The Only ones who recognize LDS as a "church" are those who have not made it to the higher level where the control of the finances are. Those at the top recognize fully LDS is an Investment Corperation with accountability among it's leadership only.
The members tithes and their recruitment efforts are to finance those investments and keep them with a steady flow of revenue as they enlarge and grow their Corperation here and Internationally.
On the World Stage it is and always will be who has the greater revenue sources....LDS Holdings and Investments are across the globe....and afford the leaders political power. The membership is simply the means to keep their balls rolling.....masked in the form of a false religion, which counterfeits Christianity, and appeals to those who need to "feel" special and secretive.
Like Masonary, Scientology and other 'Clubs'....but calling themsleves a church, when in fact they are a typical of false religions and cults.... which keep the membership "in line" and controlled via their ritualistic practices, oaths taken, and working up the various levels of acceptance.
Very sad for the uninformed who are trapped within it's false teachings. The Christ they serve is a fraud and Counterfeit of the Christian Christ....."another Christ"...just as Jesus said would be.
And there is also a similarity btwn Swedenborgism (http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/Swedenborg.html) and Mormonism as regards delusions of meeting many notable persons of Scripture (incldg. for Smith, that of meeting Elijah and Elias, due to the Greek rendering in the N.T.), and his own revelations being Scripture).