religious cultural group related principal branch day saint movement began upstate new_york 1820s smith death followed today understood members independent non practicing center cultural influence utah north_america continent majority live outside united_states developed strong sense stems doctrine history 19th century converts tended gather central geographic location minority openly practiced marriage form religious large amounts time resources serving church young choose serve time mission health code alcoholic tobacco coffee tea addictive substances tend family oriented strong connections generations extended family reflective belief families sealed death strict law requiring sexual relations outside marriage fidelity marriage self identify christian non dispute beliefs differ mainstream christianity believe bible books scripture book unique view believe people spirit children god believe returning god requires following example jesus christ accepting baptism believe christ church restored guided living central faith belief god speaks children answers prayers high birth conversion rates population grown significantly recent decades rising million million terminology word refers members belief book members refer day saints saints term embraced adherents notably day saint denominations rejected members day saints members groups commonly use word reference self characterization encourages use word reference members church leaders encourage members use church emphasize focus jesus christ word associated marriage distinguishing practice early renounced discontinued years today practiced people broken history history shaped people strong sense unity start tried establish society history divided broad time periods early history lifetime pioneer era leadership successors modern era beginning turn 20th century period smith tried literally build city called converts gather pioneer era landscape villages utah modern times ideal gather individual congregations central geographic location beginnings trace origins visions reported having early 1820s living upstate new_york smith said angel directed buried book written golden plates containing religious history ancient people smith published said translation plates march book named ancient prophet historian compiled book april smith founded early church grew westward smith sent missionaries preach restored gospel church moved ohio missionaries large number converts smith began establishing outpost missouri planned eventually build city new jerusalem missouri settlers alarmed rapid influx expelled nearby local residents took smith led mission known recover land began building temple ohio church flourished missouri later asked leave secured land era ended failure church sponsored bank caused widespread smith remaining church missouri fall tensions escalated war old missouri settlers october governor missouri ordered treated enemies driven state november april thousand displaced migrated east illinois converted banks mississippi_river illinois began construction temple city church new headquarters gathering place grew rapidly fueled converts europe smith introduced temple ceremonies meant seal families doctrines eternal progression marriage smith created service organization women called organization called council representing future kingdom god earth smith published story vision father son appeared years old vision come regarded important event human history birth ministry resurrection jesus christ local political tensions fueled internal dissent escalated conflicts anti june smith brother killed mob illinois smith logical successor deaths caused succession crisis assumed leadership majority day saints young close associate smith senior smaller groups day saints followed leaders form denominations day saint movement pioneer era years smith death conflicts escalated illinois residents prevent war led pioneers day saints temporary winter quarters nebraska eventually beginning having failed build confines american society began construct society isolation based beliefs values cooperative ethic developed decade half important settlers branched large desert region known corridor efforts seen religious duties new villages governed bishops local lay religious leaders viewed land commonwealth maintaining operative system irrigation allowed build farming community desert greatly expanded missionary efforts establishing missions europe latin_america converts expected gather young presidency seventy thousand converts immigrated america converts came england scandinavia quickly community immigrants crossed great plains wagons drawn later groups pulled possessions small 1860s newcomers began new railroad construction church leaders publicized previously secret practice marriage form years percent families entered marriages religious duty number marriages reaching peak declining rest century reasons marriage practice economic sense wives single women arrived utah brothers fathers offer societal support tensions escalated americans largely result accusations involving rule president sent army utah interpreted open aggression fearing repeat missouri illinois prepared defend determined torch homes case invaded relatively peaceful utah war ensued notable instance violence massacre leaders local militia ordered killing civilian party traveling utah escalating tensions young agreed step position governor replaced non alfred significant political power young death followed presidents resisted efforts united_states congress outlaw marriages ruled united_states religious duty suitable defense practicing went hiding later congress began seizing church assets september church president issued manifesto officially suspended practice manifesto dissolve existing marriages relations united_states markedly improved utah admitted state manifesto continued enter marriages eventually stopped church president congress issued second manifesto calling marriages church cease eventually church adopted policy members found practicing today seeks actively distance groups continue practice modern times early 20th century began american mainstream began broadcasting weekly performance national radio asset public relations emphasized patriotism industry rising status american religious denominations middle class 1920s 1930s began migrating utah trend great depression looked work find spread church leaders created programs help preserve tight community feel culture addition weekly worship services began participating numerous programs organization church sponsored dances ward basketball camping trips plays religious education programs youth college students great depression church started welfare program meet needs poor members grown include humanitarian branch provides relief disaster victims later half 20th century movement conservative attempting regain status peculiar people 1960s 1970s brought changes leaders alarmed erosion traditional values sexual revolution widespread use recreational drugs moral forces saw damaging family partly counter greater emphasis family life religious education missionary work conservative process result today probably integrated mainstream society early 1960s black people members congregations time black membership small enforced policy restricted men black african descent ordained church lay church sharply criticized policy civil rights movement