 Central to the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is their concept of God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Mormons, properly known as Latter-day Saints, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, refer to these beings collectively as the Godhead. To understand the Godhead more fully, let's begin with the Latter-day Saint understanding of God. Latter-day Saints acknowledge and revere God the Father as the ultimate object of their worship. He is the Supreme Being, the all-knowing and all-powerful Father of all mankind. They even refer to Him often as Heavenly Father, meaning the Father of their spirits. God the Father appears in the scriptural record from time to time at very important events, like during the creation of the world as recorded in the Old Testament, or in the New Testament, for instance, when introducing His Son Jesus Christ at the Savior's baptism. And lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Latter-day Saints believe God is a loving Father to all His children and wants them to have all that He has. For this reason, He provided a plan of happiness and a Savior to help His children learn of Him and become more like Him. Latter-day Saints pray to and worship the Father in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, the Lord, Savior, and Redeemer of all His children. Jesus Christ, God's Son, was born in a manger, lived among the children of God, and taught His gospel of salvation. Jesus also suffered for the sins of mankind, was crucified, and rose from the grave as a resurrected and glorified Being. He is the great example for all of God's children. The Holy Ghost completes the Godhead as the messenger and revealer of the Father and the Son. We'll explain more about the Holy Ghost a bit later. Together, the three members of the Godhead are one in many ways, but don't confuse the Godhead with concepts of the Trinity found in other Christian faiths as there are key differences which, for Latter-day Saints, are very important to understand. They can also be confusing at times when, in Scripture, they are sometimes referred to as one God, or when it says, the Father and Son are one. For Latter-day Saints, this means they are all united in their thoughts, desires, knowledge, power, and purpose, to love, guide, and save all of God's children. One important concept is the understanding that each member of the Godhead is a different individual being. For example, Joseph Smith, a man whom God selected as his prophet to restore the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth, revealed that God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ are separate individual beings. Joseph saw God the Father and Jesus in a personal visit from them in 1820. In Joseph's words, 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. This is yet another example of God the Father introducing his beloved Son. Joseph later recorded a revelation that he received, describing their physical bodies. The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's. The Son also, but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us. Now let's talk more about what Latter-day Saints believe about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is often referred to as the Son of God, also called the First Born. Latter-day Saints believe he was the first spirit child created of heavenly parents and is the eldest brother to all of God's children. They also believe, through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ made in Gethsemane and upon the cross, he became the Redeemer of all of God's children, literally the Savior of the world. And Jesus' subsequent resurrection prepared the way for every person who ever lived or who will live to overcome physical death by also being resurrected with an immortal physical body. As the Apostle Paul explained in the New Testament, Even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Besides the many descriptions and names of Jesus Christ referred to in Scripture, Latter-day Saints also believe Jesus is the only way back to God the Father. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Now let's talk about the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. Also sometimes referred to as the Holy Ghost, he is, well, a spirit. He does not have a physical body, but his spiritual influence can be felt by all of God's children. This attribute allows him to work in perfect unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, fulfilling several roles to help God's children live righteously and receive the blessings of the Gospel. For instance, the Holy Ghost witnesses of the reality of the Father and the mission of the Son. And in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul describes other feelings associated with the Holy Ghost. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. The Holy Ghost also reveals and teaches the truth of all things. God taught the Prophet Joseph Smith how all of God's children can receive a witness of truth for themselves by the power of the Holy Ghost. Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. So there it is. God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost make up the Godhead. They are three distinct beings with unique and important roles, but together they operate in perfect unity and harmony. God the Father loves all of His children and knows they will be happier and more fulfilled if they listen to and feel the direction from the Holy Ghost, follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, and return to live with Him. It's all part of God's plan. The Godhead, what it is and why it's important to understand. Now you know.