The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began in New York in 1830 under Joseph Smith. Latter-day Saints understand its founding as the restoration of Christ’s church and priesthood authority. It is often known historically as the Mormon Church, a nickname associated with the Book of Mormon. The institution took its present shape through a disputed succession, migration west and the organisation of local congregations into regional units. The Church’s naming guide · Joseph Smith Papers, 1842 history and editorial notes · The Church’s account of the succession debate · General Handbook on church units
Joseph Smith’s accounts and the church’s founding
Joseph Smith described a vision that he said he experienced as a young man. In the earliest known written account, from 1832, he emphasised seeking forgiveness and described an appearance of the Lord. The account begun in 1838 emphasised his question about which church to join and described two personages. These are written recollections, and the Church reads the vision as an opening event in the restoration. First Vision Accounts
The Book of Mormon appeared in print in March 1830. Smith said it came from a record on plates that he had translated. In April the church was organised under the name Church of Christ. An 1838 revelation, now published as Doctrine and Covenants 115, gives the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It also speaks of gathering in stakes, a term that now names a group of local congregations. Joseph Smith Papers, 1842 history and editorial notes · Doctrine and Covenants 115 · Church history chronology · Origins and teachings of the Book of Mormon
Why the succession after Joseph Smith mattered
A mob killed Joseph and his brother Hyrum at Carthage Jail, Illinois, in 1844. At an August meeting in Nauvoo, participants voted to sustain the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The quorum led under Brigham Young, its president. Groups that recognised other leaders took different paths. Young entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and was sustained as president of the Church later that year after reconstituting the First Presidency. Church history chronology · The Church’s account of the succession debate
The competing claims help explain why churches with a common founding history exist today. In 1860, Joseph Smith III, the founder’s son, accepted the presidency of the church now called Community of Christ. That church traces its own history to the early movement and its subsequent reorganisation. The church led by Young developed its centre in Utah. Community of Christ’s history · Church history chronology
How wards, branches and stakes work today
A ward is a local congregation, generally defined by where its members live. A bishop and his counsellors oversee it, with guidance from the stake presidency. The bishopric plans sacrament meetings and coordinates with other leaders, including the ward Relief Society president. A branch is another form of local congregation, typically smaller, with a branch president and counsellors. A stake brings several congregations together under a regional presidency. General Handbook on church units · General Handbook on the bishopric · Latter-day Saint women and the Relief Society
Suppose a branch has grown enough to become a ward. The stake president checks the requirements and identifies someone who could serve as bishop before submitting a proposal. The First Presidency approves the change, and local leaders present it to the members. That example shows how the Church combines local leadership with decisions shared across a worldwide institution. General Handbook on church units
Conclusion
The founding documents record how a movement centred on Joseph Smith’s claims about revelation took organised form. The succession after his death explains the existence of distinct churches with roots in that movement. Today, wards and branches are where members gather for worship and service, and stakes link those congregations to a wider church structure. Latter-day Saint beliefs and worship
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