What Good Have I Done?

According to D&C 84: 23-28 ( http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/84 ), after the Melchizdek Priesthood was taken from the earth with Moses, the Aaronic Priesthood remained, even up to the time of John the Baptist. His father held the priesthood and as the oldest son of Zacharias John would also receive it. Joseph Smith said: "The Levitical Priesthood is forever hereditary – fixed on the head of Aaron and his sons forever, and was in active operation down to Zacharias the father of John" (TPJS, p. 319). John was filled with the Holy Ghost from his womb (v.27). When Mary who was carrying the unborn Savior visited Elizabeth, John leapt in her womb. John was baptized as a child (v. 28) and ordained by an angel at eight days old to become an Elias, the forerunner to the Savior. Although Zacharias was killed by Herod's soldiers, before his death he must have baptized his son and ordained his son to the Aaronic priesthood. Zacharias and Elizabeth were likely witnesses to their...

Isaiah 40:3-5 prophetically describes the mission of John the Baptist who would "prepare the way of the Lord" before both his mortal ministry and his second coming. Further John was to "make straight in the desert a highway for our God [that] every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain." Roads in ancient Israel and even today are sometimes crooked and they go up and down with the terrain. When a high way is straightened and the dips are removed by raising the valleys and lowering the mountains and hills, it becomes much easier to travel upon. In the section of Missouri where I live the roads twist and go up and down. It requires slowing down at every turn. However, across the border in Iowa the roads are straight and the dips have been removed. Such was the mission of John in preparing for the first coming of Jesus Christ. He prepared the road so that when the Sa...