objection
The Great Apostasy was prophesied
Objection
The New Testament predicted the Great Apostasy.
What is true
The New Testament warns about false teachers and apostasy.
Why it is not enough
Warnings about false teachers do not prove total loss of Christ's church and priesthood authority from the earth.
Key question: Did Christ's Matthew 16 promise fail until Joseph Smith?
Apostasy warnings are real
The New Testament warns churches about wolves, false teachers, lovelessness, and people departing from the faith. That evidence should not be ignored.
But warnings about corruption are not the same as a prediction that Christ's whole earthly church and authority would disappear for centuries.
Christ's promises must also be read
Matthew 16 and Matthew 28 give preservation promises: Christ builds His church, the gates of hell will not prevail, and He remains with His disciple-making mission to the end.
The LDS restoration claim has to make those promises compatible with a long period of no true priesthood authority and no fullness of the gospel on earth. That is the burden.
Primary references
These are the public sources behind the answer, with LDS doctrine cited from LDS material where possible.
Matthew 16
BibleRef
This challenges total priesthood loss and restoration as a restart.
Matthew 28
BibleRef
Triadic language belongs with one divine name, not three unrelated beings.
Jude 1
BibleRef
A restoration claim must explain why the delivered faith needed replacement rather than preservation.
Apostasy, Topics and Questions
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Official LDS source teaching that priesthood authority was withdrawn after the apostles.
Restoration of the Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Official LDS source saying the fullness of the gospel was taken from the earth and restored through Joseph Smith.
Restoration of the Gospel Study Guide
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Official study guide presenting the Restoration as the return of priesthood authority, ordinances, and the fulness of the gospel.