Smith claimed that Moroni, a messenger sent from the presence of God, told him that the Father had a work for him to do. Moroni told him about a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving account of the former inhabitants of this continent. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Saviour to the ancient inhabitants. There were two stones in silver bows (the Urim and Thummim) which Smith was supposed to translate the book with. (Testimony 9) After telling Joseph these things, he shared that Moroni began quoting prophecies of the Old Testament differently than what the Scripture actually said. He also gave Joseph a few warnings about translating the book for the wrong reasons. This "heavenly messenger" appeared to Joseph three times in one night. (Richards 43) .
Joseph met with this same angel each year for four years receiving further instruction about his special work. In 1827 he began translating the plates. While translating, in May of 1829 Joseph and Oliver Cowdery (one of the three original witnesses) went to the woods to pray, and John the Baptist descended from a cloud of light, ordaining them with the Aaronic Priesthood, commanding them to go and be baptized. Smith and Cowdery both baptized each other, then claimed to prophesy many things, having been filled with the Holy Ghost. (Testimony 17) Proof that this was true was shown by the testimony of eleven witnesses that Joseph knew. Smith claimed that he became anxious to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood along with the Aaronic, so that he would be able to lay hands on individuals, giving them the Holy Ghost. According to his testimony excerpted from Joseph Smith History 1:3-75, "The Prophet declared that the Melchizedek Priesthood was thereafter received under the hands of Peter, James, and John, at a place along the banks of the Susquehanna River, between Harmony, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, and Colesville, Broome County, New York.