The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in 1830 by Joseph Smith (1805-1844), founding prophet, to Fayette in the State of New York (USA).

At the age of 15 years, while he was praying the Lord to enlighten the true religion among all those that then proliferated in the eastern United States, God appeared to him and told him not to join any existing church. Other visions which followed, in 1823, the visit of the angel Moroni announcing that he “was hiding a book written on gold plates containing the history of the first inhabitants of this continent and that their origin . He discovered these plaques engraved mysterious character (of the Egyptian “reformed”) in 1827 and translated by two stones, the Urim and Thurim before the angel does resume.

Became the Book of Mormon, the text devoted to immigration (600 BC. JC) and the history of ancient peoples of Jewish origin (the Jarédites, the Lamanites, the Néphites) occupies a crucial place in the doctrine of the Church of JC of Latter-day Saints: even if no archaeologist has ever been able to confirm this story, for the Mormon is a divinely inspired book.

Charismatic personality, J. Smith quickly create around him a group of faithful and pe, supporting its authority on the Book of Mormon and revelations-permanent, undertook to establish a theocracy (political organization based on its power delegated divine), and arises the Church of JC of Latter-day Saints, restoration of the early Christian Church and only true church on earth. The new church sends out missionaries and converts, but encounter opposition. The Mormons fled to the west. Appearing several times as a threat, religious, economic and political (J. Smith is a candidate for President of the United States in 1844) the Church faces a growing adversity several incidents arise and J. Smith died murdered in Nauvoo (Illinois) in 1844.

A new and long exodus, led by Brigham Young who became the second prophet, led the Mormons on the edge of Salt Lake, they built-sent “Holy Zion” where Jesus will reign over the tribes of Israel to end of time. Utah, which is not yet a United States of America, depends on the federal government, relations with it, concerned about the expansion of Mormons, is hampered by the practice of polygamy “restored “J. Smith in response to a revelation (allowed to the patriarchs of the Bible, it was not bad by nature …). In 1890, the President of the Church officially ended the practice of polygamy in 1896 and Utah became the forty-fifth state of the United States of America.
Today, Mormons represent 70% of the population of Utah. The Church of JC of Latter-day Saints has become a financially strong, influential in business and politics (16 Mormons serving in Congress). According to its leaders, the Mormons are 11 million worldwide (30,500 in France). It does not publish its accounts, but an investigation by the newspaper Les Echos (8/2/2002) estimated $ 4 billion annual income net of taxes.
His real estate holdings throughout the world is enormous: 114 temples, sumptuous buildings, and numerous chapels and, according to its di-rigeants, “it builds or expands a little less than two places of worship by day.” It possesses, Utah, a huge genealogical library,-tions partly through agreements with States (including France) and used by genealogists worldwide.
A monthly magazine: The Liahona (a term from the Book of Mormon meaning “compass” or “director”) is translated into forty languages (formerly Star).
Doctrine

J. Smith is the central character of the doctrine as well as the history of the Church of JC of Latter Day Saints. Expressed in condensed form in his 13 Articles of Faith, written by J. Smith 1842, Mormon theology is a theology based on proven:

- The sacred scriptures (Article 8): For Mormon the word of God is not limited to the Bible which is complemented by modern scriptures: the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of great price, two collections revelations of J. Smith.
- Divine revelation continues (Article 9): God continues to reveal himself and all those who are sincere and who pray for inspiration can be obtained, but only the word of God received by the President and Prophet and Revelation (main titles J. Smith and his successors) has theological value and force of law. A number of revelations J. Smith is devoted in whole or in part to economic issues, emphasizing the interplay between the temporal and the spiritual in the Mormon religion.

