ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mormon (word)

Mormon is a word that refers to members of a religious group called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The word comes from a book called the Book of Mormon, which the members of the LDS church believe is a book of scripture written by ancient American prophets.

So, imagine you have a book about things that happened a long time ago in a faraway land. People who like this book might start calling themselves after the name of the book. In this case, it's called the Book of Mormon, so the people who follow this book are called Mormons.

In addition to the Book of Mormon, members of the LDS church also believe in the Bible and other books of scripture. They believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and try to live by his teachings. Mormons also have their own temples where they perform special religious ceremonies and make promises to God.

So, being a Mormon means believing in a certain book and certain teachings, and trying to live a good life following those teachings.