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Russia's Other "Mormons": Their Origins And Relationship To The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Eric A. Eliason, Gary Browning

BYU Studies Quarterly

When Mormon missionaries entered Russia in 1990, they were astonished to hear about "Mormon" settlements already existing in the Samara region. Other evidence of Mormonism appeared: for example, locals used the term "Mormon crosses" to describe a unique style of crucifixes in cemeteries. In this article, the authors delve into the questions of whether or not sects with ties to mainstream Mormonism existed in pre-perestroika Russia or if unrelated groups earned the nickname "Mormon" for living in unusual family arrangements, similar to polygamy. Using data gathered from Latter-day Saint missionaries who served in Russia in the late 1990s as a …