Mitt Files — God Loves Everyone

This is the first in a series focusing on Mitt Romney's spiritual beliefs. As a full-time representative of Jesus Christ I am called to invite others to come unto Christ. Feel free to contribute to this discussion, but keep comments focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ. View additional Mitt Files here.

God is our loving Heavenly Father. That is simple, pure, unconditional truth. Because He loves us He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to teach us, to guide us, to heal us, and ultimately to suffer and die for us. We'll talk more about that later.

God loves each of us—His children—with the perfect love of a perfect Father. He wants us to enjoy happiness and success, and He wants us to return to live with Him someday.

Though He created all things, God loves us individually

He is pleased with us when we do good things and rejoices in our accomplishments. He is also aware of our weaknesses, disappointments, fears and failures. He will help us through our challenges, and He has provided prayer as a means to communicate with Him and receive His direction for our personal lives.

Once when I was feeling discouraged I knelt on the hard, cold bathroom floor of a missionary apartment in Spring Hill, Tennessee. I poured out my feelings to Heavenly Father. I talked with Him about my doubts, my fears, my weaknesses, my shortcomings, and my feelings of inadequacy. After exhausting my laundry list of self-criticism, I felt His comforting Spirit surround me. I felt calm. I felt hopeful. And I felt a renewed desire to get up and try again.

I had had similar experiences with prayer before and I have had many since, but that lonely night stands out in my mind as a personal testament of God's love for me. He loves you with the same unconditional, all-consuming love.

When we look for evidences of God's love in our lives we are sure to find them. We are likely to find more of His love and influence if we thank Him for what we already have. I felt God's love on Sunday as I listened to an organist playing the beautiful strains of I Know That My Redeemer Lives.

What has God blessed you with? What are you thankful for? Will you start looking around for answers?

MORE ONLINE
Thanks Be to God, Elder Russell M. Nelson
He Truly Loves Us, Elder Paul E. Koelliker
The Race of Life, President Thomas S. Monson