The Priesthood- God’s Tangible Authority Restored for Miracles and Eternal Families

The Priesthood: God’s Authority Restored for Miracles and Sealing Families for Eternity

By Michaell B. Nhem, Founder of MapToHappiness.Com

The possession of divine priesthood authority constitutes the primary hallmark of the true church of God, enabling the performance of miracles and the administration of sacred ordinances. Absent this authority, a religious institution cannot fully manifest the divine power to heal, bless, or guide its adherents. For those whose congregations lack this God-given priesthood authority, the Book of Acts offers profound insights into its necessity and function. Many Christian denominations erroneously conflate the “royal priesthood” referenced in 1 Peter 2:9 with God’s authoritative priesthood; these are distinct concepts. The priesthood, as wielded by God in antiquity and today, empowers His servants to uplift humanity through divine acts. Academic credentials, such as a theological degree, may qualify one as a pastor or scholar but do not confer the authority to proclaim God’s gospel or shepherd His flock. This authority is transmitted exclusively through the laying on of hands by divinely appointed servants, as vividly illustrated in Acts. Contrary to assertions that this power ceased with the apostles, biblical prophecy foretells its restoration in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times (Ephesians 1:10), as elucidated in the subsequent section, “The Restoration of ALL Things.”

The priesthood represents the eternal authority of God, delegated to worthy individuals to perform sacred ordinances that reflect His corporeal nature. Lost during the Great Apostasy following the apostolic era, this authority was restored in a prophesied epoch (Acts 3:21), as detailed in “The Restoration of the Priesthood.” This divine power facilitates acts such as creation, baptism, eternal marriage, healing, and resurrection, as affirmed by biblical and restored scriptures. The Book of Acts delineates the priesthood’s organizational framework, while ancient and modern revelations clarify its keys, offices, and functions, demonstrating how a tangible God governs creation, fulfills His soteriological purpose, and engages directly with humanity. This essay examines the priesthood’s foundational principles, conferral process, miraculous manifestations, restored authority, continuity across dispensations, biblical organization, eternal ordinances, apostolic keys, offices, and contemporary applications. Through physical ordinances, the priesthood accomplishes salvation, embodying the structure of a restored faith.

The Restoration of ALL Things

Scripture prophesies a divine restoration of all things—priesthood, ordinances, and eternal truths—essential for humanity’s salvation (Acts 3:21: “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began”). Ephesians 1:10 designates this era as the “dispensation of the fulness of times,” wherein God gathers all things in Christ, reinstating authority lost after the apostles’ demise. This restoration, foretold since Adam, encompasses critical doctrines reflecting God’s corporeal essence (Genesis 1:26–27) and His plan for His children. Through divinely chosen servants, God restored His priesthood to administer sacred ordinances—baptism, healing, and eternal marriage—fulfilling His covenantal promise (Acts 3:19–21). Among the restored truths are the doctrines of the pre-existence, baptism for the dead, the Fall of Adam, and the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ, each administered through priesthood authority.

The doctrine of the pre-existence affirms that humanity existed as spirit children with a corporeal Heavenly Father prior to mortal life (Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee”). The Book of Abraham elucidates, “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was” (Abraham 3:22–23). Restored priesthood ordinances connect premortal, mortal, and eternal realms, facilitating God’s eternal plan. Baptism for the dead extends salvation to those who died without receiving the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:29: “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?”). Doctrine and Covenants 128:17 affirms, “For it is written: ‘I will send you Elijah the prophet,’ who restored the sealing power, ensuring vicarious baptisms unite generations.” Performed in temples by priesthood authority, this ordinance reflects God’s tangible mercy.

The Fall of Adam, a deliberate act within God’s plan, initiated mortality to enable human progression (2 Nephi 2:25: “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy”). Priesthood ordinances, such as baptism, counteract the Fall’s effects, aligning with Moses 6:59: “That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water… ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven.” The infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ, central to the restoration, redeems humanity from sin and death (Alma 34:10: “It shall be an infinite atonement”). Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–17 reveals Christ’s suffering: “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent.” Through priesthood-administered ordinances like the sacrament, the Atonement’s power is actualized, binding humanity to God’s corporeal sacrifice. These restored doctrines, facilitated by priesthood authority, prepare humanity for the Second Coming, setting the foundation for the specific restoration of the priesthood, explored next.

The Priesthood and Biblical Covenants

The restored priesthood fulfills ancient biblical covenants, bridging God’s promises to His people across dispensations and reinforcing its necessity for eternal ordinances. The Abrahamic covenant, promising eternal posterity (Genesis 17:7: “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant”), is actualized through priesthood ordinances like temple sealings, which bind families eternally. The Mosaic covenant, designating Israel as a “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:5–6), finds fulfillment in the restored priesthood’s structured offices, enabling a holy nation to perform sacred acts. The new and everlasting covenant, as articulated in Doctrine and Covenants 132:19, encompasses all ordinances—baptism, marriage, and sealing—administered by priesthood authority, fulfilling Malachi 4:5–6’s prophecy of turning hearts across generations. This continuity demonstrates that the priesthood, as restored, is not merely a historical restoration but the culmination of God’s covenantal promises, enabling miracles and eternal family bonds through a corporeal God’s tangible authority.

