Baptized!

Today, my son entered the waters of baptism. It was such a special day, and I am so happy for him. Because of his choice, he received a wonderful gift...the gift of the Holy Ghost, along with a beautiful priesthood blessing given by his father. I feel so incredibly blessed to have the Holy Priesthood available to me and my family.  This power was restored to man by Peter, James and John themselves. I could not elaborate on this any better than Boyd K. Packer did in an article published in the Ensign, a magazine:

The Lord Himself set in motion this pattern of administration:

“He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

“And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.”2

Andrew had heard John speak and ran to his brother Simon and said, “We have found the Messias. …

“… He brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”3

Simon and his brother Andrew were casting nets into the sea; James and John the sons of Zebedee were mending their fishing nets; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew, a publican, or tax collector; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon the Canaanite; Judas the brother of James; and Judas Iscariot—they made up the Quorum of the Twelve.4

He bid them all, “Come, follow me.”5

He said to Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”6

And He told the Twelve, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”7

He gave His Apostles “power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick … every where.”8

And He said, “[The] Twelve hold the keys to open up the authority of my kingdom upon the four corners of the earth, and after that to send my word to every creature.”9

Jesus once asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? …

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”10

When Jesus taught in the synagogue, many disciples said, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it? …

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

“… Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”11

After the Crucifixion, the Apostles remembered He had said they should stay in Jerusalem.12 Then came the day of Pentecost, that great event when they received the Holy Ghost.13 They received “a more sure word of prophecy”14 and “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”15 And so they were complete.

We know little of their travels and only where and how a few of them died. James was killed in Jerusalem by Herod. Peter and Paul died in Rome. Tradition holds that Philip went to the East. Much more than this we do not know.

They scattered; they taught, testified, and established the Church. And they died for their beliefs, and with their deaths came the dark centuries of apostasy.

The most precious thing lost in the Apostasy was the authority held by the Twelve—the priesthood keys. For the Church to be His Church, there must be a Quorum of the Twelve who hold the keys and confer them on others.

In time came the First Vision and the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James, and John.16

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve were later told:

“Verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.

“… Behold how great is your calling. Cleanse your hearts and your garments, lest the blood of this generation be required at your hands.”17

The restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was young when the First Presidency was organized, followed by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which was made up of ordinary men, and then the Quorums of the Seventy. The average age of that first Quorum of the Twelve was 28.

There has been an unbroken line of authority. The priesthood keys given to the Apostles have always been held by members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve.

I feel humbled to have access to this restored authority, and testify of its power. I am so excited for my young son to have received the Holy Spirit. It has brought me great comfort in times of great trial.  It has provided clear warnings, some of which I have listened to, others which I paid the consequence of ignoring the still, small voice of caution. I have grown in testimony because of its confirmations. There is no greater gift my children could receive, and I am so proud that they have made the choice to follow God's commandments and be baptized.