Overview
When the Mormon Church was founded on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York with only six members, the name of the Church was simply the Church of Christ or the Church of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it was referred to as the Church of the Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church. Finally, in 1838 the full name of the Church was given to Joseph Smith by revelation: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church has been called by this name ever since. Many of the early members were friends with and knew personally the founder, Joseph Smith Jr., or part of his family. The Church grew quickly, but persecution grew with it, forcing the Church to move in order to escape that persecution—from Kirtland, Ohio, to western Missouri, to Illinois, then, finally, to Utah.
Utah was not without its persecution either, but it was bearable; the Mormons were not driven from the area as they were from previously occupied areas. The Church had grown in members during persecution and would continue to grow until it became a worldwide church. The following is a brief history of Mormonism, from 1820 to the present. Links go to pages that give a fuller treatment of the time period.
Outline of Mormon History
When he was in his fifteenth year, Joseph Smith Jr. was confused by all the different religions. He wondered, “Who of all these parties are right; or are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?” (Joseph Smith History 1:10).
Joseph did have one thing he was sure of—the Bible. This was the book that he studied, 
pondered, and continuously thought about. But at the same time, the different churches interpreted Bible passages differently, so how was he–or anyone–to know what was right? Joseph says of his own experience,
“While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (Joseph Smith History 1:11).
Joseph continues,
“Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know” (Joseph Smith History 1:12).
Eventually, Joseph “came to the conclusion” that he could “either remain in darkness and confusion, or else . . . do as James directs, that is, ask of God” (Joseph Smith History 1:13). It was early on a spring morning in the year 1820 when Joseph went alone into the woods near his home to “pray vocally” (Joseph Smith History 1:14). As he exerted all his ”powers to call upon God,” he says, in words that are canonized scripture,
“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other–This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!“ (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17).
Mormons call this the First Vision, when both God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in answer to his prayer. When Joseph asked which church he should join, he was told by Jesus Christ that he “should join none of them, for they were all wrong” and “‘they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof’” (Joseph Smith History 1:19). Although he would not join any of the existing churches, Joseph Smith would be instrumental in reestablishing the Lord’s true Church once again upon the face of the earth, the same primitive Church that was organized by Christ Himself, but was lost because of apostasy (Cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3, 2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Later, an angel named Moroni appeared to Joseph, and directed him to “a book deposited, written upon gold plates” which book gave “an account of the former inhabitants of this [the American] continent” and “the fulness of the everlasting Gospel . . . as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants” (Joseph Smith History 1:34). Joseph Smith translated this book by the “gift and power of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3). This book was published as The Book of Mormon. In 1830, Joseph Smith organized the Church, and missionaries were sent out to preach the gospel as restored to Joseph Smith. Persecution also increased.
The Mormons moved their main gathering place to Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith received many revelations and the Book of Revelations (later revised and known as The Doctrine and Covenants) was published. Other Mormons, hoping to build Zion, moved to Missouri. Kirtland became the site of the first Mormon temple. Joseph translated the Book of Abraham from papyri. Missionaries visit Canada and England. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is established. Joseph Smith launches and organizes Zion’s Camp to help persecuted Missouri Mormons. The Church itself moves to Missouri in 1838.
Jackson County was the first area of Missouri settled by Mormons. Settlement began in 1831. Mobs drove the Mormons from the county in 1833, so the Mormons temporarily settled in Clay County, then moved more permanently to Caldwell and Davies counties in 1836. Mobs continued to harass them there as well. Some Mormons fought back, including a group called the Danites. The entire Church moved to Missouri escalated the conflict. Joseph Smith and other leaders were arrested and kept in jail without trial for several months. The Extermination Order from Governor Boggs forced Mormons out of Missouri. Dozens of Mormons were massacred at Haun’s Mill, while others were burned out of their homes. The Mormons fled to Illinois.
Nauvoo, Illinois was founded by the Mormons. During this time period, the city rivalled Chicago. Mormon missionaries were sent to Europe to preach the gospel. They were particularly successful in Scandinavia and England. Work on building the Nauvoo Temple began. Persecution continued, and Joseph Smith often had to conceal himself from enemies. During this time, Joseph received revelations about plural marriage (sometimes called Mormon polygamy), baptism for the dead, eternal marriage, and the plan of salvation. Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred in June 1844 and the Twelve Apostles led the Church. In 1846, the Nauvoo temple was completed, but the Mormons are driven out that same year.
