Mathew 3 - 4:11, Mark 1, Luke 3 - 4:13, John 1:14 - 2:12

The Savior said of John the Baptist -

"...Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist..." (New Testament Luke 7:28)

That is quite a powerful statement considering such revered prophets as Abraham, Joseph and Moses. Very little is written of John other than the events of his birth and the baptism of the Savior. But as we consider his mission and the manner in which he accomplished it, the more we recognize his greatness. John was raised in the most humble of circumstances. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught:

“When Herod’s edict went forth to destroy the young children, John was about six months older than Jesus, and came under this hellish edict, and Zacharias caused his mother to take him into the mountains, where he was raised on locusts and wild honey. When his father refused to disclose his hiding place, and being the officiating high priest at the Temple that year, was slain by Herod’s order, between the porch and the altar, as Jesus said.” (Teachings, p. 261. Compare Matthew 23:35.)

John's calling must have been of great importance in that there were many prophecies concerning John the Baptist. Isaiah prophecied -

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Old Testament Isaiah 40:3)

Nephi, speaking the words of his father Lehi, wrote -

"...he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord—
8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.
9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.
10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world." (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 10:7 - 10)

Each of the gospel writers also wrote of "one crying in the wilderness" but John himself said -

"...I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." (New Testament John 1:23)

John the Baptist understood his calling and the magnitude of his work to prepare for the Savior's ministry. Not only did he cry in a physical wilderness, but also a spiritual wilderness in that much of the people had fallen into spiritual darkness. His calling was to call repentance and prepare the valiant to hear the words of Christ. When the angel appeared to Zacharias, he prophecied of his son -

"...he shall go before [H]im in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (New Testament Luke 1:17)

When John was asked -

"...Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not...." (New Testament John 1:21)

But he was after the order of the spirit and power of Elias. Joseph Smith explained it as follows:

“. . . for the spirit of Elias was a going before to prepare the way for the greater, which was the case with John the Baptist. He came crying through the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ And they were informed, if they could receive it, it was the spirit of Elias; and John was very particular to tell the people, he was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
“He told the people that his mission was to preach repentance and baptize with water; but it was He that should come after him that should baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost.
“If he had been an impostor, he might have gone to work beyond his bounds, and undertook to have performed ordinances which did not belong to that office and calling, under the spirit of Elias.
“The spirit of Elias is to prepare the way for a greater revelation of God, which is the Priesthood of Elias, or the Priesthood that Aaron was ordained unto. And when God sends a man into the world to prepare for a greater work, holding the keys of the power of Elias, it was called the doctrine of Elias, even from the early ages of the world.
“John’s mission was limited to preaching and baptizing; but what he did was legal; and when Jesus Christ came to any of John’s disciples, He baptized them with fire and the Holy Ghost.” (Teachings, pp. 335–36.)

Not only did John prepare the people for the Savior's ministry but was given the calling and blessing to testify to his disciples -

"...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (New Testament John 1:29)

Not only was he blessed of the testimony of the Savior, but the personal witness and vision of the Holy Ghost. Each gospel writer described the descending of the Holy Ghost "like a dove", but Luke provided even a greater physical description -

"...the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him..." (New Testament Luke 3:22)

And John was privileged to hear -

"...a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." (New Testament Luke 3:22)

We know that John understood his role and calling as -

"...the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." (New Testament John 1:35 - 37)

Having accomplished his mission, John humbly stepped out of the picture allowing the Savior to lead all the repentant disciples. John's calling as an "Elias" continued into the modern era as returned and layed hands on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery declaring -

"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, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 13:1)

Again, as a preparer for Joseph and Oliver to be visited by Peter, James, and John and recieve the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood.