The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Part 2)

        When Mormons were in endangered by violence and discrimination, Brigham Young guided the members through success. Young not only salvaged the Mormons, but had a large impact on the development of the American West. Young was first introduced to the idea of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when the Book of Mormon was published by Joseph Smith in 1830. In 1832, while living in New York, Young was baptized into the Church. Later in 1834, he marched in Missouri with other church members to help Mormons regain their lands. Recognized by his dedication and works, he was named third of the “Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.” As a honorable member, Young guided the members to move to Illinois and attracted members from England; establishing a path for European converts. .
        When Joseph Smith was murdered in 1844, Young took command of the church as the second president. Unfortunately, Young could not resist the pressure of politics in Missouri, and commanded the church to Salt Lake City. In 1849, the settlement was named “Deseret,” and later changed to “Utah.” Although his political status was limited by outside governors,  Young governed the state with firm ideologies. He stressed education and theatre, and as an advocate of polygamy, he took more than 20 wives and fathered 47 children.
         Young’s legacy is still portrayed in the beehive state of Utah. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, 62.8% of Utah residents still remain Mormon. In the capital, Salt Lake City, 50.07% of residents are Mormon. With over 2,040,178 members and 19 temples, the LDS Church still remains the major religion in Utah.
sources:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Brigham-Young
http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=5403049&itype=CMSID