While Jesus was on the earth He called twelve men to be His apostles. He ordained his apostles by laying His hands upon their heads with the power of God, or the priesthood, so they could act in His name for the salvation of men.
After Jesus was crucified and and resurrected He ascended into heaven. His apostles were left to give their all to preaching the gospel. I can imagine how they must have felt. They were used to having Jesus in their midst and relying on Him. Now they were alone to face the people who had just killed their friend, the Savior. They must have wondered if they were next, and sadly they were. This must have been their final test to see if they truly loved the Lord and would die for their belief. After their deaths and over time the truths of the gospel in their purity were diluted and distorted and the priesthood was no longer on the earth.
So...did Christ and His apostles fail? It does appear that way if you don't know the whole story, but God knows all. The apostles foretold that the gospel would be restored once more upon the earth.
After centuries of spiritual darkness, seekers of truth protested against the current religious practices. They recognized that many doctrines and practices had been changed or lost over time. Many spoke of a need for a restoration of truth. They did not claim to be prophets but did try to reform religion. Because of their efforts many Protestant churches were organized which emphasized religious freedom. This beautifully set the stage for the final Restoration. (Preach My Gospel, 35)
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in response to his plea to know which church to join. He was told to join none of them because of incorrect doctrines. Over time, and as he proved worthy, Joseph Smith organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints through divine instruction.
John the Baptist, as a resurrected being, conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery giving them the authority to baptise.
Peter, James and John conferred the Melchizedek priesthood, for the power to guide the church and direct the preaching of the Gospel, upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
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The priesthood power has been passed on from one prophet to the next til today. The First Presidency...Presidents Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, and Dieter F. Uchdorf
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And the Twelve Apostles of our day (Front row): Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard. (Back row): Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales, Jeffery R. Holland, David A. Bednar,Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Anderson.
These men are the leaders of our church today and hold the priesthood to be able to give direction for the church and for all the children of God. They receive revelation for our day. They are like watch guards who are up on a tower and can see dangers. They warn us of these dangers and teach us how to fortify and protect our families. To learn about what they have taught recently look here.
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