The Restoration of the Priesthood

The New Testament reveals a divine framework of blessings and miracles enabled by God’s priesthood authority, though its nature remains obscure to many. In antiquity, as recorded in Acts, God operated through authorized servants. Acts 8 illustrates the conferral of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands; Acts 19 demonstrates apostolic authority in bestowing the Spirit; and Acts 9 recounts Saul’s restoration of sight and baptism through Ananias, a divinely appointed servant, prior to his apostolic mission.

An exegesis of Acts 8 elucidates this authority: Philip, a deacon holding the Aaronic Priesthood, preached in Samaria, performing miracles and baptizing many, including Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:5–13). However, Philip lacked the Melchizedek Priesthood authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost. Upon learning of the conversions, the apostles in Jerusalem dispatched Peter and John, who laid hands on the baptized, enabling them to receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:14–17). Simon, awestruck, offered money to acquire this power, but Peter rebuked him, declaring it a divine gift not subject to purchase (Acts 8:18–20). This distinction between the Aaronic Priesthood (for preparatory ordinances like baptism) and the Melchizedek Priesthood (for higher ordinances like confirmation) underscores the necessity of apostolic authority, a principle restored through the Melchizedek Priesthood (Doctrine and Covenants 84:19). Contemporary ecclesiastical leaders often overlook this, presuming baptism alone suffices, yet Acts 8 emphasizes the requirement of higher priesthood keys, as affirmed in Hebrews 5:4: “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.”

Acts 9 further exemplifies this principle: Saul, a persecutor armed with letters to arrest Christians in Damascus (Acts 9:1–2), was blinded by a divine light, with Jesus declaring, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:3–4). After fasting for three days (Acts 9:8–9), Saul was visited by Ananias, directed by the Lord: “Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11). Despite trepidation, Ananias laid hands on Saul, declaring, “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 9:17). Scales fell from Saul’s eyes, he regained sight, was baptized (Acts 9:18), and began preaching Christ (Acts 9:20–22). This narrative demonstrates that even a divine vision required the physical ordinance of laying on of hands by an authorized servant, aligning with John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you,” and 1 Timothy 4:14, “the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

Acts 19 reinforces this paradigm: Paul encountered disciples in Ephesus baptized “unto John’s baptism” (Acts 19:1–3). Recognizing their lack of proper authority, Paul rebaptized them in Jesus’ name and laid hands on them, conferring the Holy Ghost, whereupon they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:4–6). This rebaptism underscores the necessity of authorized ordinances, supported by 2 Timothy 1:6, “the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”

These accounts establish that divine authority is not self-assumed but conferred through God’s chosen servants. In the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times (Ephesians 1:10), God restored this authority through a series of divine ministrations, beginning in 1829 when John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, conferring the Aaronic Priesthood, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, repentance, and baptism by immersion (Doctrine and Covenants 13). Shortly thereafter, Peter, James, and John, the Savior’s apostles, appeared and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood, restoring the keys of the gospel’s higher ordinances, including confirmation, temple endowments, and sealing (Doctrine and Covenants 27:12). In 1836, additional keys were restored in the Kirtland Temple: Moses committed the keys of the gathering of Israel, enabling missionary work to unite scattered tribes (Romans 11:25–26); Elias delivered the keys of the Abrahamic covenant, facilitating eternal posterity (Genesis 17:7); and Elijah bestowed the sealing power, enabling families to be bound eternally (Malachi 4:5–6; Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16). Doctrine and Covenants 128:20–21 further reveals that other angelic ministrants, including ancient prophets, contributed to the restoration of priesthood keys, ensuring the fullness of authority in this final dispensation (Acts 3:21). This restored authority empowers worthy male members of the Church to act in God’s name for salvation—proclaiming the gospel, administering ordinances, and governing His kingdom. Divine inspiration guides the calling of men, as evidenced in Exodus 28:1, 3, 41 (Moses calling Aaron), Numbers 27:18–23 (Moses ordaining Joshua), and Acts 13:1–3 (Paul’s ordination), following a tripartite process: divine revelation to priesthood holders, congregational ratification, and ordination via the laying on of hands. Human agency, academic study, or theological training cannot confer this authority—Numbers 16:1–3, 32–33, 35 records Korah’s rebellion against Moses ending in divine judgment, 1 Chronicles 13:9–10 recounts Uzza’s death for unauthorized handling of the ark, and 1 Samuel 13:13–14 and 2 Chronicles 26:16–21 depict Saul and Uzziah’s loss of favor for usurping priesthood authority.

