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 13
When I was 13 years old and set apart as the deacons quorum president in my home ward, I really didn't have a very good understanding of my calling or what it truly meant to have the Aaronic Priesthood. I more or less was just going through the motions.
But this quickly changed. I received a letter in the mail from my uncle with a second letter in it that, he explained, contained something for me. But before I could unseal it and find out what it contained, I had to memorize Section 13 of the Doctrine and Covenants. I found out this section was just one verse, but a fairly long one. It was the words of John the Baptist, when he conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
For about a week, I went over and over it seeking to memorize it word for word. Finally, I recited it perfectly to my father and he gave me permission to open the second letter. In it were 10 dollars and a note from my uncle congratulating me for my first priesthood leadership calling. He also admonished me to always remember this scripture and use it as a leader and holder of the Lord's true priesthood.
This I did. The words of that sacred passage were instilled in my heart and soul as I would ponder it, realizing the great privilege I had to bless those whom I would lead with the blessing of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This experience started me out on the path to read, love and cherish the scriptures as a guide in knowing, teaching and obeying the Lord's will throughout my life. And now, more than 40 years later, I continue this holy quest and very often contemplate this short, but very meaningful Section 13 of the Doctrine and Covenants. — Stephen K. Chase, Higginsville, Missouri