“Elijah did come. He came to the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836. (See D&C 110:13–16.) Jewish literature is replete with the promise and expectation of Elijah’s coming. That is the last promise of the Old Testament, in the last verses of Malachi. And it is Jewish tradition that on the second night of Passover they must leave open the door and place at the table head an empty chair and a goblet full of wine in the expectation that Elijah may come. It is interesting, especially in light of that Jewish tradition, that April 3, 1836, was the second day of Passover. The symbolism is beautiful. Elijah comes, as they expect, to a home. He comes to a goblet of wine-the sacramental wine. He comes to turn hearts, which is more than changing minds-he turns hearts to hearts.” (Truman Madsen, The Radiant Light, p. 106-7)
Joseph Fielding Smith
“Among the Jews [Elijah the Tishbite] finds a place of honor in their history second to none of the prophets…It was, I am informed, on the third day of April, 1836, that the Jews, in their homes at the Paschal feast, opened their doors for Elijah to enter. On that very day Elijah did enter-not in the home of the Jews to partake of the Passover with them-but he appeared in the house of the Lord, erected to his name and received by the Lord in Kirtland, and there bestowed his keys to bring to pass the very things for which these Jews, assembled in their homes, were seeking.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 2:100-1)
The story of Elijah’s return can be found in DC 110. Obviously, there is no need to wait for him any longer. This became the subject of conversation between Elder LeGrand Richards and the Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek. Elder Richards had just dedicated the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden on the Mount of Olives. After the ceremony, the two conversed as they ate lunch:
"Elder Richards…said, ’Mayor, I want to tell you something.’
"‘What’s that?’ asked the mayor.
"Looking Mayor Kollek directly in the eye, the apostle said, ’Ten years ago I was here in Jerusalem, and one day I went into three synagogues, and hanging up on the wall in one of them was a large armchair. I asked the rabbi what it was there for (I knew, but I wanted him to tell me, which he did). He said that it was so that if Elijah comes, ’we can lower the chair and let him sit in it.’ Now, Mayor, I want to tell you something, and what I tell you is the truth. Elijah has already been. On the third day of April 1836 he appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple.’
“The mayor said, ‘I guess I’d better tell them to take that chair down.’” (Lucile C. Tate, Beloved Apostle, p. 301)