Mormon Dilemma 172

John the Revelator Among Ten Tribes of Israel

Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg 264; “In addition to the spiritual manifestations already mentioned as having occurred at this conference of June 3rd-6th, it should be said that, according to John Whitmer’s History of the Church, ch. v: “The Spirit of the Lord fell upon Joseph in an unusual manner, and he prophesied that John the Revelator was then among the Ten Tribes of Israel who had been led away by Salmanasser, king of Assyria, to prepare them for their return from their long dispersion, to again possess the land of their fathers. He prophesied many more things that I have not written.” (HC 1:176.)”.

Matthew 4:20-22; “And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”

Teachings like this serve as just one example of why there is confusion in the minds of many Mormons. As you can clearly see from the biblical passage above John the Apostle didn’t live at the time of the Assyrian takeover circa BC 700.

When I left the Church I wasn’t sure if John the Baptist and John the Apostle were different people or the same. Likewise I had also been taught that Noah was Gabriel and Adam was Michael the archangel, as well as the Ancient of Days.