Here is a common statement put to us to refute:
“God would not call Joseph only to bring forth The Book of Mormon and nothing else. He restored the gospel; established the Kingdom, etc..”
We do have the prophecies regarding Joseph Smith from the The Book of Mormon and the Bible, and the words that the Lord spoke to him. No where does it say Joseph was called to do anything more than to bring forth The Book of Mormon and convince the world of it:
And I shall give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. (2 Nephi 3:8)
And you have a gift to translate the plates; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift for I will grant unto you no other gift. (Book of Commandments IV:2)
Joseph had to change revelations to allow him to do other things. Here, Joseph added “coming forth of my church” to justify his church:
And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness – clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.(D&C 5:14 compare with Book of Commandments IV:4.)
Joseph had to remove the word “reformation” which was a direct contradiction to a “restoration:”
And thus, if the people of this generation harden not their hearts, I will work a reformation among them. (D&C 5:20 compare with Book of Commandments IV:5.)
Joseph was only called to bring forth The Book of Mormon, which book was meant to finish the reforming that began with the Reformers 500 years ago.
Question: Mormons should ask themselves: What would have happened to The Book of Mormon if Joseph had not sequestered it to his church?
Answer: Those many early Christian converts to The Book would have incorporated it into their own denomination.