FLDS Church

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
The former FLDS temple at the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado, Texas
Abbreviation	FLDS Church
Classification	Restorationist
Orientation	Based on Latter Day Saint movement
Theology	Based on Mormon fundamentalism
Polity	Hierarchical
Leader	Wendell Loy Nielson
Region	North America
Headquarters	Hildale, Utah, U.S.
Founder	Lorin C. Woolley (1929)
Origin	April 6, 1830 (LDS movement); March 6, 1929 (as Council of Friends); February 6, 1991 (incorporated)
Separated from	Short Creek Community
Separations	Centennial Park group, Church of Jesus Christ Inc.
Members	6,000–10,000
Other name(s)	First Ward
Official website	www.flds.org

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early 20th century when its founding members left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The split occurred largely because of the LDS Church's suspension of the practice of polygamy and its decision to excommunicate its members who would continue the practice.

The exact number of members of the FLDS Church is unknown due to the relatively closed nature of the organization. However, the FLDS Church is estimated to have 6,000 to 10,000 members residing in the sister cities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona; Eldorado, Texas; Westcliffe, Colorado;Mancos, Colorado; Creston and Bountiful, British Columbia; and Pringle, South Dakota. There are also developing communities near Benjamín Hill, Sonora (south of Nogales in the state of Sonora);Ensenada, Baja California (south of Tijuana); and Boise City, Oklahoma. Members of the FLDS Church have owned machine shops that have sold airplane components to the United States government, and from 1998 to 2007, the receipts of these components totaled more than $1.7 million.

The FLDS Church headquarters were originally located in what was then known as Short Creek in Arizona, on the southern border of Utah. The settlement eventually expanded into Utah and became incorporated as the twin municipalities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. The historic location of the church was in Hildale and Colorado City, but the church also has a long-standing colony in Bountiful, British Columbia. In 2004, news reports suggested a possible shift of the church's headquarters to Eldorado, Texas, where a temple had been built by FLDS Church members. Since the purchase of land located 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Eldorado, now called the Yearning for Zion Ranch, there appears to be a shift in the headquarters of the church, along with a large exodus of the "most faithful" church members. Other newer church settlements are 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Pringle, South Dakota and Mancos, Colorado with a presence in Minot, North Dakota.