The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A Christian restorationist church founded in the United States in 1830. Its members are commonly called Latter-day Saints; “Mormon” is a familiar but less-preferred name.

Book of Mormon: A scripture published in 1830 that the church presents as a record of ancient peoples in the Americas and a witness of Jesus Christ. The church’s name and identity draw directly on this book.
Joseph Smith: The founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, who reported visions and revelations beginning in the 1820s. He organized the church in 1830 and remains central to its account of restoration.
Bishop (Latter-day Saints): A local lay leader who presides over a Latter-day Saint congregation, called a ward. Bishops oversee worship, pastoral care, and welfare at the local level.
Community of Christ: A Christian denomination that developed from the Latter Day Saint movement and is headquartered in Independence, Missouri. It shares early origins with the church but follows a separate leadership and theological path.
Utah: A western U.S. state whose settlement and institutions were strongly shaped by Latter-day Saint migration and leadership. The church’s westward migration helped establish the region’s enduring religious and cultural influence.
Doctrine and Covenants: A collection of revelations and teachings that Latter-day Saints regard as scripture. It records revelations that shaped the church’s organization and doctrine.
First Vision: Joseph Smith’s reported vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, usually dated by the church to 1820. The church presents this vision as an early event in its founding story.
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: A governing body of twelve senior leaders in the church, second in authority to the First Presidency. It directs church work worldwide and selects a new president when needed.
Strangite: A member or branch of the Latter Day Saint movement that followed James Strang after Joseph Smith’s death. Strang’s followers represent a rival succession claim from the church’s formative period.
Utah War: An 1857–1858 confrontation between the U.S. government and Latter-day Saint settlers in Utah Territory. It exposed tensions between federal authority and the church’s territorial leadership.

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