The LDS Daily WOOL Home Page
(3/1/98)
"When first communicated to mankind by prophets, the
teachings we now have in the Bible were 'plain and pure,
and most precious and easy' to understand (1 Ne. 14:23).
Even in the transmitted and translated version we have
today, the Bible language confirms that God the Father
and his resurrected Son, Jesus Christ, are tangible,
separate beings. To cite only two of many such teachings,
the Bible declares that man was created in the image of
God, and it describes three separate members of the
Godhead manifested at the baptism of Jesus (see Gen.
1:27; Matt. 3:13-17)."—Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Apostasy
and Restoration, General Conference, April
1995
(3/2/98)
"Of what great significance to the world are the
contributions of Joseph Smith, the Prophet?... Perhaps
most important is the concept of the Godhead. The New
Testament clearly established that the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct
beings, yet there are many in the Christian world who do
not accept this or believe in a personal God in whose
image we were created. The Father and the Son actually
appeared personally to Joseph Smith to establish their
personality and image. When the boy came out of that
grove he knew the facts--that God is in form like a man.
He speaks, he is considerate and kind, he answers prayer.
He is a personal God for he called Joseph by name. His
Son is a like and distinct person and is the Mediator
between God and man."—President N. Eldon
Tanner, The Contributions Of The Prophet Joseph
Smith, General Conference, October 1979
(3/3/98)
"That the unity of the Godhead is not oneness in
person is made very clear in the account of the baptism
of Jesus Christ. The Son on that occasion, coming up out
of the waters of Jordan, the Holy Spirit descending upon
him in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Father
from heaven proclaiming 'This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased.' Jesus said, 'I came forth from the
Father, and am come unto the world: again, I leave the
world, and go to the Father.' He also prayed to the
Father and in the prayer recorded by John, explained in
unmistakable language what he meant when he declared. 'I
and my Father are one.'"—Reed Smoot, Conference
Report, April 1933, p.20
(3/4/98)
"Further, carrying out these duties [the
commandments of God] will entitle us to an
ever-increasing companionship of the Holy Ghost. And when
we have the Spirit with us, it means we have achieved
significant Christ-centeredness in our lives, for we
cannot be close to one member of the Godhead without
being close to all three."—Neal A. Maxwell, Notwithstanding
My Weakness, p.112
(3/5/98)
"Our Godhead consists of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. They are supreme over all, and though they
administer their kingdoms through a hierarchy of
appointed angels who also are exalted, one of whom is
Adam or Michael, in the ultimate sense these members of
the Eternal Godhead are the only Gods with whom we have
to do. We worship the Father, in the name of the Son, by
the power of the Holy Ghost. We follow the Son as he
follows his Father. We labor and strive to be like the
Son as he is like the Father, and the Father and Son and
Holy Ghost are one. For these holy Beings we have
unbounded love, reverence, and worship."—Bruce
R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah,
p.13
(9/28/04)
"Notwithstanding the numerous New Testament witnesses of the Savior
as a resurrected being following his crucifixion (see, for example, Luke
24:36-48), there still persists the fallacious doctrine formulated
at the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 that God the Father, his Son, Jesus
Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three personages of spirit-three
personages in one. The sacred record of the Savior's appearance to the
ancient Nephites is an essential, additional witness of the true nature
of the Son and of his relationship to the Father and to the Holy Ghost.
After introducing himself as Jesus Christ, he who had taken upon himself
the sins of the world (see 3
Ne. 11:11), he warmly invited the multitude to 'come forth unto me,
that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel
the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet' (3
Ne. 11:14). The resurrected Christ had a glorified body of flesh and
bone as certified by a multitude who 'did see with their eyes and did
feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record,
that it was he' (3 Ne.
11:15)." - Spencer J. Condie, "The Fall and Infinite
Atonement," Ensign, January 1996, p. 25
(10/21/04)
"The first article anchors our belief in God, our Eternal Father,
in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. How grateful we are for
a knowledge of Supreme Beings that rule and govern this world. Our
belief does not come from the speculations of men about the existence
and nature of God, but from firsthand experience from the Prophet Joseph
Smith in the Sacred Grove. His experience clarified for mankind the
existence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Thus
to the world came the vision that three personages comprise this great
presiding council of the universe and have revealed themselves to
mankind as three separate beings, physically distinct from each other as
demonstrated by the accepted records of their divine dealings with
mankind. We know the occasions where they have been in evidence to
mankind as three distinct personages. It is clear that the Father is a
personal being possessing a definite form of body, parts, and spiritual
passions, that Jesus Christ was with the Father in spirit before coming
to dwell in the flesh, and through whom worlds were made. He lived among
men as a man, with all of the physical characteristics of a human being.
After His Resurrection He appeared in that same form. The Holy Ghost,
also called Spirit or Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of God, Comforter, or
the Spirit of the Truth, is not tabernacled in a body of flesh and bones
but is a personage of spirit. The Holy Ghost is a witness of the Father
and of the Son declaring to man their attributes, bearing record of the
other personages of the Godhead." - L. Tom Perry, "The
Articles of Faith," Ensign, May 1998, p. 23-24
(10/23/04)
"When first communicated to mankind by prophets, the teachings we
now have in the Bible were 'plain and pure, and most precious and easy'
to understand (1 Ne.
