The Book of Mormon is a sacred text used alongside the Bible in the Latter Day Saint movement for such churches as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Community of Christ. These churches regard the text not only as scripture but as a literal historical record of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas"Praise to the Man" Gordon B. Hinckley, Church President, mentions the millions who have believed in the Book of Mormon, Statistical Report 2007. They believe that Joseph Smith, Jr. translated it from an otherwise unknown language called Reformed Egyptian written on golden plates obtained from the Angel Moroni. First published in March 1830,The Book of Mormon was originally published by E. B. Grandin in Palmyra, New York, USA. it was originally entitled The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi by Joseph Smith, Junior, author and proprietor. In 1982, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United StatesYearbook of Canadian and American churches 2007, Edited by Lindner and the largest and most well-known denomination originating from the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations and temples worldwide, reporting approximately 13 million members on its rolls."LDS Church says membership now 13 million worldwide", Salt Lake Tribune, June 25, 2007.Press Release, LDS Church, "One Million Missionaries, Thirteen Million Members", 25 June 2007.

Adherents, usually referred to as Latter-day Saints, LDS, or Mormons, are Restorationist Christians and do not consider themselves part of the Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant traditions. The church teaches that sometime after the events depicted in the New Testament, there was a Great Apostasy, or loss of authority to lead Christ's church...