I think that is putting it mildly.;)
Smith would go on to lie repeatedly about his sexual deviancy -- one of the most notable incidents being his "I'm greater than Jesus" speech (for enduring the pain of being "falsely accused" of plural marriage and serial adultery) given a few days before publication of the Nauvoo Expositor.
There were a number of leadership challenges as well as internal squabbling amongst Joey's inner circle at the time too. So naturally, smith reaches into his bag of 'revelations' to woo the mormon sheep. And Cowdery would go on to join the Methodist Church, where he would confess his shame and admit he never was a witness to the Golden Plates.
Many of the witnesses ended up leaving the church and following other leaders and religions such as Jesse Strang, the Shakers, Methodists, etc. By 1847 not a single one of the surviving eleven witnesses was part of the LDS Church.
I didn't know that.
Wow. What a stark contrast to what happened with these Eleven!:
John 17and these:
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
1 Corinthians 15:6
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Cordially,