ROBERT - In 3 Nephi 28 and D&C 7, 3 of the 12 Nephites are translated and so is John. Seeing that the Nephites and John, according to LDS teachings, held the Melchizedek Priesthood, how could there be a complete apostasy? Don't they have the capabilities to confer the Priesthood, as they are supposed to be capable of brining people to Christ?

JOEL - Acccording to President Harold B. Lee:
"There has never been a moment of time when there hasn't been someone holding the priesthood on the earth with power to check Satan and to hold him within bounds. Now that doesn't mean that the kingdom of God was present, because these men did not have the authority to administer the saving ordinances of the gospel to the world. But these individuals were translated for a purpose known to the Lord. There is no question but what they were here."
(Address delivered at Brigham Young University to Seminary and Institute personnel, 8 July 1964.)

Joesph Smith said:
"Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fullness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as those who are resurrected from the dead" (TPJS, p. 170).

So even though these four prophets of God did hold the priesthood during their mortal lives they do not have the authority to pass it on or perform ordinances without the kingdom of God on the earth; they are only to act as ministering angels to help bring people into the gospel.

ROBERT - In LDS teaching, Jesus was God, even in the pre-existance and that the Holy Ghost is God, although he has never had a mortal stage. Doesn't Abraham 3:24-26 teach that one must indeed have a mortal stage to be a God? (the reference to inheriting different estates).

JOEL - Here are the scriptures:
"And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." (Abraham 3:24-26)

Jesus did have a type of mortal stage while He was here on earth, even though his Father was immortal. As far as we know the Holy Ghost may or may not ever get a body. Joseph Smith once said that, "The Holy Ghost is yet a spiritual body and is waiting to take to himself a body, as the Savior did."[Joseph Smith, Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith's Teachings, edited by Larry E. Dahl and Donald Q. Cannon (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1997)]
and;
"The Holy Ghost is now in a state of probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has." (Joseph Smith, The Words of Joseph Smith, p. 245; Sabbath address, Nauvoo, 27 August 1843. Reported by Franklin D. Richards.)

Another thing to consider is that Abraham is only talking about the people who will inhabit the earth, not beings that are already considered gods.

ROBERT - In "True to the faith" and other Latter-day Saint publications and the like, the Fall of Man is often spoken as a positive thing, as God seemingly wanted the Fall to occur. However, how come Adam and Eve were punished straight off after their transgression in Eden?

JOEL - Even though it might have seemed like a punnishment to Adam and Eve it was a positive thing for the rest of God's children that could now come to earth and work out their eternal life. That's the way we teach it in our Church. And what happened to Adam and Eve was not really what you would call a punishment, but rather just a consequence of their actions(eg. I touch a hot stove I burn my finger). God told them that if they partook of the fruit they would be subject to both spiritual and physical death; and that's exactly what happened.

ROBERT - How come Moroni applied the prophecy of Joel to Joseph Smith, saying it was not fulfilled (JH 1:41), in spite of the Book of Acts chapter 2:16-21?

JOEL -
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2:28)

"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" (Acts 2:14-16)

Peter was explaining that what they saw and heard was an example of what the Prophet Joel said would happen in the last days. This did not mean that this prophecy was completely fulfilled. We are still in the last days and are continuing to see examples of this prophecy occuring(eg. Joseph Smith) but it will not be completely fulfilled until the second coming and Christ is here.

ROBERT - How come in the Sermon on the Mount and Sermon at the Temple (e.g. see 3 Nephi 12:43-44 and the parallel verse in Matthew) and Romans 12:14 we are told to bless our enemies and not to curse them while the Doctrine and Covenants insteads sides with the old testament's support of cursing enemies, as opposed to the New testament that rejects it? (see D&C 103:24-25 and 124:93)

JOEL -
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matt. 5: 44)

"Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not." (Romans 12:14)

"And inasmuch as mine enemies come against you to drive you from my goodly land, which I have consecrated to be the land of Zion, even from your own lands after these testimonies, which ye have brought before me against them, ye shall curse them;
And whomsoever ye curse, I will curse, and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies." (D&C 103:24-25)

God alone is the only one who can judge who should be cursed(something He did in both the Old and New Testamant, Gen. 3:17, Gen. 5:29, Gen. 12:3, Mark 11:21).
The circumstances surrounding the D&C scriptures represented not just enemies against an individual man, but an even more important threat against the restoration of God's gospel to the earth. Because of this, God Himself gave Joseph Smith the permission and power to curse those who violently fought against the Kingdom of God so that it might be preserved.