witness of Jesus Christ and are given authority (called the priesthood) to teach His gospel. Holy scriptures, such as the Bible, contain the record of the prophets’ teachings about the Savior. As the prophets teach the gospel and testify of Christ, the Holy Ghost touches the hearts of people and brings feelings of peace. This is why we feel the spirit (the Holy Ghost) when we study prophetic words recorded in the Bible. This spiritual confirmation is how God tells us that a prophet’s message is true.

God has always followed this same pattern: provide revelation to inspired men who then teach the world and provide confirmation of their words through the Holy Ghost. Sadly, scripture is full of examples where people have not accepted the message of the prophets. When people reject the prophets, this is called apostasy, derived from a Greek word that means falling away or rebellion. The scriptures also provide examples of people who don’t fall away; the prophets preach repentance and the people listen and turn to the Lord. Eventually, however, people still turn away from the Lord and reject the prophets, resulting in a period of apostasy.

Among the attributes of God are a loving nature combined with mercy and patience. Every time people turn away from the Lord and his prophets, He waits and prepares His people. In His own due time, the Lord again calls His messengers, the prophets, to restore His gospel and declare His words.

During Jesus’ life He taught people the gospel and called apostles to continue to teach them after he was crucified. Those apostles were ultimately rejected, and within a century much of the church Christ had established was crippled by both persecution from without and apostasy from within. The New Testament records some of the apostles’ struggles and frustrations as they were surrounded by unrighteousness. After the apostles were killed, the priesthood authority that the Lord had given to them was no longer on the earth. While there were still some righteous members who tried to follow Christ’s teachings, the people as a whole had become wicked and the fullness of the gospel with the priesthood authority was forced from the earth. Amos, an Old Testament prophet, propesied that this would happen:

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12).

Isaiah records another such prophesy:

“Which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. Why, when I came, was there no man? When I called, was there none to answer?” (Isaiah 50:1-2, 21st Century KJV)

After the people fell into apostasy, the Lord waited centuries for them to return to Him. He prepared the world and waited for a time when He could once again restore the fullness of His gospel. The time arrived in 1820 when a young boy privately prayed to God to ask which church was true. He described his experience in these words:

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me… When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is my Beloved Son. Hear him!” (Joseph Smith-History 1:16-17)

This marvelous visitation provided that boy, Joseph Smith, with a personal witness that God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ, live. From this and subsequent visits and revelations Joseph was taught the fullness of the gospel and how Christ’s church should function. Following the ancient pattern, a prophet of God had once again been called. Angels once again visited the earth, including John the Baptist and Peter, James and John (Jesus’ ancient apostles) who gave Joseph Smith the same priesthood authority they possessed.

The Lord also revealed a volume of ancient scripture to Joseph Smith, who translated this record through the power of God. This translation, which came to be known as the Book of Mormon, was written by ancient prophets on the American continent. The book contains beautiful truths about Jesus Christ, standing alongside the Bible as a second witness of His divinity and the reality of His life. It testifies that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

The Book of Mormon also serves as a witness that Joseph Smith had been called by God, for if the Book of Mormon is a true record, then Joseph Smith must also be a true prophet. By knowing that Joseph Smith was a prophet, we can also know that the church he organized is Christ’s church today.

The Mormon Church (formally known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is led today by a prophet of God and twelve apostles who receive revelation from God on how the affairs of His church should be conducted. God, being the same yesterday, today, and forever, continues to use the same pattern He followed in Bible days; He teaches us today in much the same way as He taught people in ancient times.

The Lord promises that we need not rely on the words and testimonies of others concerning these matters. We can receive a better witness, from God Himself. One such promise is located near the end of the Book of Mormon:

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder them in your hearts.

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:3-5)

The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. The Lord promises that His Spirit will confirm this truth to each of us. If you will pray about the things which you have read and ask the Lord concerning their truth, He will speak peace to your soul through the the Holy Ghost, “that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5). When you receive this assurance, you will want to learn more about the Church.

Mormons are generally unwilling to discuss what goes on inside of temples. This leads some people to mistakenly conclude that there are “secrets” inside Mormon temples. While this conclusion is understandable, it is grounded in a misunderstanding of the nature of temples. Mormons don’t actually view the temple as secret. In fact, most Mormons, if asked, will point out that the temple is not secret. Before a temple is dedicated, Mormons conduct a series of public open houses where anyone-Church member or not-can visit the temple and see everything there is to see. Thousands of visitors usually tour a temple d