Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—sometimes called Mormons—believe that God is our loving Heavenly Father, that Jesus Christ is His Son and the Savior of the world, and that Christ has restored His original Church to the earth through living prophets. They believe life has a purpose, families can be together forever, and everyone can return to God through Jesus Christ.

That’s the short answer. Below is a friendly walk-through of the main beliefs, with links so you can read the sources yourself.

God Is Our Heavenly Father

Latter-day Saints believe God is the literal Father of our spirits. He knows each of us by name and loves us perfectly. The first Article of Faith (a short list of beliefs written by Joseph Smith) says, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:1).

Together, these three are called the Godhead. Latter-day Saints believe They are three separate beings who are perfectly united in purpose. They believe God the Father and Jesus Christ have glorified, physical bodies, and the Holy Ghost is a spirit who helps us feel and know truth (Godhead).

Jesus Christ Is the Center of Everything

Jesus Christ is the heart of Latter-day Saint faith. Members believe He was born of Mary, lived a perfect life, suffered for our sins, died on the cross, and rose again. “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved” (Articles of Faith 1:3). (Atonement is the word for Christ’s saving work—making it possible for us to be forgiven, healed, and brought back to God.)

The Church’s apostles have testified, “Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God” (“The Living Christ”).

Life Has a Purpose: God’s Plan

Latter-day Saints believe we lived with God as His spirit children before we were born. He offered a plan—often called the plan of salvation or “the great plan of happiness”—so we could come to earth, gain a physical body, learn by experience, and grow to become more like Him (Plan of Salvation).

Life on earth includes joy and hard things. Both can help us grow. And God’s goal is our happiness: “men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). In scripture, God says, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

Death is not the end. Because of Jesus Christ, everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected, and relationships formed here can continue after this life (Common Questions).

The Restoration: Christ’s Church Brought Back

Latter-day Saints believe that after Jesus’s Apostles died, the fulness of His gospel and His priesthood authority were gradually lost from the earth. Many sincere believers kept faith in Christ alive through those centuries, but the full Church as He organized it was no longer present.

In 1820, a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith prayed in a grove of trees to ask which church he should join. He saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. The Father pointed to His Son and said, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17). Latter-day Saints call this the First Vision.

Over the following years, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, received priesthood authority from heavenly messengers, and organized the Church in 1830. Latter-day Saints call this whole process the Restoration: not a new religion, but Christ’s original Church restored (Restoration of the Church).

Prophets and Apostles Today

A prophet is someone called by God to speak for Him, like Moses or Isaiah. “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). The New Testament describes Christ’s Church as having “apostles; and … prophets” (Ephesians 4:11), and Latter-day Saints believe in “the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church” (Articles of Faith 1:6).

Today the Church is led by a living prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks, along with his counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Like prophets of old, they testify of Jesus Christ and teach His gospel (Prophets). When he became President of the Church in October 2025, President Oaks said: “Our ministry is a ministry of all the children of God on the face of the earth. … We do not have the answers to all the world’s problems. … But what we do know is that we are all children of heavenly parents, and that we are called to serve all of the children of God” (Church Newsroom).

Scripture: The Bible and More

“We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God” (Articles of Faith 1:8). The Book of Mormon is a record of ancient prophets in the Americas, and its high point is the visit of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the people there (Introduction).

Latter-day Saints also accept two other books of modern scripture—the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price—and believe God still speaks: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things” (Articles of Faith 1:9).

Covenants, Ordinances, and Temples

An ordinance is “a sacred, formal act or ceremony performed by the authority of the priesthood” (Ordinances). Baptism is the best-known example. A covenant is a sacred two-way promise with God: we promise to follow Him, and He promises to bless and strengthen us.

The basic path is summed up this way: “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:4). Each Sunday, members take the sacrament (bread and water, similar to communion) to remember Jesus and renew their promises.

Temples are different from Sunday meetinghouses. They are “literally houses of the Lord” (Temples), where members make deeper covenants and where families can be “sealed” together—bound by God’s authority so their relationships can last forever.

How Latter-day Saints Try to Live

Faith shows up in daily life: praying, reading scripture, serving neighbors, and gathering as families. The thirteenth Article of Faith reads, “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men” (Articles of Faith 1:13). Local congregations are led by volunteers rather than paid clergy, so everyone has a chance to teach, serve, and help.

Latter-day Saints also believe deeply in religious freedom for everyone: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may” (Articles of Faith 1:11).

Common Questions

Are Latter-day Saints Christian?
Yes. They worship God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ and follow Him as their Savior. See our article Do Latter-day Saints Believe in Jesus Christ?

Why do people say “Mormon”?
It’s a nickname that comes from the Book of Mormon. The Church asks to be called by its full name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and says “Latter-day Saints” is a good way to refer to members (Common Questions).

Can anyone visit church?
Yes. Sunday services are open to everyone, and visitors are warmly welcome. Temples are reserved for prepared members, but meetinghouses are open to all.

How can I know if these things are true?
Read the Book of Mormon and ask God. See our article How Can I Know If the Book of Mormon Is True?

Come and See

This overview only scratches the surface. The best way to understand Latter-day Saint beliefs is to experience them: read the scriptures, pray, and visit a congregation.

Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would love to meet with you, in person or online, to answer your questions—there’s no cost and no pressure. You can reach out at ComeUntoChrist or request a free Book of Mormon delivered to you. Bring your questions. You are a child of God, and He is glad you are seeking.

For Readers Who Want to Go Deeper

Primary scriptures for this theme include Articles of Faith 1:1–13; John 3:16–17; Amos 3:7; Ephesians 4:11–14; 2 Nephi 2:25; Moses 1:39; 3 Nephi 11; and Joseph Smith—History 1:10–20.

Helpful Church resources include “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles” (2000); “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” (1995); and the Topics and Questions entries “Plan of Salvation,” “Restoration of the Church,” “Prophets,” and “Temples.”

None of these sources need to be mastered in a day. Start with one, and let each answer lead you to the next question—and closer to Christ.

A tool we recommend: Scripture Notes is a Latter-day Saint scripture study site and app for searching the scriptures, keeping notes by verse, and finding patterns faster—built to help you get more revelation in less time. We support their work; if you’re going deeper on these passages, it’s worth a look.

If you’d like to put into words what you believe, you can share a testimony at https://myldstestimony.com/.

Independence note: Witness the Signs is an independent project and is not an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Church. Content here reflects our own study and opinions; for official doctrine and materials, visit ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Witness the Signs writes for anyone seeking God—to help readers recognize His hand, feel hope, and take a next step toward Jesus Christ and His restored Church. We are not here to frighten anyone into faith. We are here to point to the Prince of Peace—and to the living invitation to come and see.