Conversely, unauthorized acts yield no divine efficacy: Acts 19:13–16 describes the sons of Sceva, lacking authority, failing to exorcise evil spirits and fleeing wounded. Matthew 7:21–23 warns, “I never knew you,” and Luke 13:23–28 echoes, “I know you not,” condemning self-appointed ministers. John 10:1–5 likens such individuals to thieves entering not by the door. In contemporary settings, some claim authority from visions or scriptural knowledge, as observed in online Christian forums, yet Acts 8, 9, and 19, alongside Old Testament precedents, mandate ordination by authorized hands. The restoration through John the Baptist, Peter, James, John, Moses, Elias, Elijah, and others reestablished keys for ordinances such as baptism, confirmation, and sealing. Doctrine and Covenants 86 delineates the priesthood’s lineage and role in gathering Israel, D&C 121 emphasizes authority’s dependence on righteousness, D&C 84 articulates the oath and covenant of priesthood holders, and D&C 107 defines offices such as elder, high priest, and apostle, ensuring structured governance. The Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price affirm this continuity, linking to biblical patterns in Acts 8:17–18 and Hebrews 5:4–6. This restored authority empowers worthy men to heal, seal families eternally, and fulfill God’s purpose (Moses 1:39), bridging ancient and modern dispensations.

The Priesthood as God’s Eternal Authority

The priesthood constitutes the omnipotent authority through which God acts, intrinsically tied to His corporeal nature. As a tangible Father delegates this power, worthy individuals perform ordinances that bind heaven and earth, forging an indissoluble link between the divine and mortal realms. Scriptural analysis affirms this structure, positioning the priesthood as the conduit for God’s will.

Hebrews 5:4–6: “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”
Exegesis: Priesthood authority requires divine calling, exemplified by Aaron and Christ. As the eternal High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, Jesus embodies corporeal divinity, reflecting the Father’s physicality. This framework enables tangible power-sharing, central to the thesis of embodied divine-human interaction.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–20: “And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.”
Exegesis: The Melchizedek Priesthood unlocks divine mysteries and ordinances, manifesting godliness through physical acts, reinforcing the argument that God’s corporeal form enables profound engagement with humanity.

Moses 1:39: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
Exegesis: The priesthood advances God’s soteriological purpose, facilitating creation and redemption. A corporeal God employs this authority, restored through Joseph Smith, to actualize eternal life through tangible ordinances.

The Divine Process of Priesthood Conferral

Priesthood conferral is a structured rite involving divine inspiration, congregational ratification, and ordination through the laying on of hands. This physical ritual underscores God’s tangible nature, as evidenced by His face-to-face interactions (Exodus 33:11), ensuring orderly transmission of authority.

John 15:16: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
Exegesis: Christ’s selection and ordination of servants emphasize divine initiative. Through physical touch, a corporeal Savior confers authority, reflecting the Father’s embodied essence.

Numbers 27:18–23: “And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight…”
Exegesis: God’s directive for Joshua’s ordination incorporates physical imposition, public ratification, and a formal charge, exemplifying structured authority, restored in modernity.

Acts 13:1–3: “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers… As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
Exegesis: The Holy Ghost’s inspiration prompts ordination through laying on of hands, mirroring God’s tangible authority in the restored Church.

1 Timothy 4:14: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
Exegesis: Timothy’s receipt of priesthood through prophecy and physical ordination illustrates God’s deliberate methodology, conveying divine authority through tangible acts.

Priesthood Miracles: Healing the Sick and Raising the Dead

The priesthood’s miraculous efficacy—manifest in healing and resurrection—demonstrates God’s sovereignty over physicality and mortality. These ordinances, involving anointing and imposition of hands, epitomize the Father’s corporeal plan for restoration.

Mark 5:35–42: “While he yet spake… Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe… And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi… And straightway the damsel arose, and walked…”
Exegesis: Christ’s priesthood resurrects Jairus’ daughter through physical touch and command, reflecting the Father’s tangible power to conquer death.

Acts 9:36–41: “Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha… she was sick, and died… Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes…”
Exegesis: Peter’s priesthood resurrects Tabitha through prayer and command, mirroring God’s tangible authority in physical restoration.

James 5:14–15: “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick…”
Exegesis: Elders’ anointing and prayer channel God’s power, manifesting corporeal authority in healing ordinances.

3 Nephi 17:7–9: “Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither… and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.”
Exegesis: Christ’s priesthood heals multitudes in the Americas, reflecting divine compassion through tangible acts, as restored in the Book of Mormon.

Doctrine and Covenants 42:43–44: “And whosoever among you are sick, and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be nourished with all tenderness… And the elders of the church, two or more, shall be called, and shall pray for and lay their hands upon them in my name…”
Exegesis: Restored priesthood heals through imposition of hands, embodying God’s salvific authority.

Priesthood and the Atonement

The priesthood actualizes the Atonement’s redemptive power, linking humanity to a corporeal God’s salvific design through sacred ordinances that embody His tangible love and sacrifice.

Alma 34:15–16: “And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name… to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice…”
Exegesis: The Atonement balances mercy and justice, with priesthood-administered ordinances like baptism enabling repentance, rooted in a tangible God’s sacrificial plan.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:77–79: “O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it…”
Exegesis: The sacrament, sanctified by priesthood, renews covenants, commemorating a corporeal God’s body and ensuring the Restoration’s ordinance purity.

Priesthood as Evidence of God’s Corporeal Continuity Across Dispensations

The priesthood’s physical rituals evince God’s tangible nature across dispensations, from Adam to Joseph Smith, countering spiritualized interpretations in mainstream Christianity and affirming biblical and restored revelations of His embodied form.

Moses 6:67: “And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity.”
Exegesis: Adam’s receipt of eternal priesthood mirrors God’s corporeal essence, with physical ordinances reflecting His presence and refuting non-corporeal views.

