BILL - Joseph and Hyrum Smith were exhumed in
the 1920s by the Reorganized church. Also Lucy Smith..
If they have already been resurrected would one expect
to find their physical remains?
We are told that the Saints arose from their graves at
Jesus' resurrection.
JOEL - If they were resurrected one would not find their
physical remains in the grave. But as far as I know
they have not been resurrected, nor will they be till
the second coming of Christ.
The way I understand it God only causes the
resurrection of people as He needs them to perform
some task on earth. For example John the Baptist and
Peter, James, and John were resurrected so they could
lay their hands on Joseph Smith's and Oliver Cowdery's
heads to bestow the Aaronic and Melchizedek
priesthoods. Also the angel Moroni who gave the Gold
plates to Joseph Smith was probably a resurrected
being. As you said there were saints who arose at the
time Jesus was resurrected, perhaps to show the people
that Jesus had indeed brought about the resurrection
of the dead(Matt 27:52-53).
A President of our Church, Joseph Fielding Smith said:
"It is the opinion of some that the resurrection is
going on all the time now, but this is purely
speculation without warrant in the scriptures. It is
true that the Lord has power to call forth any person
or persons from the dead, as he may desire, especially
if they have a mission to perform which would require
their resurrection. For example, we have the cases of
Peter, James, and Moroni." (Doctrines of Salvation,
1954-1956)
Anyone who has said that Joseph, Hyrum, and Lucy have
already been resurrected were merely speculating or
telling untrue stories.