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moar on LDS church and its beliefs.
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The church teaches that Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and its members believe in continuing revelation through modern prophets, with the current president, Dallin H. Oaks, regarded as a prophet, seer, and revelator.
The church's theology includes a belief in the pre-existence of spirits, the importance of family unity through eternal sealing ordinances performed in temples, and the potential for humans to become gods in the afterlife.
It emphasizes adherence to strict health and moral codes, including prohibitions on alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea, and promotes education and a strong work ethic.
The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has a global presence with over 17.5 million members as of 2024, including more than 6.8 million in the United States.
It maintains a hierarchical structure led by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with local congregations organized into wards and stakes.
The church conducts a large-scale missionary program, with over 109,000 volunteer missionaries worldwide, and engages in humanitarian efforts independent of its proselytizing activities.
While the church identifies as Christian and views itself as a restoration of the original church established by Jesus Christ, many mainstream Christian denominations consider it distinct due to doctrinal differences, such as its unique understanding of the Godhead and its additional scriptural texts—the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price—alongside the Bible.
The church's history includes periods of migration, including the westward journey of the Mormon pioneers to Utah under Brigham Young after Joseph Smith's death in 1844.