Latter-day Saint neighbors
What Latter-day Saint neighbors believe, what they celebrate, and what they wish you’d just ask.
Start here
From the guide: Who Lives Next Door
Latter-day Saint neighbors
The two young people in name tags at your door are barely out of high school, far from home, and probably hungry.
From the guide: First VisitA Latter-day Saint meetinghouse
Two hours on Sunday. Pass the tray if you'd like. Temples are a different building.
Questions people ask
Through time
More than 15,000 years ago: Native peoples in North AmericaAbout 2000 BC: Abraham answers God's callAbout 1500 BC: The Rig VedaAbout 1450 BC: The Exodus and the Torah at SinaiAbout 500 BC: The Buddha teachesAbout 400 BC to AD 200: The Bhagavad GitaAbout 250 BC: Emperor AshokaAbout 6 BC: Jesus is bornAbout AD 30: Jesus' death and resurrectionAD 610: The Qur'an's revelation beginsAD 622: The Hijra1469: Guru Nanak is born1699: The Khalsa is founded1787: No religious test for office1791: The First Amendment1965: Immigration and Nationality Act1978: American Indian Religious Freedom Act2023–24: 29 percent unaffiliated 1820: The First Vision1830: The Book of Mormon is publishedApril 6, 1830: The Church is organized1847: Pioneers reach the Salt Lake Valley1890: The Manifesto1978: Priesthood opened to all races2025: A worldwide church
- 1820The First Vision. Latter-day Saints believe God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to young Joseph Smith in a New York grove.
- 1830The Book of Mormon is published. The Book of Mormon is printed in New York; members accept it as scripture alongside the Bible.
- April 6, 1830The Church is organized. Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery and others formally organize the Church at a meeting in western New York.
- 1847Pioneers reach the Salt Lake Valley. After being driven from Illinois, pioneers led by Brigham Young arrive in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24.
- 1890The Manifesto. Church President Wilford Woodruff issues the Manifesto, advising members to stop entering plural marriages forbidden by law.
- 1978Priesthood opened to all races. Church leaders announce a revelation that all worthy male members may hold the priesthood, regardless of race.
- 2025A worldwide church. The Church reports nearly 17.9 million members around the world at the end of 2025.