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Why is it that I find the painting on the LDS website very alluring? There is something about it that just fascinates me. This painting depicts Peter, James, and John conferring upon Joseph Smith and Oliver the Melchizedek Priesthood in the woods.


I could stare at this painting for a long time. It implies much. Consider what their hands must have felt like on Joseph's head. Were they warm hands? This was early June in Pennsylvania. It might have been a nice, brisk 65-degree day. The birds were chirping and little critters running around in the underbrush. How would they have appeared if it was dead of winter? Or a hot summer day? Are they even affected by temperature/humidity? Did animals run away or gather around? Do you think Joseph Smith was tempted to have a little tete-a-tete with Peter afterwards? "How are things between you and Jesus since the cock crowed all those nights ago?" So many questions! I would love to have a meeting with these guys! Do you eat? How do you make these robes? Do you grow cotton and have angels spin it? Did the leather from your sandals require an animal be killed? Can I touch your hair? How strong are you? Can you kick that tree and knock it over? I would be crazy with questions. In fact, I would have trouble sleeping for many days wishing they would come back to talk with me.

I wonder what their appearance onto the scene was like. Nobody really knows. It's like using animations in Powerpoint. You have lots of "Entrance animation" types to choose from. Here are some possible ways they might have appeared:

1. Expand in
2. Fade in
3. Fly in
4. Dissolve in
5. Faded zoom
6. Peek in
7. Wheel
8. Not on the list in Powerpoint: Appear from behind a puff of smoke

Man, I really wish Joseph could have documented more of this! What a shame he didn't.

was it visionary like his encounters with Moroni and The Father and Son? As it was no one else saw what he saw in these moments, unless they were somehow permitted to see it. In these visionary encounters how does it all occur? Do you feel anything? Do you see clearly? There are definitely a lot of questions to ask regarding these.

Isn't John still alive? I think he would have had to walk in like any other human being.

just me wrote:Isn't John still alive? I think he would have had to walk in like any other human being.

oh yeah. I forgot about that. Maybe John is not portrayed correctly here. His robes would need to be a little dingier.

stemelbow wrote:Do you see clearly?

Maybe you get "drunk" with spirituality when angels come?

Hell no. He would be dressed in the same style clothing as all the other living people of that era. How else would he not stick out?

Are they hovering?

This picture, while pretty, is flawed.

Are all beings like this hot dudes with scruff?

OzPoof wrote:Are all beings like this hot dudes with scruff?

No, the one on the far right appears to have no scruff.

I like how accurate the picture is. Everyone knows that Peter, James and John were not short, stocky and semitic looking, but were tall, with blond hair and piercing blue eyes.

Peter looks like some Norwegian actor, James looks like a British rock star from the 70's, and John looks like another guy I should know but can't put a finger on it... A guitar player from a band of yesteryear... baby face with a mullet. Who is that?!

Just Me - All John needs to do is carry an extra robe in a satchel he carries on the end of a stick. I imagine he uses his old costume for such occasions as the one in the forest with Joseph and Oliver.