Abraham 1:2–3: “And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same…”
Exegesis: Abraham’s physical conferral of priesthood illustrates God’s tangible authority spanning dispensations, perpetuated in the Restoration.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:6–17: “And the sons of Moses, according to the Holy Priesthood which he received under the hand of his father-in-law, Jethro… Which priesthood continueth in the church of God in all generations…”
Exegesis: This genealogical lineage traces priesthood from Adam to modern times, with physical conferral refuting non-corporeal doctrines and affirming God’s embodied authority in the Restoration.

This continuity challenges non-LDS theological constructs, such as Augustine’s spiritualization of God, by emphasizing physical ordinances like laying on of hands and anointing, which underscore God’s corporeal intent and restored authority.

Priesthood Power Revealed in the Restoration

The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times restores priesthood authority, fulfilling Ephesians 1:10’s prophecy of gathering all things in Christ. Doctrine and Covenants elucidates its power, principles, and scope, wherein a corporeal God delegates authority for ordinances and miracles.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:17–22: “Which priesthood continueth in the church of God in all generations… And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God…”
Exegesis: The eternal Melchizedek Priesthood administers the gospel and unlocks divine mysteries, manifesting godliness through physical ordinances, enabling mortal encounters with God.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:36–46: “That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven… No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned…”
Exegesis: Priesthood efficacy depends on righteousness; unrighteous dominion nullifies authority. This tangible power requires meekness and love, with physical ordinances reflecting God’s charitable governance in the Restoration.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–4, 18–20: “There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic… The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church…”
Exegesis: The Restoration delineates two priesthoods: Melchizedek for spiritual keys and Aaronic for outward ordinances, enabling divine interaction in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.

These revelations clarify the priesthood’s eternal nature, enabling miracles and ordinances through a corporeal God’s authority.

Modern Prophets and the Expanded Understanding of the Priesthood

Modern prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith, have significantly expanded our understanding of the priesthood through divine revelations, clarifying its structure, purpose, and eternal scope beyond what was known in biblical times. While the Bible establishes the priesthood’s foundational role through figures like Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1–2) and the apostles (Acts 8:14–17), restored scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants provide detailed insights into its organization, keys, and soteriological significance, enabling a comprehensive framework for God’s authority in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times (Ephesians 1:10). These revelations, received through modern prophets, articulate the priesthood’s role in salvation, governance, and miracles, fulfilling God’s promise to restore all things (Acts 3:21) and equipping His servants to administer ordinances that reflect His corporeal nature.

Through modern revelation, we now understand the distinction between priesthood offices and power, a clarity absent in biblical accounts. Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–20 delineates offices—deacons for temporal duties like welfare, priests for ordinances like baptism and sacrament, elders for spiritual leadership and missionary work, and high priests for presiding roles like bishoprics—while Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–20 emphasizes the power to administer ordinances and unlock divine mysteries. For example, a police officer’s badge represents his office, granting authority, but without a gun, a robber would not fear him; similarly, priesthood offices (e.g., deacon, elder) structure God’s authority, but the priesthood’s power enables sealing families eternally and managing Church affairs, such as administering sacraments and governing congregations (Doctrine and Covenants 128:14–18). This power, exercised through ordinances like temple sealings, binds heaven and earth, ensuring eternal family bonds and ecclesiastical order, as restored by Joseph Smith and his successors.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–56: “And again we bear record—for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just—They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized… They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek…”
Exegesis: This revelation, given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, elucidates the priesthood’s role in achieving exaltation, identifying priesthood holders as “priests and kings” who receive God’s fulness through ordinances like baptism and temple endowments. This expands biblical understanding (e.g., Hebrews 5:4–6), linking priesthood to celestial glory and eternal life (Moses 1:39), administered by a corporeal God.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:36–46: “That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven… No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned…”
Exegesis: Revealed to Joseph Smith in 1839, this section clarifies that priesthood authority depends on righteousness and divine principles, preventing unrighteous dominion. Unlike vague biblical references to priesthood conduct (e.g., 1 Timothy 3:1–7), this revelation provides explicit guidance, ensuring that God’s tangible authority is exercised with charity, as seen in ordinances like healing blessings.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:6–22: “And the sons of Moses, according to the Holy Priesthood which he received under the hand of his father-in-law, Jethro… And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God…”
Exegesis: This revelation traces the priesthood’s lineage from Adam to modern times and defines the Melchizedek Priesthood’s role in unlocking divine mysteries and administering the gospel. It surpasses biblical accounts (e.g., Numbers 27:18–23) by detailing the oath and covenant of the priesthood, promising exaltation to faithful holders and emphasizing God’s corporeal engagement through physical ordinances.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–20: “There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely, the Melchizedek and Aaronic… The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church…”
Exegesis: Received in 1835, this section delineates the priesthood’s two orders—Melchizedek and Aaronic—and their respective offices (e.g., elder, priest, deacon), providing a structured ecclesiastical framework absent in the Bible. It clarifies the Melchizedek Priesthood’s authority over spiritual blessings and the Aaronic Priesthood’s role in temporal ordinances, enabling precise governance and ordinance administration in the restored Church.

Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16: “After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel… After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham… After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet… stood before us, and said… the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands…”
Exegesis: This 1836 vision to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery records the restoration of priesthood keys by Moses (gathering of Israel), Elias (Abrahamic covenant), and Elijah (sealing power), fulfilling Malachi 4:5–6. This revelation expands biblical prophecy by specifying keys for missionary work, covenants, and eternal sealings, enabling the priesthood to unite families and gather Israel in preparation for the Second Coming.

These revelations, delivered through modern prophets, illuminate the priesthood’s eternal nature, organizational structure, and divine purpose, far exceeding the limited insights of biblical texts. For example, while Hebrews 7:1–2 mentions Melchizedek’s priesthood, D&C 76 connects it to exaltation, and D&C 107 defines its offices. Similarly, Acts 8:14–17 shows apostolic authority, but D&C 121 and 84 provide ethical and covenantal frameworks, ensuring righteous administration. This expanded knowledge empowers priesthood holders to perform miracles, as I have witnessed in blessing my family and members of the Asian Branch, and to administer ordinances like temple sealings, aligning with MapToHappiness.com’s mission to guide seekers toward eternal truth through the restored gospel.

Personal Priesthood Power: A Witness of God’s Tangible Love

The priesthood’s efficacy manifests in contemporary miracles, echoing biblical precedents and affirming God’s corporeal authority through personal experiences. As a respiratory therapist, I bear witness to this divine power in transformative moments that parallel scriptural accounts, demonstrating the tangible love of a corporeal God.

At Zarahemla Campground, I baptized my eight-year-old daughter, Rachel, in a sacred ordinance. During a sacrament meeting, my eldest daughter, Eliza, suffered a severe seizure due to critically low blood sugar. My wife and I, both respiratory therapists, held her as medical interventions faltered: a glucagon injection proved ineffective, and oral sugar could not be administered. Fearing for Eliza’s life, I turned to the priesthood. My father-in-law administered a blessing, and within three seconds, Eliza awoke, disoriented, inquiring, “Where am I?” Hours later, we returned home safely. This miracle, reminiscent of Christ’s restoration of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35–42), underscores God’s tangible power channeled through priesthood ordinances.

In 1991, while serving in the Asian Branch presidency, I was summoned by President Lynn Wilbur to visit an inactive member at St. Joseph Hospital. The patient, an elderly woman critically ill and on a ventilator set to 100% oxygen in Control mode with assisted CPAP, faced a dire prognosis. As a respiratory therapist, I assessed her condition as likely terminal. President Wilbur anointed her with consecrated oil, and I, intending to offer a blessing of comfort in Cambodian (“God loves you. He is proud of you. You may return to Him”), found my speech halted for ten seconds. Guided by divine inspiration, I pronounced a blessing of recovery. Weeks later, President Wilbur confirmed her miraculous recovery and discharge, paralleling Peter’s raising of Tabitha (Acts 9:36–41) and affirming the priesthood’s divine authority.

My youngest daughter, at four years old, suffered a head cold and, with childlike faith, requested a priesthood blessing, stating, “Daddy, bless me. I want to go to school.” I administered the blessing, and her unwavering faith facilitated her recovery by Monday, enabling school attendance. This healing, akin to the elders’ anointing in James 5:14–15, illustrates how faith, coupled with priesthood power, invokes divine intervention.

These experiences substantiate the corporeal nature of God, whose priesthood operates through physical ordinances to transform lives, inviting the Holy Ghost and reinforcing the restored gospel’s veracity.

The Priesthood and Personal Sanctification

Priesthood ordinances foster personal sanctification, enabling individuals to progress toward divine likeness, aligning with God’s eternal purpose (Moses 1:39). The endowment, administered by the Melchizedek Priesthood, equips recipients with spiritual knowledge and covenants to emulate Christ’s attributes, as 1 John 3:2 declares, “We shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” Moroni 7:48 exhorts, “Pray unto the Father… that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope.” Through ordinances like baptism, the sacrament, and the endowment, the priesthood facilitates transformation, purifying individuals and preparing them for exaltation. This sanctifying power, rooted in a corporeal God’s tangible ordinances, underscores the priesthood’s role in personal spiritual growth, complementing its capacity for miracles and eternal sealings.

Priesthood and Divine Creation

The priesthood reflects God’s creative sovereignty, manifesting His corporeal nature in terrestrial and human formation, delegating authority for divine participation.

Genesis 1:26–27: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image…”
Exegesis: God’s anthropomorphic creation via priesthood underscores His physical form, with restored authority channeling this act.

Abraham 4:26–27: “And the Gods took counsel among themselves and said: Let us go down and form man in our image, after our likeness…”
Exegesis: Divine council organizes humanity through priesthood, with tangible hands shaping existence, as revealed in the Restoration.

This aligns with God Has a Body on maptohappiness.com, reinforcing God’s physicality and delegated authority in creation.

Priesthood and Personal Revelation

The priesthood serves as a conduit for personal revelation, enabling a corporeal God’s direct communication and guidance.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:14–15: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit…”
Exegesis: Revelation responds to inquiry via priesthood, with a tangible God communicating through ordained channels.

Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3: “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart…”
Exegesis: The Holy Ghost’s revelation, facilitated by priesthood, enables direct divine guidance, reaffirming God’s corporeal presence in the Restoration.

The Priesthood and Ongoing Revelation

The priesthood’s efficacy hinges on ongoing revelation, distinguishing the restored Church from denominations adhering to sola scriptura, which confines divine authority to a closed canon and rejects living prophets. Amos 3:7 declares, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets,” affirming that God’s work, including priesthood ordinances, requires continuous divine guidance. Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 reinforces this: “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” The priesthood, restored through Joseph Smith, operates under prophetic keys (Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16), enabling authorized servants to perform miracles and ordinances, such as healing and baptism, as guided by revelation.

Adherents of sola scriptura view the Bible as the sole source of God’s power, yet scripture alone lacks the tangible authority to enact divine miracles. For instance, when my daughter Eliza suffered a life-threatening seizure at Zarahemla Campground, medical interventions failed, and the Bible, while sacred, could not heal her. Guided by ongoing revelation, I turned to the priesthood, and through my father-in-law’s blessing, she awoke within seconds, a miracle echoing Christ’s restoration of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35–42). Similarly, in 1991 at St. Joseph Hospital, divine inspiration halted my intended words to bless an elderly woman on a ventilator, leading me to pronounce her recovery, which she miraculously achieved, paralleling Peter’s raising of Tabitha (Acts 9:36–41). Doctrine and Covenants 84:67 affirms, “In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall heal the sick,” underscoring that priesthood power, activated through revelation, surpasses the Bible’s inspirational role. Hebrews 7:12 notes, “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law,” indicating that God’s ongoing revelation adapts priesthood administration to modern needs, unlike the static canon of sola scriptura. These experiences, enabled by the restored priesthood and living revelation, invite all to seek God’s authorized servants, as promoted on MapToHappiness.com and the Church’s official website.

The Priesthood’s Role in Eternal Ordinances: Sealing Families Forever

The priesthood administers eternal ordinances, such as temple sealings, binding families eternally and reflecting God’s corporeal desire for perpetual relationships. The Melchizedek Priesthood’s sealing keys, restored through Joseph Smith, fulfill prophecy and unite generations, mirroring God’s plan for immortality (Moses 1:39) and countering temporal views of marriage.

Malachi 4:5–6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet… And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers…”
Exegesis: Elijah’s restoration of sealing power unites generations, with physical ordinances embodying God’s eternal family plan in the restored Church.

Doctrine and Covenants 128:15–18: “And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation…”
Exegesis: Priesthood enables vicarious salvation, with sealings linking generations under Melchizedek authority, embodying God’s eternal plan through temple work.

Hebrews 11:40: “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”
Exegesis: Priesthood ordinances perfect families intergenerationally, reflecting God’s tangible authority in eternal bonds.

This aligns with Eternal Marriage Taught in the Bible on maptohappiness.com, emphasizing biblical roots and the priesthood’s role in eternal unions.

The Priesthood and Church Organization in Acts

The Book of Acts delineates God’s ecclesiastical structure, incorporating prophets, apostles, and priesthood authority, reflecting tangible divine governance. Misinterpretations by contemporary clergy, presuming 1 Peter 2:9’s “royal priesthood” suffices, are corrected through the Restoration’s revelation of Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. Acts depicts apostolic leadership administering ordinances, a pattern mirrored in the restored Church.

Acts 9:10–18: “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias… putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul… that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost…”
Exegesis: Saul’s vision and Ananias’ priesthood ordinance restore sight and confer baptism, illustrating the necessity of ordinances, even for apostles, in the restored Church.

Acts 8:5–20: “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria… Peter and John… laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost…”
Exegesis: Philip’s baptisms require apostolic confirmation, distinguishing Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, with Simon’s rebuke emphasizing unpurchaseable authority.

Acts 19:1–6: “Paul… laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”
Exegesis: Paul’s rebaptism and confirmation underscore the necessity of Melchizedek Priesthood authority for the Holy Ghost’s bestowal.

Acts 14:23: “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord…”
Exegesis: Ordination of elders through prayer and fasting establishes ecclesiastical structure, mirrored in the restored Church’s apostolic governance.

The “royal priesthood” of 1 Peter 2:9 lacks ordinance authority; the Restoration’s distinct priesthoods enable eternal ordinances, as in Eternal Marriage Taught in the Bible on maptohappiness.com.

Priesthood Keys and Apostolic Authority: The Unbroken Chain

Priesthood keys sustain apostolic authority, ordering ordinances and governance. The Restoration reestablishes this chain from Peter to Joseph Smith, reflecting a corporeal God’s tangible plan.

Matthew 16:19: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven…”
Exegesis: Christ’s bestowal of keys to Peter governs binding authority, delegated by a tangible God in the Restoration.

Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16: “After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel…”
Exegesis: Moses, Elias, and Elijah restore keys for gathering and sealing, linking dispensations through apostolic authority.

Doctrine and Covenants 27:12–13: “And also with Peter, James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles…”
Exegesis: Peter, James, and John confer keys to Joseph Smith, governing the final dispensation.

