John the Baptist Day

Today, May 15, is John the Baptist Day, the day on which he appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1829 and restored the Aaronic Priesthood. On that morning, Joseph had reached 3 Nephi 11 in the rapid process of translating the Book of Mormon. It was in that chapter that Jesus gave his twelve disciples in Bountiful the authority to baptize. Realizing that they themselves needed to be baptized, Joseph and Oliver asked of God, and the visit of John the Baptism unfolded. We at Book of Mormon Central gladly highlight the role that the Book of Mormon played in prompting this key step in the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.