, ▁called ▁the ▁Pres iding ▁Bishop ric , ▁are ▁administrative ▁and ▁financial ▁agents ▁of ▁the ▁church . ▁Local ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁A aron ic ▁priest hood ▁are ▁adult ▁male ▁b ish ops , ▁who ▁serve ▁as ▁past oral ▁leaders ▁of ▁individual ▁con greg ations . ▁A aron ic ▁priest hood ▁hold ers ▁generally ▁prepare , ▁bless , ▁and ▁admin ister ▁the ▁sacr ament , ▁collect ▁fast ▁offer ings , ▁perform ▁church ▁and ▁community ▁service , ▁assist ▁in ▁minister ing , ▁and ▁occasionally ▁perform ▁bapt isms . ▁In ▁their ▁priest hood ▁activities , ▁hold ers ▁of ▁the ▁A aron ic ▁priest hood ▁are ▁also ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁church ' s ▁Young ▁Men ▁organization . ▁ ▁History ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Sain ts ▁believe ▁that ▁John ▁the ▁Bapt ist ▁con ferred ▁the ▁A aron ic ▁priest hood ▁directly ▁upon ▁Joseph ▁Smith ▁and ▁Oliver ▁Cow der y ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 8 2 9 . ▁Smith ▁rel ates ▁the ▁confer ral ▁of ▁the ▁A aron ic ▁priest hood ▁in ▁Joseph ▁Smith – History ▁as ▁follows : ▁ ▁[ W ] e ▁... ▁went ▁into ▁the ▁woods ▁to ▁pray ▁and ▁in quire ▁of ▁the ▁Lord ▁respect ing ▁bapt ism ▁for ▁the ▁rem ission ▁of ▁s ins , ▁that ▁we ▁found ▁mentioned ▁in ▁the ▁translation ▁of ▁the ▁pl ates ▁[ Book ▁of ▁M orm on ] ▁.... ▁While ▁we ▁were ▁thus ▁employed , ▁pray ing ▁and ▁calling ▁upon ▁the ▁Lord , ▁a ▁mess enger ▁from ▁heaven ▁desc ended ▁in ▁a ▁cloud ▁of ▁light , ▁and