<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints (known as the LDS Church or, informally, the Mormon Church) is a Christian restorationist church that is considered by its members to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ . The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations and built temples worldwide . According to the church, it has over 70,000 missionaries and a membership of nearly 16 million . It is ranked by the National Council of Churches as the fourth - largest Christian denomination in the United States . It is the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith during the period of religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening . </P> <P> Adherents, often referred to as "Latter - day Saints" or, less formally, "Mormons", view faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement as fundamental principles of their religion . LDS theology includes the Christian doctrine of salvation only through Jesus Christ, though LDS doctrines regarding the nature of God and the potential of mankind differ significantly from mainstream Christianity . The church has an open canon which includes four scriptural texts: the Bible (both Old and New Testaments), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price . Other than the Bible, the majority of the LDS canon constitutes revelation received by Joseph Smith and recorded by his scribes which includes commentary and exegesis about the Bible, texts described as lost parts of the Bible, and other works believed to be written by ancient prophets . Because of some of the doctrinal differences, some Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches consider the LDS Church to be distinct and separate from mainstream Christianity . </P>

Who founded the church of latter day saints