This aligns with Living Prophet and Apostles Speaking Now on maptohappiness.com, emphasizing apostolic leadership. Non-LDS decentralization lacks this structure.

The Priesthood’s Offices and Power: Acting in God’s Name

The priesthood encompasses offices (deacon, teacher, priest, high priest) and power for divine acts. The Restoration delineates these roles, with a corporeal God delegating authority.

Hebrews 1:1–2: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son…”
Exegesis: Christ’s priesthood enables cosmic creation, reflecting God’s corporeal nature and restored authority.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:7–13: “This is the light of Christ… And the Lord said: I am he who organized the elements, and who placed the worlds in their courses…”
Exegesis: Priesthood organizes elements, clarified in the Restoration’s revelation of a corporeal God’s authority.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:5–12: “All other authorities or offices in the church are appendages to this priesthood… The office of an elder comes under the priesthood of Melchizedek…”
Exegesis: The Restoration defines offices—deacons for temporal aid, teachers for oversight, priests for baptism and sacrament, high priests for presidency—channeling God’s power.

Doctrine and Covenants 113:7–8: “Questions were asked: Who is the stem of Jesse spoken of… It is Christ. What is the rod? It is a servant in the hands of Christ…”
Exegesis: Christ wields priesthood, with servants exercising it, as revealed in the Restoration.

My analogy elucidates: A police officer’s badge (office) grants authority; the firearm (power) effects change. Similarly, a bishop’s office presides, but priesthood power enables blessings. This supports God Has a Body on maptohappiness.com.

Consequences of Misusing or Lacking Priesthood Authority

Absent or misused priesthood renders ordinances void, yielding spiritual consequences. Without proper office or power, as clarified through modern revelation (Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–20, 121:36–37), attempts to perform divine acts lack efficacy, akin to a police officer with a badge but no gun, unable to enforce authority against spiritual challenges.

Acts 8:14–20: “Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money… Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”
Exegesis: Simon’s attempt to purchase priesthood power, lacking the divine office or calling, is condemned as an affront to God’s sacred authority. This illustrates that only those ordained to proper offices, wielding authorized power, can administer valid ordinances, a principle clarified in the Restoration (Doctrine and Covenants 121:36–37).

Acts 19:13–16: “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists… the evil spirit answered… Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them…”
Exegesis: The sons of Sceva, lacking priesthood office or power, fail to exorcise evil spirits, suffering physical consequences. Their unauthorized act underscores the necessity of divine ordination, as restored through Joseph Smith, to wield God’s tangible power.

Matthew 7:21–23: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven… I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Exegesis: Christ repudiates those performing unauthorized acts, emphasizing that only those with divinely conferred priesthood offices and power, as clarified in Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–20, can act in God’s name, ensuring soteriological efficacy.

This aligns with the restored understanding that priesthood offices (e.g., elder, high priest) and power (e.g., sealing, governance) must be divinely authorized, as seen in my blessings for the Asian Branch, reinforcing MapToHappiness.com’s mission.

Priesthood and Community Welfare

The priesthood fosters communal well-being, emulating a corporeal God’s care through structured support.

Doctrine and Covenants 104:15–18: “And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine… For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare…”
Exegesis: Priesthood stewardship ensures abundance for the saints, reflecting God’s tangible love in the Restoration.

Mosiah 4:16–17: “And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor… whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent.”
Exegesis: King Benjamin’s charity doctrine, administered by priesthood, commands service, strengthened in the Restoration.

Priesthood and the Gathering of Israel

The priesthood facilitates the gathering of Israel, fulfilling Romans 11:25–26 and Doctrine and Covenants 110:11 through missionary work, uniting scattered tribes.

Romans 11:25–26: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery… And so all Israel shall be saved…”
Exegesis: Paul’s prophecy is fulfilled through priesthood-directed gathering, guided by a corporeal God.

Doctrine and Covenants 110:11: “After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel…”
Exegesis: Moses restores gathering keys, enabling the Restoration’s global outreach.

Women and Priesthood Power

Women access priesthood power through ordinances (Doctrine and Covenants 25:7–8, 1 Corinthians 11:11), ensuring inclusivity in God’s plan.

Doctrine and Covenants 25:7–8: “And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church…”
Exegesis: Emma Smith’s gifts through priesthood ordinances affirm women’s inclusion in God’s power.

1 Corinthians 11:11: “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.”
Exegesis: Mutual dependence unites genders via priesthood, embracing all in God’s plan.

Priesthood and the Second Coming

The priesthood prepares for Christ’s return (Doctrine and Covenants 13:1, Malachi 3:1–3) through temple work and keys, sanctifying the earth. This role fulfills Daniel 2:44’s prophecy of an indestructible kingdom, with priesthood ordinances preparing a sanctified people, as Doctrine and Covenants 65:2 declares, “The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands.” Temple endowments and sealings, administered by priesthood authority, equip individuals for Christ’s return, ensuring readiness for the kingdom of heaven.

Doctrine and Covenants 13:1: “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels…”
Exegesis: Aaronic Priesthood keys herald the Second Coming under corporeal authority.

