"This Church holds the keys of the power of God unto salvation unto every soul that will receive the gospel honestly and obey it," said Elder David B. Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve at the October 1980 general conference.
"Some have asked, 'Is your claim of authority more valid than that of other churches?' Our answer is, 'Yes. We possess the same divine priesthood power and authority that was held anciently.'"At the time the Savior and His twelve apostles were laboring along the coast of Caesarea Philippi, the Savior asked them, 'Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?' " (Matt. 16:13.)
Matthew records that the apostles replied that some said Jesus was John the Baptist; some, Elias; others, Jeremiah. Jesus asked the apostles specifically whom they said He was. After Simon Peter said that He was "the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus said: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt. 16:14-19.)
Elder Haight said that the Lord taught that His Church was to be built on the rock of revelation, of divine truths revealed by God Himself, and that Christ is the Son of the living God; therefore, the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church.
"The keys of the kingdom were promised to Peter, and he exercised that authority as he associated with the other members of the Twelve and presided over them," Elder Haight said.
"There were a number of occasions when the Savior took only Peter, James, and John with him, undoubtedly for additional spiritual experiences and instruction. When Jesus went up into the Mount of Transfiguration to prepare for His coming ordeal, He took these three Apostles with Him so that, having seen His glory -- the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father -- their hearts would be fortified and their faith strengthened as they gazed upon this heavenly event. There they received the promised keys of the priesthood. During this heavenly event Moses and Elias also appeared, and the three Apostles heard the voice of the Father bearing witness that Jesus is His Beloved Son and the command that they were to hear and obey. (See Matt. 17:1-9.)
"In August of 1830, a revelation from the Lord confirms the ordination of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Apostleship and their receiving the keys." (See D&C 27:12-13.)
Further, Elder Haight said: "On April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Temple, the same heavenly beings that appeared to the Savior and His three Apostles on the Mount, appeared and conferred additional priesthood authority and keys upon the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery for the building up of the Church preparatory to the coming of Christ to rule and reign on the earth forever. Moses appeared and conferred the keys of the gathering of Israel. Elias restored the covenants and authority given to Abraham. Elijah bestowed the keys and power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and of the children to their fathers. (See D&C 110:11-16.)
"These same keys of the kingdom held by Peter, James, and John, who served in the First Presidency in the dispensation of the meridian of time, and conferred upon Joseph Smith and all subsequent Presidents of the Church, are now held by [the Church President] today. He holds this supreme authority. He holds the right of revelation and decision for the priesthood and for the Church."