In May 1829, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his scribe Oliver Cowdery learned of the need for baptism while working on translating the Book of Mormon at Joseph’s home in Harmony Township, Pennsylvania.
Almost 200 years ago, on May 15, 1829, Joseph and Oliver went into a nearby forest to seek divine guidance and pray for baptism and the remission of sins.
As they were praying, Oliver recorded that the risen John the Baptist appeared to them and the voice of the Lord spoke peace to their hearts. A heavenly messenger placed his hands on their heads and bestowed upon them the Aaronic Priesthood.
That same day, Joseph and Oliver entered the flooded Susquehanna River and baptized each other. They then ordained each other to the Aaronic Priesthood.
Oliver wrote in his Young Men Worldwide treasurer’s notebook that it was a day of joy, surprise, and amazement, pointing to a footnote in Joseph Smith—History 1:71.
“When John the Baptist appeared, he called Joseph and Oliver ‘fellow servants’ (D&C 13:1). As young men serve in the offices of the Aaronic Priesthood as deacons, teachers, and priests, they act as John the Baptist’s fellow servants in the work of the Lord,” the post states.
Here are three articles from Church News about the Restoration of the Priesthood. Articles by leaders and historians. A photo of the Priesthood Restoration Site, one of the Church’s historic sites. and the 150th anniversary of the Young Men’s Organization.
Important events in Latter-day Saint history that occurred 197 years ago
On September 19, 2015, President Russell M. Nelson participated in the dedication of a renovated priesthood restoration site near what was then known as Harmony, near a bend in the Susquehanna River in northeastern Pennsylvania, in what he described as “the most important priesthood assignment I had ever received” up to that point in his life.
“The anticipation of that event and the very experience moved me deeply,” President Nelson wrote in his 2023 book Heart of the Matter. “With the exception of the Sacred Grove and several additional landmarks in and around Palmyra, New York, there may be no other place in the history of the Church that has been as central to the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as Harmony and its surrounding areas.”
Read more about what Church leaders and historians have to say about the Restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods.
“Come, Follow Me”: See details and photos on the Priesthood Restoration site
Approximately 240 miles southeast of Palmyra, New York, in what was then known as Harmony, Pennsylvania, Emma Hale Smith spent her childhood and later met Joseph Smith. Harmony is where the young couple lived for several years, where Emma had her first baby, and where much of the Book of Mormon was translated.
The maple grove where Joseph and Oliver Cowdery prayed for guidance regarding baptism on May 15, 1829 is also located in Harmony. John the Baptist appeared to them and restored the Aaronic Priesthood. Later that day, they went to the nearby Susquehanna River and baptized each other.
The church rebuilt the home of Joseph and Emma, as well as the home of her parents, Isaac and Elizabeth Hale. They, along with the surrounding area, are part of the Priesthood Restoration Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in present-day Oakland Township, Pennsylvania.
See photos on the Priesthood Restoration site for more information.
Elder Andersen and President Lund commemorate the youth organization’s 150th anniversary
In June 2025, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and President Stephen J. Rand, then Young Men general president, bore witness to these historic events in a video recorded on the Priesthood Restoration site to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Young Men organization of the Church.
Read more about their testimonies and watch the video.
