Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Organized in 1830, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traces its beginnings to Joseph Smith, who taught that he had been called to restore the original church of Jesus Christ. Early converts gathered first in New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, where the movement expanded quickly but also faced intense opposition.

After Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, Brigham Young led many Latter-day Saints west to the Salt Lake Valley. That pioneer migration became one of the defining episodes in the church’s story, and the community that grew in the American West helped shape its identity for generations.

Over time, the church spread far beyond the United States through missionary work, new congregations, and an expanding network of temples and educational and humanitarian efforts. Today its history is often told as a mix of spiritual conviction, hardship, controversy, and steady global growth.