policy remained force reversal prompted questions mixed race converts brazil general greeted change joy relief black membership grown approximately black members church percent total membership africa brazil caribbean black membership continued grow substantially especially west_africa temples built black members organization black members ban endorsed church grew rapidly world war world wide organization missionaries sent globe church doubled size years outside united_states inside estimated million roughly percent living outside united_states estimated approximately million roughly total membership regularly attend services majority white non hispanic percent distributed western_europe global distribution resembles contact model organization headquarters utah church general congregations continents teach doctrines international tend absorb good deal culture possibly church hierarchy missionary presence international bring pieces heritage church adapting church practices local cultures chile areas higher percentage united_states percent countries percent include culture practices isolation utah allowed create culture faith spread world distinctive practices followed converts urged undergo lifestyle changes sins adopt foreign standards conduct practices common include studying scriptures praying daily regularly attending sunday worship services participating church programs activities work sundays possible important church services considered lord supper commonly called church members renew baptism emphasize standards believe taught jesus christ including personal honesty integrity obedience law outside marriage fidelity marriage percent lived utah center cultural influence utah living average culturally politically conservative living cosmopolitan centers self identifying attend church somewhat average living states nonetheless live utah tend culturally politically conservative members religious groups place greater emphasis pioneer heritage international generally descendants pioneers strong sense stems doctrine history members responsibility time talents helping poor building church church divided locality congregations called making stake vast majority church leadership positions lay positions church leaders work hours week unpaid church service contribute percent income church involved humanitarian efforts young men women elderly couples choose serve mission time church pay adhere health law code interpreted prohibiting consumption tobacco alcohol coffee tea encouraging use herbs grains fruits moderate consumption meat word wisdom understood harmful addictive substances practices use illegal drugs abuse drugs oppose behaviors viewing pornography gambling concept united family lives progresses forever core day saint doctrine place high importance family life hold weekly family home evenings evening set aside family bonding study prayer activities day saint fathers hold typically children shortly birth formally child parents hope pray children gain gospel grow marry temples strict law requiring sexual relations outside opposite sex marriage strict fidelity marriage sexual activity homosexual outside marriage considered sin marriage recognized man woman sex marriages performed supported church members encouraged marry children day saint families tend larger average opposed abortion exceptional circumstances pregnancy result rape life health mother jeopardy practicing adult wear religious remind encourage dress form media pornographic way including media depicts graphic representations sex violence body discouraged exception single pair women self identify gay lesbian bisexual remain good standing church homosexual relations obey law official numbers estimates average members ward experience sex attraction president estimates percent stay church individuals come forward different support groups websites discussing homosexual attractions concurrent church membership groups members known day saints constitute percent beliefs practices generally guided teachings leaders smaller groups differ mainstream ways members actively participate worship services church called active akin qualifying expressions non non practicing relation members religious groups release statistics church activity likely percent united_states percent worldwide regularly attend worship services reasons inactivity include lifestyle issues problems social integration activity rates tend vary age occurs frequently age majority active members return church activity later life day saints seek religion referred members broke issue known groups differ mainstream primarily belief practice marriage thought members percent roughly half practicing number largest church addition marriage groups practice form christian known law seeks distance groups members discovered practicing teaching today majority members liberal known approach teachings scripture look scriptures spiritual guidance necessarily believe teachings literally uniquely true liberal revelation process god gradually brings human beings greater understanding liberal place good loving fellow human beings importance believing correctly separate context members small progressive groups adopted label cultural cultural individuals believe doctrines self identify usually result having raised faith having converted spent large portion life active member cultural actively involved church cases officially members church beliefs canon consisting bible old new book collection revelations writings known pearl great price relatively open definition scripture general rule spoken written prophet inspiration considered word god bible written word god far translated correctly book believed written ancient viewed companion bible definition teachings smith successors accepted scripture measured draw heavily canon believe friendly universe governed god aim bring children eternal life unique perspective nature god origin man purpose life instance believe pre mortal existence people literal spirit children god god presented plan salvation allow children progress like plan involved spirits receiving bodies earth going trials order learn progress receive joy important plan involved jesus eldest god children coming earth literal son god conquer sin death god children return according person lives earth resurrected nearly received kingdoms glory accepted highest kingdom person fully accept christ faith baptism laying hands according original principles christianity known great began long ascension jesus christ marked corruption christian doctrine greek followers dividing different ideological groups claim led loss authority administer church believe god restored early christian church particular believe angels peter james john john baptist moses appeared smith bestowed authorities believe church true living church divine authority restored smith self identify christian christians particularly evangelical disagree view view religions having portions truth good works having genuine value structure president prophet revelations church aspect ordinary access inspiration thought guide encouraged seek personal revelations vision proof heavens open god answers prayers place considerable emphasis asking god find true claim heavenly visions like smith response prayers feel god talks hearts minds beliefs considered strange modernized world continue hold beliefs feel god spoken
Mormons