The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is distinct in teaching, as its own literature states it, that it is the restored Church of Jesus Christ, led by a living prophet and holding the Book of Mormon as additional scripture alongside the Bible.
The church was organized by Joseph Smith in New York in 1830, and its headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Brigham Young led the main body of members in 1847. In its own literature the church identifies itself as Christian and as the restoration of the church established by Jesus Christ, and it asks to be called by its full name rather than by nicknames. Its members are known for a lay priesthood held by men, for temple worship distinct from weekly Sunday services, and for a large missionary programme staffed largely by young volunteers.
Sources
Primary
- The Articles of Faith (1842), written by Joseph Smith and published in the Pearl of Great Price
Secondary
- Terryl L. Givens, By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture That Launched a New World Religion (2002)