Three hundred years before the birth of Christ, a poor mother had twelve sons. She prayed daily that they might live to see the promised Redeemer. As their need grew desperate, she sent them out, one by one, to seek bread.
The eldest, Peter, wandered deep into a vast forest, lost and starving. Weak and near death, he saw a radiant, angelic child. "Why art thou in such trouble?" the child asked. Peter replied, "I seek bread, and my greatest wish is to see the promised Saviour."
The child said, "Come with me, and thy wish shall be fulfilled." He led Peter through cliffs to a great cavern, shining with gold, silver, and crystal. Twelve cradles stood side by side. "Lie down in the first," said the angel, who then sang and rocked Peter to sleep.
One by one, each brother was guided by his guardian angel to the cavern, rocked to sleep in a cradle. They slept for three hundred years, until the night the Saviour was born. Then they awoke, were with Him on earth, and became known as the twelve apostles.