While reading President Packer's The Holy Temple, he discusses Elijah and that the New Testament refers to Elijah as Elias, the Greek. Having read newer Bible translations my whole life (NRSV-CE, RSV-CE, NAB) the New Testament uses Elijah, not Elias. Though somehow I knew the whole Elijah=Elias thing already (possibly from reading the Douay-Rheims?) Anyways, all this I have no problem with. President Packer than states that Elias became a term for a forerunner, one who comes before. So for example, John the Baptist is an Elias. OK, so far so goo. No complaints, I'm following along and will agree 100%. Then comes the part where I get confused because Latter-day Saint history regarding temples is somewhat new to me. Three ancient prophets came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple, Moses, Elias, and Elijah. If Elijah is Elias, why did he visit Joseph and Oliver twice? Why didn't they just identify him under the same name? If it was another prophet, why not name that prophet instead of just using the title of forerunner? A skeptic could look at this and say that Joseph did not know that Elias was Greek for Elijah so while making up the story made it two people and providing a "smoking gun." I believe in the prophetic revelations of Joseph Smith, I just wonder who this Elias was in the Kirtland Temple.