mormon

Mormon is a term primarily associated with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the largest denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement. The name derives from the Book of Mormon, a sacred text published by Joseph Smith in 1830 that adherents regard as a record of ancient American peoples and a second witness of Jesus Christ alongside the Bible.

The Latter Day Saint movement began in the early 19th century in upstate New York, with Smith’s claimed revelations and the organization of the church in 1830. After persecution and migration, the church established a regional center in Utah under Brigham Young and later expanded worldwide. Other groups formed from early splits, including the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and various fundamentalist groups that pursued polygamy in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Core beliefs include the divinity of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost as distinct beings; ongoing revelation through modern prophets; and a plan of salvation involving faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, temple ordinances, and eternal family relationships. Scriptures typically used are the Bible (often the King James Version in English-speaking communities), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

Practices emphasize missionary work, family history and temple work, tithing, and observance of the Word of Wisdom health code. Local congregations are organized into wards and stakes, with lay clergy and a hierarchical, globally connected leadership. In contemporary usage, the official name favors "Latter-day Saints" or the church’s full title, while "Mormon" remains a common, though increasingly discouraged, nickname in some contexts.