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was born approximately six months before [[Jesus Christ]] and holds the distinction of being the man chosen to baptize Him.

was born approximately six months before [[Jesus Christ]] and holds the distinction of being the man chosen to baptize Him.

==Mortal Life and Ministry==

==Life and Ministry==

John's birth fulfilled the promise of the angel [[Gabriel]] to Elizabeth in June of the previous year. For five months Elizabeth kept secret the angel's visitation and when she finally told her husband, [[Zacharias]], he was greatly troubled and fully believed her narrative only after he had an unusual dream about six weeks before the birth of John. Zacharius was struck dumb (unable to speak), until John was born.  On the eighth day of his life, John was [[circumcision|circumcised]] according to the [[Jewish]] custom. He grew up as an ordinary boy in the small village known as the City of Judah, about four miles west of [[Jerusalem]].

John's birth fulfilled the promise of the angel [[Gabriel]] to Elizabeth in June of the previous year. For five months Elizabeth kept secret the angel's visitation and when she finally told her husband, [[Zacharias]], he was greatly troubled and fully believed her narrative only after he had an unusual dream about six weeks before the birth of John. Zacharius was struck dumb (unable to speak), until John was born.  On the eighth day of his life, John was [[circumcision|circumcised]] according to the [[Jewish]] custom. He grew up as an ordinary boy in the small village known as the City of Judah, about four miles west of [[Jerusalem]].

==Mormon Beliefs==

==Mormon Beliefs==

Members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] believe that on May 15, 1829 A.D., the resurrected John the Baptist appeared to [[Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith, Jr.]] and [[Oliver Cowdery]] and conferred upon them the [[Aaronic Priesthood]], which includes the authority to baptize.<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/13 Doctrine and Covenants 13]</ref>  Other Christian denominations do not hold this same belief.

Members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (Mormons) believe that on May 15, 1829 A.D., the resurrected John the Baptist appeared to [[Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith, Jr.]], the founder of the Mormon religion, and [[Oliver Cowdery]], who would become the second elder, and conferred upon them the [[Aaronic Priesthood]], which included the authority to baptize.<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/13 Doctrine and Covenants 13]</ref>  No other Christian denomination holds this belief.

== See also ==

== See also ==