In this episode we examine the ways that Joseph Smith’s understanding of the priesthood and its role in the lives of Latter-day Saints expanded with time, experience, and additional revelation.

After Joseph Smith’s death church leaders continued to develop priesthood organization in response to the needs of a growing church. This episode also explains how the temple and priesthood restrictions based on race came to be and how it ended.

This episode tells the story of John the Baptist’s conferral of the Aaronic priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15 1829 in Harmony Pennsylvania. It also considers what else was happening on that day that helps shape our understanding