Millenarian, theology Mormon describes a “plan of salvation” which is the Church of JC of Latter-day Saints, the only true church and its clergy and lay exclusively masculine, takes its authority from God:

- Millenarianism (Article 10): The Mormons awaiting the second coming of Christ. The “Latter-day Saints of” gathered under the authority of the President of the Church will be protected from destruction and have access to the heavenly kingdom. This is the fundamental principle of the Mormon faith.
- Closely linked to this concept of togetherness, the eternal progression: “What man is, God was, what God is, man will” (J. Smith). This increase is part of an eternal plan of salvation “in three acts: Duplicate, mortal life, hierarchical salvation after death. All human beings have existed as qu’esprit before their birth land, they must wind incarnate on earth (a kind of probationary period) to enter the final stages of the eternal progression towards “a state of glory, of honor and exaltation similar to that of the Father. ” This state of glory has different levels: at the top of the “heavenly glory” (where the perfect couple of the chosen people can become gods), then “Glory Land” and the “glory Teleste. Even those who could not hear in their lifetime have the word Mormon can access the state of glory: just a living for them to perform temple ordinances (by proxy ordinances for the dead, giving rise to gigantic genealogical research by the faithful Mormons).
- Authority (Article 5): All faithful men, if worthy, should be given the authority of God to another to the already preaching the Gospel and administer the ordinances.
- Church restored (Article 6): Continuation of the original Church of Jesus Christ, the Mormon Church is the only true church, governed directly by God, through the President and Prophet, and the current is directly derived of the Bible.
Organization

The structure of the Church of JC of Latter-day Saints is a centralized hierarchy pyramid. The global headquarters is in Salt Lake City, both for religious affairs for the administrative, spiritual and temporal which can not be conceived separately.

The General Authority, at their head, are made:

- The First Presidency consists of the Prophet-President, absolute authority for all Mormons, and his two counselors, whose members are chosen by the council of twelve. The current president, since 1995, Gordon B. Hinckley (92 years).
- The Council of Twelve Apostles, appointed by the Presidency.
- The council of 70, in which responsibilities are divided in different sectors of the Church.
- Bishop-President and his two advisors, who manage the temporal affairs of the Church (this is the financial director of the Church in a way).
The world organization of the Church has two aspects:
- The organization with the “pious” (equivalent of dioceses), headed by a president, with several parishes, themselves led by a bishop, and branches (pieces too small to be a parish); parishes as branches have a chapel.
- The missionary organization with missions and branches, headed by presidents.
- Pious and missions are grouped into regions for administrative management.

All members of local hierarchies are appointed by “inspiration” from senior leaders.

The clergy base is secular (non-professional): the priesthood is the authority of God given to man to act on his behalf. All young people “worthy” may be as young as twelve, ordained in the priesthood of Aaron, whose “offices” (functions) are: deacon, teacher, priest and bishop. The priesthood of Melchizedek, which begins at the age of twenty years, has the “offices”: old, seventy, high priest, patriarch, and apostle.
The priesthood, inter alia, the responsibility for teaching at home to look after members of the Church and strengthen; instructors at home are affected by the leaders, they are a monthly report to the leaders on the property spiritual and temporal members that they visit.
Missionaries: the expansion of the Church is guaranteed by an intense missionary activity; all young Mormon men from the age of 19 years, are strongly encouraged to devote two years of their life to the evangelization (for young women, 18 months from their 21 years), at the expense of their family or their own savings gleaned as soon as possible in small seasonal work. Before leaving, often in a foreign country, they are prepared in one of 15 missionary training centers and extremely intense language. Their activity is tightly controlled on site and results in regular reports.
The family structure exclusively patriarchal, it is at the center of Mormon based on the (source divine) father, holder of the priesthood of Melchizedek, and the woman’s responsibility to support and encourage. A household headed by a non-priest Melchizedek should be particularly monitored and supported by leaders. The birth rate is strongly encouraged to enable the largest possible number of minds yet “pre-mortal” to incarnate.
Rites and practices
Ordinances (sacraments):

