Some of the most sacred events of the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took place in the countryside of northern Pennsylvania.
Dedicated in 2015 by President Russell M. Nelson, then the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Priesthood Restoration Site in Oakland Township is where most of the Book of Mormon was translated, where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist and where the first baptisms by priesthood authority took place in the Susquehanna River.
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Young Men General President Steven J. Lund bore witness of these historic events in a video recorded at the Priesthood Restoration Site in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Church’s Young Men organization.
Speaking about John the Baptist ordaining Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic Priesthood, Elder Andersen said, “This experience changed the world. It brought the priesthood back, and now millions across all the continents have this priesthood by the laying on of hands.”
Said President Lund: “There are few places in the world where the history of mankind turned — the Sacred Grove, the edge of the Red Sea with Moses. This is one of those places, where the priesthood of God was poured back into the earth."
The 42-minute video presentation features Elder Andersen, President Lund and five young men, holders of the Aaronic Priesthood, as they walked in these locations, discussed the meaningful events and shared thoughts and testimonies. The names of the young men are: Sawyer Smith, Preston Melton, Joshua Winkel, Spencer Young and Juan David Carpintero.
Translating the Book of Mormon
Inside the restored home of Joseph and Emma Smith, Elder Andersen and President Lund were joined by two of the young men, Smith and Carpintero. They sat by a table with items set up to depict the translation of the Book of Mormon, including a feather quill, ink, paper and an object wrapped in cloth to represent the gold plates.
They recounted some of the trials the young Prophet faced during the late 1820s, including the loss of the 116-page manuscript by Joseph’s first scribe, Martin Harris, and the death of the young couple’s first child. The infant was buried in a cemetery not far from the home.
“We have to remember as young people, even while we are gaining a witness of the truth, we are going to have difficulties and obstacles. We are going to have to overcome temptations,” Elder Andersen said.
Oliver Cowdery wrote of his experience as scribe to Joseph during the translation process, “These were days never to be forgotten. To sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom. Day after day, I continued uninterrupted to write from his mouth as he translated with the Urim and Thummim the record called the Book of Mormon.”
Cowdery never denied his testimony of the Book of Mormon. Before he died, he said to Jacob F. Gates: “I am a dying man, and what will it profit me to tell a lie? I know that the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God. My eyes saw, my ears heard, and my understanding was touched, and I know that what I have testified is true. It was no dream, no vain imagination of the mind. It was real.”
Aaronic Priesthood restored
As Joseph and Oliver were translating the Book of Mormon, they read about baptism and the authority to baptize. They wanted to know more about it and decided to go into the nearby woods to pray.
In answer to their prayer, John the Baptist, a resurrected being, appeared on May 15, 1829, and ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic Priesthood, setting forth the keys and powers as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 13.
No exact location of this sacred event is identified, but as Elder Andersen, President Lund and two young men, Winkel and Young, stood among a grove of sugar maple trees near the restored Joseph and Emma Smith home, they reflected what happened that day nearly two centuries ago.
Elder Andersen and President Lund invited the two young men to talk about what the priesthood means to them. They said holding the Aaronic Priesthood has been a source of strength in their lives and has helped them to have a positive influence on their peers. It has blessed them in performing their priesthood duties, such as blessing and passing the sacrament.
“It is no small thing to be trusted by the Lord with His ordinances,” President Lund said. “Anybody can go out and do good deeds and serve Heavenly Father by doing good things. But when a priesthood holder like you, like those that are listening today, go out and serve the Savior, they are actually on the Lord’s errand. We go in the name of Messiah as we serve Him in the ways that we’ve talked about.”
President Lund continued: “There have been times in my life when I have been called upon to give blessings where life and death are in the balance. In times like that, there is no price you would not pay to be able to worthily say, ‘Thus saith the Lord.’ Keeping ourselves worthy and taking seriously the ordinances that we participate in now will help us to more powerfully and effectively wield the priesthood in days to come.”
Joseph and Oliver later received the Melchizedek Priesthood from ancient apostles Peter, James and John. Elder Andersen bore testimony that John the Baptist came to restore the Aaronic Priesthood, a preparatory priesthood for the Melchizedek Priesthood.
“There is order and understanding in how this works,” he said. “This priesthood is real, it changes the world, and we are all involved in preparing for the Lord’s return. This priesthood is an important part of it. ... I know we have the priesthood on the earth today.”
Baptism in the Susquehanna River
John the Baptist instructed Joseph and Oliver to go and baptize each other in the nearby Susquehanna River. Wading into the water, Joseph and Oliver baptized each other. It was a powerful spiritual experience for both men.
Elder Andersen, President Lund and the young men, Carpintero and Melton, visualized the scene as they stood on the banks of the Susquehanna River.
“I want all of you across the world to know that this event really happened,” Elder Andersen said. “One thing we learn in the gospel of Jesus Christ is we grow line upon line, year by year. If we are open to it, the Lord does not give us all at one time. He gives it to us a little bit here and then a little bit there.”
The young men discussed performing temple baptisms for the dead. Elder Andersen noted that soon, the young men and many of the event’s viewers will enter the mission field, where they will teach the gospel and lead others into the waters of baptism.
Elder Andersen said he performed a baptism a few weeks before filming the video.
“As I held my hand up and said those words, ‘Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ,’ you realize you represent the Savior Himself in this ordinance,” he said.
Elder Andersen encouraged all young men to be patient with themselves.
“Let yourself grow into the person you are to become. It does not happen in a day,” he said. “We grow up in our covenants, in our experience with spiritual things, in our knowledge of the Savior, and that is what is awaiting you, young men across the world, and it all started here with the covenant of baptism.”
Said President Lund: “Priesthood authority comes through the laying on of hands, and priesthood power comes through righteous living, through keeping our covenants. And so throughout our lives, we can accrue more and more capacity to bless others by living pure and good lives.”
‘Be who we should be’
Each of the five young men were invited to share something they learned at the Priesthood Restoration Site. Melton said he felt spiritually fed. Smith spoke of the duty to gather Israel. Young testified that priesthood power is real.
Winkel said: “I have always taken the story of the priesthood restoration for granted. I was like, ‘Oh, he came down, blessed them, we got the priesthood.’” The 14-year-old added, “But throughout today I’ve really realized how much the priesthood has affected, changed and blessed my life.”
Elder Andersen concluded by expressing his love for all young men in this “most remarkable generation.” He extended a global invitation to prepare for the Savior’s Second Coming and bore his witness of Jesus Christ.
“Young friends across the world, I hope some of the power of what happened in this place so many years ago has been able to go into your heart and into your mind. These things grow within us if we allow them to,” he said. “You are here to bear up the priesthood and to hold up the kingdom of God. ... Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He is resurrected. He guides this holy work upon the earth today, and He is coming again. We of the priesthood must take on our responsibility, our covenants and be who we should be.”