Malachi 3:1–3: “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me… and he shall purify the sons of Levi…”
Exegesis: Priesthood purification prepares for a tangible God’s return.

The Priesthood as the Fulfillment of God’s Eternal Plan

The priesthood, as God’s eternal authority, fulfills His divine plan to bring about “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39), uniting premortal, mortal, and eternal realms through restored keys, miracles, and ordinances that reflect His corporeal nature. From the premortal council, where intelligences were organized (Abraham 3:22–23: “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was”), God delegated priesthood authority to enact His soteriological purpose across dispensations. This plan, foretold in Acts 3:21 (“the times of restitution of all things”), culminated in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times (Ephesians 1:10), when divine servants restored essential keys. In 1829, John the Baptist conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, granting keys for baptism and repentance (Doctrine and Covenants 13), enabling preparatory ordinances akin to Philip’s baptisms in Samaria (Acts 8:5–13). Subsequently, Peter, James, and John bestowed the Melchizedek Priesthood, restoring authority for higher ordinances like confirmation and sealing (Doctrine and Covenants 27:12), mirroring apostolic acts in Acts 8:14–17. In 1836, Moses committed the keys of gathering Israel, fulfilling Romans 11:25–26 (“all Israel shall be saved”); Elias delivered the Abrahamic covenant’s keys, actualizing eternal posterity (Genesis 17:7); and Elijah restored the sealing power, turning hearts across generations (Malachi 4:5–6; Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16). Doctrine and Covenants 128:20–21 reveals additional angelic ministrants, ensuring the fullness of priesthood keys, as prophesied in Acts 3:21.

This restored priesthood enables miracles and ordinances that manifest God’s tangible love, fulfilling His plan. My daughter Eliza’s recovery from a life-threatening seizure at Zarahemla Campground, through a priesthood blessing, echoes Christ’s restoration of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35–42), demonstrating the priesthood’s power to conquer physical and spiritual death. Similarly, in 1991, an inspired blessing for an elderly woman on a ventilator at St. Joseph Hospital, guided by divine revelation, led to her miraculous recovery, paralleling Peter’s raising of Tabitha (Acts 9:36–41). These miracles, enabled by the Melchizedek Priesthood’s authority (Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–20: “the power of godliness is manifest”), reflect God’s corporeal engagement, countering spiritualized views of a distant deity (Genesis 1:26–27: “God created man in his own image”). The priesthood’s sealing power, restored by Elijah, binds families eternally, as Doctrine and Covenants 128:15–18 declares: “These are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation.” My baptism of Rachel at Zarahemla Campground and temple ordinances performed for my family align with this eternal purpose, uniting generations as Hebrews 11:40 states: “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

The priesthood’s offices—deacon, priest, elder, high priest—and power, clarified in Doctrine and Covenants 107:1–20, structure God’s kingdom, enabling governance and miracles, as seen in my Asian Branch service. Hebrews 7:1–2 connects this to Melchizedek’s ancient authority, while Doctrine and Covenants 121:36–37 ensures its righteous exercise. This fulfillment of God’s plan, orchestrated by a corporeal God through restored keys, prepares humanity for the Second Coming (Daniel 2:44), inviting all to partake of ordinances that secure eternal life, as promoted on MapToHappiness.com.

Conclusion

The priesthood, as the eternal authority of a corporeal God, stands as the cornerstone of divine interaction with humanity, enabling miracles and eternal ordinances that fulfill His soteriological purpose (Moses 1:39). Restored in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times (Ephesians 1:10), this power, conferred through the laying on of hands by divinely appointed servants (Acts 8:14–17, 9:17–18, 19:4–6), empowers worthy individuals to perform sacred acts—baptizing, healing, and sealing families for eternity. From the biblical precedents of Christ’s miracles (Mark 5:35–42) and apostolic ordinances (Acts 9:36–41) to the personal testimonies of transformative blessings, the priesthood manifests God’s tangible love, bridging premortal, mortal, and eternal realms. Its restoration through Joseph Smith, as prophesied in Acts 3:21, reaffirms the continuity of God’s embodied authority across dispensations, fulfilling ancient covenants (Genesis 17:7) and preparing humanity for Christ’s return (Daniel 2:44). By administering ordinances like baptism彼此

System: baptism for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29) and temple sealings (Malachi 4:5–6), the priesthood unites generations, ensuring the eternal perpetuation of familial bonds. This divine authority, rooted in a corporeal God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27), invites all to partake of its blessings, aligning with the mission of MapToHappiness.com to guide seekers toward eternal truth. God employs His priesthood power to create the earth and universe (Abraham 4:1: “And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the beginning, and they… organized and formed the heavens and the earth”). Ancient prophets and apostles, such as Melchizedek, used the priesthood to heal the sick and raise the dead (Hebrews 7:1–2: “This Melchizedek… blessed him; And to him Abraham gave a tenth part of all”). Modern prophets and apostles wield this authority to govern God’s worldwide Church and perform miracles and blessings (Doctrine and Covenants 107:8: “The Melchizedek Priesthood… has power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world”). I have used this priesthood power to bless my family and members of the Asian Branch. You too can use the priesthood to bless your family and others. Please visit the Church’s official website to learn more about the priesthood and how you can become God’s authorized servant.