Joseph Smith

Because the church is still growing it is hard to give an exact figure. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the 'Mormon' church) reports just over 14 million baptized members as of January 2012, but there is no public record of how many Mormons there have been in history since the Church was founded in 1830.

The records are very unclear. Here is what we do know:

In 1825, 19 year old Joseph Smith was hired by Josiah Stowell to participate in a treasure hunting expedition with several other men. This was a somewhat common thing at the time. When the search seemed to be fruitless, Joseph encouraged Mr. Stowell to discontinue the hunt.

In 1826, the nephew or son (records say both) of Mr. Stowell brought charges against Joseph Smith, presumably because they were upset no treasure was ever found. Joseph was accused of being a vagrant and a disorderly person, and a warrant for this misdemeanor charge was put out. (at that time, a person could be charged with being 'disorderly' if they travelled from place to place working odd jobs, as Joseph did.)

The courts did not keep records of misdemeanors, so there are no official court records of any trial, but some personal accounts say that he was examined by the court, and that the event was titled "The People vs. Joseph Smith the Glass-Looker". Since personal accounts say that the case went to court, we can assume that it did. However, most records also say that he was released or aquitted and that it wasn't a 'trial', but more of an 'examination'.

So, we don't know that he was arrested or if he came to court of his own accord, and he was never convicted of anything, but he was brought before the court and accused of being a 'disorderly person' in 1826.

No, definitely not. To say so would be blasphemy. Joseph Smith is a prophet - similar to Moses, Noah, or Abraham.

The Godhead consists only of God the Father, Jesus Christ (the Son of God), and the Holy Spirit.

No. Joseph Smith never killed anyone, and there is no record or even rumors of him ordering people to be killed.

There are rumors of Brigham Young ordering some apostates (people who left the church) to be killed in an act called 'Blood Atonement'. This stems from the belief that it is better for them to die now than to continue living life in sin. While it is rumored that he ordered this to happen, there are no hard facts. It is known that Brigham Young himself never killed anyone.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) today does not believe that nonbelievers or apostates should be killed or punished in any way, but leaves punishment up to God. They adhere to a comment made by Joseph Smith, which says, "We claim the privelege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own concience, and allow all men that same privelege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

I assume you are referring to the prayer that brought about his first vision? Joseph Smith was trying to find a church to join and turned to the Bible for answers. He read James 1:5, which says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." That phrase really struck him, so he decided he would ask God which church to join.

Raymond Joseph Smith was the editor of the Ontario Review. He died in 2008.

No. He translated them from ancient golden plates containing the records of the ancient people of America who were faithful in Christ.

The translation is said to have been done through use of the Urim and Thummim, a device described in the Old Testament. It involved some sort of breastplate and two 'seer stones', but no hat.

Church headquarters moved from Palmyra New York to Kirtland Ohio to Independence Missouri to Nauvoo Illinois while Joseph Smith was alive. After he was killed, Church headquarters moved to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Joseph Smith was killed in the county jail in Carthage, Illinois.