Some early Christians saw this coming, the "Time of darkness"

[kirtland r.m.]

King James Bible Acts 20:29
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Some knew what was happening and tried to stop it. For the heading quote, see page 34.https://publications.mi.byu.edu/publica ... 201964.pdf
Many Christians, including various Church Leaders, waited for the "Restoration of all things". Here are some examples.
Not only is Roger Williams the Father of our First Amendment, he is also credited with founding the First Baptist Church in America. But Roger Williams soon left the Baptist Church, he then taught the following. “The apostasy… hath so far corrupted all, that there can be no recovery out of that apostasy until Christ shall send forth new apostles to plant churches anew.”
Roger Williams
“If the freedom of religion, guaranteed to us by law in theory, can ever rise in practice under the overbearing inquisition of public opinion, truth will prevail over fanaticism, and the genuine doctrines of Jesus, so long perverted by His pseudo-priests, will again be restored to their original purity. This reformation will advance with the other improvements of the human mind, but too late for me to witness it.”
~Thomas Jefferson November 4, 1820 (He died in 1826, 4 years before the Church was restored)http://www.ldssmile.com/2017/01/16/thre ... storation/

[LukeAir2008]

King James Bible Acts 20:29
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Some knew what was happening and tried to stop it.https://publications.mi.byu.edu/publica ... 201964.pdf
Many Christians, including various Church Leaders, waited for the "Restoration of all things". Here are some examples.
Not only is Roger Williams the Father of our First Amendment, he is also credited with founding the First Baptist Church in America. But Roger Williams soon left the Baptist Church, he then taught the following. “The apostasy… hath so far corrupted all, that there can be no recovery out of that apostasy until Christ shall send forth new apostles to plant churches anew.”
Roger Williams
“If the freedom of religion, guaranteed to us by law in theory, can ever rise in practice under the overbearing inquisition of public opinion, truth will prevail over fanaticism, and the genuine doctrines of Jesus, so long perverted by His pseudo-priests, will again be restored to their original purity. This reformation will advance with the other improvements of the human mind, but too late for me to witness it.”
~Thomas Jefferson November 4, 1820 (He died in 1826, 4 years before the Church was restored)http://www.ldssmile.com/2017/01/16/thre ... storation/

This reminds me of the little booklet/pamphlet that the missionaries used to hand out back in the 80’s called ‘Which Church is True’. Both of these quotes were in there.

With so much negativity about the Church and it’s leaders it’s nice to be reminded of things like this. Happy days!