How did a church that started with just six official members blossom into a global organization of more than fourteen million members? Authors such as Richard L. Bushman, John W. Welch, and Susan Easton Black show how Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other leaders established the foundation upon which the Church was built. According to Welch, the Book of Mormon provides the foundational administrative principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, not only its doctrines and instructions for personal living but also its many administrative guidelines. He elaborates: The administrative character and personality of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown directly from the genetic material found in the Book of Mormon. This book teaches how individuals throughout Church history were inspired to restore and establish Christ s Church in the latter days.
