What Joy Filled Our Hearts

To my son,

                This week we have read about Zacharias and Elisabeth and the miracle of the birth of their son John in their old age. John the Baptist played a pivotal part in the story of the New Testament as he prepared the way for the Savior’s ministry and baptized the Son of God. His mission, though, was not just in mortality, and he also played an important role in the early days of the restoration of the gospel. As Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were translating the Book of Mormon in the spring of 1829, they reached 3^rd Nephi where the Savior taught the Nephites about baptism. This led to questions about baptism for them. Joseph recorded what they did: “We on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates.” They wanted to know what baptism meant for them, and Joseph related what happened next as they prayed: “While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying: Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.” Joseph confirmed who this was, “The messenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on us” (JSH 1:68-69, 72). John the Baptist came as a resurrected being to ordain Joseph and Oliver and give them the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood to baptize. Peter, James, and John soon thereafter gave them the Melchizedek Priesthood by which they could bestow the Holy Ghost and organize the Church of Jesus Christ once again on the earth. This priesthood is conferred by the laying on of hands by those who have received it, and today you will have the great blessing to receive it in the same manner as they did by the laying on of hands. You will be able to trace your authority back to that ordination of Joseph Smith by Peter, James, and John who received their priesthood from the Savior Himself.   

              I hope that as you begin your priesthood service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you will feel the joy and excitement that comes from being a part of this great work. Oliver Cowdery expressed his feelings this way when he described receiving the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist, “Dear brother, think, further think for a moment, what joy filled our hearts, and with what surprise we must have bowed, (for who would not have bowed the knee for such a blessing?) when we received under his hand the Holy Priesthood as he said, ‘Upon you my fellow-servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer this Priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon earth, that the Sons of Levi may yet offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness!’ I shall not attempt to paint to you the feelings of this heart, nor the majestic beauty and glory which surrounded us on this occasion; but you will believe me when I say, that earth, nor men, with the eloquence of time, cannot begin to clothe language in as interesting and sublime a manner as this holy personage.” I know that the priesthood is a real power and that it is a great responsibility to be able to hold that power, given to us not for status but for service in His kingdom. You will have the opportunity to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ” through your service (Doctrine and Covenants 20:59). I hope that you too will feel the joy in your heart to serve Him as you fulfil these sacred responsibilities in the Aaronic Priesthood. 

Love,

Dad