- Orders “ordinary”, administered in local communities by a priest:
- Baptism by immersion (from eight), confirmations, blessings, priesthood.
- Meeting of Lord’s Supper each week.
- Orders “essential” does take place in a temple, sacred building which can not access the Mormons “worthy” (paying tithing and obeying the laws of the Church), with a “recommendation” to pass temple is essential in view of salvation and provides a deep sense of honor and recognition. In France, there is no temple, and Mormons have to go to Switzerland, Germany, England or Spain to fulfill those orders.
- Allocation: secret ceremony, “during which a member is supposed to receive the full powers of God and the keys to become himself a god” (testimony of a former mormon), however, that it undertakes ;
- Marriage for eternity and the sealing of families: married only Mormons can enter the temple at the highest level of salvation (celestial glory);
- Orders by proxy for the dead: “The doctrine of salvation for the dead was the substance of the Scriptures. The saints who neglect to apply for the deceased relatives are risking their own salvation” (Teachings of the Prophet J . Smith). Genealogy, for Mormons, is not a hobby but the obligation to investigate the precise identity of their ancestors so that they can be baptized and married at the temple and shown on the records of the Church. All units throughout the world have a genealogical library (microfiche).
Practices: number of revelations by J. Smith relate to aspects of Mormon life and concerned about its fidelity to the Church and his salvation must follow these precepts:
- The meeting on Sunday (three hours): speeches, prayers, songs, school di-inning, meetings of various organizations, Lord’s Supper. One Sunday a month, day of fasting (2 meals youth whose financial equivalent is the gift of fasting, gathered for mutual aid) and witness all, to younger children, are invited to publicly share their experiences spiritual in the Church “for the edification of one and all.”
- The “appeals” in addition to the exclusively male Supervisors, all Mormons are “called to responsibility in the many activities, very strictly regulated, organizations such as the Auxiliary Relief Society (women’s organization), the Primary (activities for children), young men and women, scouts … A “call” will be “inspired” by the leaders, it can not be denied without risk to personal salvation, or at least for the “dignity” to enter the temple, and we understand that almost all of the lives of Mormons around the Church.
- Tithing: each pay one-tenth of his income, the money raised is used for church functions but not in the same parish. The settlement of the tithe is also necessary to enter the temple or get a position of responsibility. Once a year, every Mormon has a “maintenance of the tithe with his bishop, or president to review the regulation.
- The word of wisdom, revelation made by J. Smith in 1833, is a health code prohibiting the use of tobacco, alcohol, tea, coffee, and the sake of healthy body today includes the exclusion of any drug. In general, no excess.
- Evening family one evening a week (preferably Monday) on the exchange and education, to reinforce the importance of the family threatened by the conceptions of life that we find in the world “… and to offset the family scattering caused by the many” calls “for each of its members.
Comments or testimony

Freedom of thought: “The Mormon missionaries argue free will then that obedience to God’s plan is required uniform.”
“Among the Mormons, it is advisable not to look beyond the marked point, ie not going to learn beyond what the Church”.
“We were too involved in the life of the Church to take the necessary [...]. Indeed, the Church did not she answer all the questions of the world?”

The indoctrination of children and adolescents: “From an early age, children Mormons undergo intense religious indoctrination that leaves little room for any personal reflection. Have a testimony, that have received a personal confirmation through prayer , fasting and meditation, directly from God that the Church is the true Church of God on earth. repeats since early childhood, following the example of parents and local leaders, I leave you free to think what that it can provide in the field of tolerance and the nature of a confrontation with another individual. ”

“I saw younger unsettled than ever, was unable to make the junction between the Church and the world in which they were born, was unable to say who they were lost between the perfect mormon they to be human beings and they were really. ”

The status of women: their first responsibility is family (to support their husband’s authority and educate children in accordance with the Mormon faith), but in dependence on their husbands, without which they can not enter the kingdom of heaven. The situation of separated parents is difficult when one is a committed Mormon. The Church has opposed amending the U.S. Constitution in favor of women’s rights, the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) and is the current president, G. Hinckley, then an apostle, who coordinated the campaign of opposition.

The progressive detachment of the entourage: “After six months, I realized I could not see that Mormon families.”

Proselytizing: “I spent seven weeks in training camp, Pro-vo (Utah) to learn the method to convert the” son and daughters of the world. ”

This method is more like a method of selling a home to Christians. “It is not unusual for missionaries in France, offer English classes and free computer … what’s really ris to deceive the other party on the real reason for their presence.