Until the Mormon Trail (to Utah) was established, Mormons were scattered through Iowa. The Mormon Battalion participated in the U.S.-Mexican War and explored California. Mormon pioneers made their way to Utah and established cities in Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and Idaho, and also northern Mexico and southern Canada. The Mormon Church had ten years of peace in this period and Brigham Young was sustained as President and prophet of the Church.
Former Utah officials persuaded President James Buchanan to send Johnston’s Army to Utah. This army was sent to suppress a non-existent rebellion. Brigham Young was dismissed as Utah’s governor, but no one notified him. Mormons, afraid of being driven away from their lands again, harassed Johnston’s Army by scattering horses and burning grass. Despite this, the army concluded there was no rebellion. Peace was established. Some fears provoked by the idea of invasion drove a few Mormons to massacre settlers bound for California – this tragedy is known as the Mountain Meadows massacre.
The Mormon Church was left in peace again during the Civil War. Mormon missionary work continued throughout the world in Mexico and South America, as well as parts of Asia and Europe. After the Civil War, the Congress passed several laws outlawing polygamy. Thousands of Mormons were jailed. Others were not allowed to vote, hold office, or own property. Loyalty oaths were instituted to keep Mormons jobless. The leaders of the Church went into hiding and many Mormons fled to Canada or Mexico. But the practice of Mormon polygamy was ended only after Mormon prophet and president Wilford Woodruff received the revelation from the Lord to end it. U.S. President Grover Cleveland later pardoned all polygamists. Thousands of European Mormons came to Utah.
Mormon history was somewhat peaceful for the next few decades. The Church gained prosperity again, although the debts incurred in more persecuted periods would still take a long time to pay off. Mormon Apostle Reed Smoot was elected to the U. S. Senate, but had to fight for for two years in order to take his seat. President and Prophet Joseph F. Smith received an important revelation about salvation for the dead. The Church celebrated its centennial and began to buy historic sites. The Church Welfare system was created during the Great Depression to help members in need. Instead of being encouraged to move to Utah or the United States, Mormons were encouraged to stay where they are. Missionary work in South America and the Pacific islands converted thousands to the Church and Mormon temples were built in Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and Hawaii. World War II found Mormons on both sides of the conflict. Many were trapped behind the Iron Curtain after the war.
After World War II, the Mormon Church’s growth became exponential. Even while under Soviet control, a temple was built in East Germany. Mormon programs for welfare and humanitarian work were expand and Mormonism provided aid to the reconstruction of Europe and Japan. The Church established missionary training centers to help missionaries learn the languages of the people whom they teach and serve. David O. McKay, the Prophet during this time period, encouraged all members to be missionaries. Later, the Lord revealed to Spencer W. Kimball, a successor of David McKay, that all male members should serve as missionaries. The number in the Church’s missionary force grew to over 50,000. In 1978, President Kimball received a revelation that all worthy male members may receive the priesthood. Since this time, the Church has grown exponentially in Brazil and Africa. In the 1980s, the Church focused on the translation of the Book of Mormon into dozens of world languages and Mormons answer the call to “flood the earth” with it.
The Mormon Church has over 13 million members worldwide. Some of the primary sources of this growth are in South America and Africa, as well as nations of the former Soviet Union, like Russia. By the late 1990s, there were more Mormons living outside the United States than there were living inside the United States. To keep up with the growth, hundreds of new churches are built every year. Gordon B. Hinckley became Church President in 1995. In this same year, The Family: A Proclamation to the World was published. This Proclamation contains information about the role and nature of the family. Later, in 2000, another Proclamation was issued entitled The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Also in this year, over 100 Mormon temples began to be in operation worldwide, from China, to South America, to Europe, to Africa. The Nauvoo temple, destroyed by arsonists in 1846, was rebuilt in 2001. Mormons also celebrated the sesquicentennial of the Mormon pioneers’ journey to Utah and, in 2005, they celebrated the bicentennial of the birth of Joseph Smith.
