Aaronic Priesthood Restoration
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery receive the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist by John Fisher (assisted by AI) The restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood is a foundational event in Latter-day Saint history. On May 15, 1829, near Harmony, Pennsylvania, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery sought divine guidance regarding the ordinance of baptism. In response to their prayer, John the Baptist appeared to them as a heavenly messenger. He laid his hands upon their heads and conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, addressing them as “my fellow servants.” This priesthood authority included the keys to the ministering of angels, the gospel of repentance, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. John the Baptist also instructed them that this authority did not encompass the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, which would be conferred upon them later. Following this visitation, Joseph and Oliver baptized each other in the nearby Susquehanna River. This event is det...