 Joseph Smith , Jr . ( December 23 , 1805 – June 27 , 1844 ) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement . When he was twenty @-@ four , Smith published the Book of Mormon . By the time of his death fourteen years later , he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and had ...
 nobody has ever been able to tell me what the "Mormons" believe in. ...
Mormonism is the official name of the religion started by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. The name "Mormon" is a shortened form of the Book