The Book of Mormon
~AD 401–421

Moroni 3

Christ taught his disciples how to confer the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands. Moroni records how church elders ordained priests and teachers by praying and laying hands on candidates, declaring their office and authority according to God's gifts.

How to Ordain Church Leaders

Here’s how the disciples—the ones called elders of the church—ordained priests and teachers:

After praying to the Father in Christ’s name, they laid their hands on them and said: 'In the name of Jesus Christ, I ordain you to be a priest'—or if it was a teacher—'I ordain you to be a teacher, to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, by staying faithful to his name to the end. ' That’s how they ordained priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings God gave to each person. They ordained them by the power of the Holy Spirit within them.

Influences

  • 3:1 — Acts 20:17 (KJV)
    And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
  • 3:2 — 1 Peter 4:14 (KJV)
    If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
  • 3:3 — 1 Corinthians 1:2 (KJV)
    Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:
  • 3:3 — Luke 24:47 (KJV)
    And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
  • 3:4 — Romans 15:13 (KJV)
    Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
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