14:23). Even in the transmitted and translated version we have
today, the Bible language confirms that God the Father and his
resurrected Son, Jesus Christ, are tangible, separate beings. To cite
only two of many such teachings, the Bible declares that man was created
in the image of God, and it describes three separate members of the
Godhead manifested at the baptism of Jesus (see Gen.
1:27; Matt.
3:13-17)." - Dallin H. Oaks, "Apostasy
and Restoration," Ensign, May 1995, p. 84
(11/14/05)
"The Lord has blessed us with a knowledge that he
lives, and has a body, and that we are created in his image. We do not believe
that he is some kind of essence or that he is incomprehensible. If you have
received the witness that has come to me and know as I know that our Heavenly
Father has revealed himself to the children of men, that he is a personal God,
that we are created in his image, that our spirits were begotten by him, that he
has given us an opportunity to dwell upon the earth to receive a physical
tabernacle, in order that we may be prepared to return into his presence and
live eternally with him, I say, if you have received that assurance, then you
have a foundation upon which you may build your faith. Take that from you, the
knowledge that God really lives, the assurance that Jesus Christ was the
manifestation of God in the flesh, take from you the assurance that there will
be a literal resurrection from the dead, and you will find yourselves in the
condition that our Father's children are in throughout the world, and I ask you,
what comfort remains to you then? These are the truths that are fundamental." -
George Albert Smith, Conference Reports, October 1921, p. 39
9/17/06
"Our eternal life is as dependent upon spiritual nutrients as our mortal life is
upon air. The most important spiritual nutrients are knowledge of God and
knowledge of his Son. We know the Father by knowing the Son. What is the best
source on the face of the earth to learn about the Son? It is in studying
another testament of him, commonly known as the Book of Mormon, and then having
the Holy Ghost bear witness to you that it is true." - J. Thomas Fyans, "The
Book of Mormon's Witness of Jesus Christ," Ensign (CR), May 1987, p.28
11/26/06
"History tells us there is a God. Science confirms the fact there is a Supreme
Being. Human reasoning persuades us that there is a God. His own revelations to
man leave no doubt as to his existence. In order for an individual to obtain
unwavering knowledge of the reality of God, he must live the commandments and
the doctrines announced by the Savior during his personal ministry. 'Jesus
answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any
man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or
whether I speak of myself.' (John
7:16-17.) In other words, those who are willing to make the search, apply
themselves, and do God's will, will have the knowledge come to them of the
reality of God." - Howard W. Hunter, "Conference Report," April 1970, p.10
4/26/07
"How deeply grateful I am that we of this Church do not rely on any man-made
statement concerning the nature of Deity. Our knowledge comes directly from the
personal experience of Joseph Smith, who, while yet a boy, spoke with God the
Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, the Risen Lord. He knelt in Their presence;
he heard Their voices; and he responded. Each was a distinct personality. Small
wonder that he told his mother that he had learned that her church was not true.
And so, one of the great overarching doctrines of this Church is our belief in
God the Eternal Father. He is a being, real and individual. He is the great
Governor of the universe, yet He is our Father, and we are His children." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Things of Which I Know," General Conference, April 2007
4/30/07
"I know that heaven-sent revelations have replaced the gross errors of man-made
doctrines concerning the Godhead. I know that God is our Heavenly Father. His
Son, Jesus Christ, is my Savior. The Holy Ghost testifies of the Father and the
Son. I express my profound gratitude to God for introducing the resurrected Lord
Jesus Christ to mankind in these last days. The Savior lives; He has been seen;
He has spoken; He directs the work of His Church through apostles and prophets
today. What magnificent truths He has taught as the Good Shepherd who continues
to look after His sheep." - Gary J. Coleman, "Mom,
Are We Christians?" General Conference, April 2007
11/25/07
"We once knew well our
Elder Brother and our Father in Heaven. We rejoiced at the prospects of earth
life that could make it possible for us to have a fulness of joy. We could
hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our Brother, the Lord, how much we
loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly
opposition of the evil one. Now we are here. Our memories are veiled. We are
showing God and ourselves what we can do. Nothing is going to startle us more
when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know
our Father and how familiar His face is to us." - Ezra Taft Benson, "The
Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson," p.24
2/15/08
"We have a
little advantage over the rest of the world, because our Father has
supplemented the teachings in the scriptures by a visitation to the Prophet
Joseph Smith. Together with the Savior he appeared manifesting his true
character and clearing away all doubt as to their actual existence. This
modern day visitation has placed us in a position to know our Father and to
know his Son Jesus Christ, and as Latter-day Saints, we ought to praise God
for this glorious revelation of the latter days, for it has brought us
happiness on earth, it has brought us even a taste of heaven while we dwell
here in mortal flesh." - G.
E. Ellsworth, "Conference Report,"
October 1917, Second Meeting Outdoors, p.130
4/20/08
"It
is of special significance that whenever Heavenly Father wants to introduce His
Son to us, He commands us to listen—to 'hear'
the words of Jesus."
- Robert D. Hales, "Gaining
a Testimony of God the Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost,"
General Conference, April 2008