The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS church, got the nickname "Mormon" from one of its sacred texts, the Book of Mormon, said to have been compiled by a prophet named Mormon. The book tells the story of a small group of Israelites who headed west about 2,600 years ago — all the way to what is now America. There, the church says, they created a mighty civilization and were visited by Jesus after his resurrection.

The church was founded by Joseph Smith, the son of a farmer in upstate New York. In 1823, Smith said that an angel revealed the existence of a set of golden plates engraved with the Book of Mormon. LDS doctrine says that Smith translated the plates and used the text to reconstitute God's only true church on earth in 1830 with six members.

There are numerous differences between LDS doctrine and standard biblical Christianity. The LDS church teaches that:

• The Book of Mormon and several other books are on par with the Bible.

• God continues to reveal new truths through the church leadership.

• Human souls all had a premortal existence.

• After death, souls will end up in one of three possible heavens, depending on whether they belong to the LDS church and what they did while on earth.