We Believe.... Priesthood Authority

5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.



Elder Ballard's book Our Search for Happiness says this concerning having the proper authority.
     "..the priesthood is God's authority given to humans to do the things that He and the Savior would do it They were here living among us. It is the conduit through which Heavenly Father governs His children in an orderly, nonoppressive way.
     Priesthood government differs drastically from any other government. Whereas all too often human government is based in revolution and driven by might, priesthood government is based in revelation and driven by the Almighty. And while the heart and soul of mortal government it the law, created by lawmakers who have various capabilities and motivations, at the heart of priesthood government are the commandments of God, created by a kind and loving Father in Heaven of infinite capability, whose only motivation is our eternal success.
     And when it comes right down to it, that's the only motivation of priesthood authority: to assist in bringing Heavenly Father's children safely home to Him."

I know that through Joseph Smith God brought back His authority on the earth so we wouldn't be left in spiritual darkness. I know that the leaders of the church are indeed called by God to teach us all that God wants us to know in order to make it back to Him. Other worthy members of the church throughout the world have this priesthood authority as well to teach the gospel and to perform the necessary ordinances we need to partake of in order to be received in the kingdom of Heaven. The power of the priesthood is real and it truly blesses the lives of others for now and forever.

For more information on the Restoration of the Priesthood visit. http://www.mormon.org/restoration