According to a 2026 manual from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John the Baptist served as the figure who conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. This event took place in a secluded spot in the woods near the home of Joseph and Emma in Harmony, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 1829, according to a 2022 devotional broadcast.
The Aaronic Priesthood, which was conferred by John the Baptist, is described in the 2026 General Handbook as an appendage to the Melchizedek Priesthood. This priesthood includes the keys for the ministering of angels, the gospel of repentance, and administering in outward ordinances, including baptism for the remission of sins. The 2026 handbook further notes that the Aaronic Priesthood includes the keys of these specific functions.
In a 2019 address, President Russell M. Nelson noted that the location near Harmony where John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith is a site that restored the Aaronic Priesthood. This occurrence is part of a larger series of restorations in that general area; for example, the Apostles Peter, James, and John appeared in the same general area to restore the Melchizedek Priesthood. The 2026 General Handbook defines the Melchizedek Priesthood as "the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God" and states that it holds the right of presidency, possessing power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world to administer in spiritual things.
The significance of this restoration was marked by a formal dedication. In September 2015, President Nelson dedicated the Priesthood Restoration Site to commemorate the restoration of priesthood authority and keys to man upon the earth. According to the 2022 devotional, this site is located in a grove of sugar maples where the conferring of the Aaronic Priesthood occurred. This dedication was described by Nelson as a singular moment in his life.
The role of the priesthood in the lives of members is central to the teachings of the Church. The 2026 General Handbook states that through covenants and priesthood ordinances, God makes great blessings available to all His children. These blessings include baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, partaking of the sacrament, and the promise of eternal life. The handbook also notes that the priesthood is the authority and power of God, used by Heavenly Father to accomplish His work to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Through this authority, Church leaders direct and administer the spiritual work of the Church. For those who are endowed in the temple, the 2026 handbook states they receive a gift of God's priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.
What this means for Joseph
The historical actions of John the Baptist in 1829 established the Aaronic Priesthood, which remains a fundamental component of the Church's structure. For residents, this history is commemorated through sites like the Priesthood Restoration Site, which serves to remember the restoration of priesthood authority and the keys necessary to perform essential ordinances.
