History of Mormonism

 The founder of Mormonism was Joseph Smith Jr. he was indecisive about which religion to join, he said he couldn’t figure out which one was teaching the truth. When Joseph was 14, he went into the woods to pray concerning this and allegedly the father and Jesus appeared to him and told him not to join any denominational churches. Three years later, on Sept. 21, 1823, when he was 17 years old, an angel called Moroni, who was supposed to be the son of Mormon, the leader of the people called the Nephites who had lived in the Americas, appeared to him and told him that he had been chosen to translate the book of Mormon which was compiled by Moroni's father around the 4th century. After the Book of Mormon was published the religion began to grow and it grew fast, because the religion was so different from Christianity i.e., plurality of gods, polygamy (Joseph is said to have had 27 wives), etc.

Persecution soon forced them to move from New York to Ohio, then to Missouri, and finally to Nauvoo, Illinois. After being accused of breaking some laws in Nauvoo (for destroying a printing press that was publishing harmful information on Mormonism), Joseph and his brother Hyrum ended up in jail. A mob later broke into the jail and killed Joseph and his brother.

After the shooting, the church divided into two groups: One led by his widow, which went back to Independence Missouri. They are known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They claim to be the true Church and lay claim to the legal succession of the church presidency, which was bestowed upon Joseph's son by Joseph Smith himself.








Brigham Young led the other group and they went to Utah where, in 1847, they ended up in Salt Lake and founded Salt Lake City. Brigham had 25 wives and accumulated much wealth. Mormons are found everywhere not just in america they are all over the world. The religion has spread due to the amount of missionary work they feel they are required to do.