Had Joe Smith kept to The Holy Book of Mormon and the Holy Bible, he would not have fallen—as Book of Mormon witness David Whitmer said. Whitmer testified that Joe became a “fallen prophet,” and Jesus instructed David to flee the Mormon Church well before Nauvoo.
Every new doctrine and ordinance for salvation or “exaltation” was meant to wow the public and retain members for the long haul, i.e., financial security for the Smith family. Why did the early Saints never build chapels? A chapel was ordinary and did not require enough time and money to provide financial support for the Smiths simultaneously.
This was the same cause for contention in The Holy Book of Mormon. The “elite” wanted a king. What happened to Joe just before he was murdered? He was anointed KING.
No miracles are attributed to Joe in the last decade of his life because he was a fallen prophet. At the core was his side-stepping of Our Lord and the power of His glorious name. David said the first person ordained a high priest under Joe immediately became possessed by an evil spirit. Jesus said ALL POWER was given to Him, and He gave ALL PERMISSION to ALL BELIEVERS to USE HIS NAME.
Don’t be fooled. Jesus is ALL SUFFICIENT, and The Holy Book of Mormon details all ordinances, and NOT ONE mentions priesthood under the New Covenant.
2 Turn, all ye Gentiles [MORMONS], from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and YOUR PRIESTCRAFTS, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name [NO PRIESTHOODS], that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel. (3 Nephi 30)