As was the case with many of the ancient prophets, Moses' ministry extended beyond the limits of his own mortal lifetime. Under the topic of "Moses" in the dictionary of the 1979 LDS edition of the King James Bible is this entry:
"In the company with Elijah, he [MosesT came to the Mount of Transfiguration and bestowed keys of the priesthood upon Peter, James, and John. (Matt. 17:3-4; Mark 9:4-9; Luke 9:30; D&C 63:21; HC 3:387.) From this event, which occurred before the resurrection of Jesus, we understand that Moses was a translated being, and had not died as reported in Deut. 34. (Alma 45:19.) It was necessary that he be translated, in order to have a body of flesh and bones at the time of the transfiguration, since the resurrection had not yet taken place. Had he been a spirit only, he could not have performed the work on the mount of giving the keys to the mortal Peter, James, and John."Moses also returned to earth at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836, when he committed to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the "keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north." (D&C 110:11.)
In volume 3 of Doctrines of Salvation, Elder Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
"We are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times. In this dispensation, we have been informed by the prophets of old, all things are to be restored, `both which are in heaven, and which are on earth,' all things are to be gathered in one in Jesus Christ. The Savior Himself declared, when He came down from the mount with Peter, James, and John, that the time would come when Elias should be sent to restore all things. Peter told the Jews that all the prophets since the world began had spoken of this restoration. We are living in that day. . . .
"All the keys of all dispensations had to be brought in order to fulfill the words of the prophets and the purposes of the Lord in bringing to pass a complete restoration of all things. Therefore the father of the human family, the first man on the earth, Adam, had to come, and he came with his power. Moses came, and others. All who had keys came and bestowed their authorities. . . .
"The higher ordinances, the greater blessings which are essential to exaltation in the kingdom of God, and which can only be obtained in certain places, no man has a right to perform except as he receives the authority to do it from the one who holds the keys. . . . That is the thing that counts, and that is why Elijah came; that is why Moses came, for he also held keys of the priesthood; that is why they (Moses and Elijah) conferred upon the heads of Peter, James, and John, in that dispensation, these privileges or these powers, these keys, that they might go forth and perform this labor; and that is why they (Moses and Elijah) came to the Prophet Joseph Smith."
