The story of the transfiguration of Jesus only appears in the synoptic gospels. It appears nowhere in the gospel of John. According to the gospel of Mark, Jesus leads Peter, James and John to a mountain top and he is transfigured before them. "...his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them." Elijah and Moses appear to them and they speak to Jesus.
A cloud overshadows them and a voice comes from the cloud saying, "This is my beloved Son, listen to him." Suddenly they're alone with Jesus again. Jesus charges them to tell no one what they have seen until the Son of man has risen from the dead.
In the gospel of Matthew all the same characters appear. The transfiguration is described as "his face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as light." In this version the voice from the cloud says, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." and on hearing it the three disciples fall on their faces and are filled with awe. Again Jesus tells them to keep silent about what they have seen.
The gospel of Luke's version is slightly different again. This time they are going up the mountain to pray. As they do so "the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white." Moses and Elijah appear and talk to Jesus, but this time we are told a bit about the content of their discussion. They speak to Jesus about his departure, which he is to accomplish at Jerusalem. Peter and the other disciples were asleep and hadn't seen anything that had happened so far until they awaken and see Jesus' glory and the two men with him. This time the voice from the cloud says, "This is my Son, my chosen, listen to him." Jesus doesn't charge the disciples to keep silent about what they have seen, but for some reason they do so anyway. One would have thought they would at least share their experience with their fellow disciples.
In Mark and Matthew's version of this story the disciples don't fall asleep so they are awake when Jesus, Moses and Elijah are talking yet no mention is made of the subject matter of their conversation. This would seem to be a very important part of the experience. Why aren't we told about what was said? In Luke's version they do fall asleep yet we seem to know what was discussed. How can this be known to Luke's author? The three disciples didn't hear it so couldn't have told anyone and Moses and Elijah return to wherever they came from. That leaves only Jesus and he told the disciples to tell no one, so I doubt he, himself, would have spoken about the incident and there is certainly no record of him telling anyone in any of the gospels.
How is it that Peter, at least, knows who the two men were who appeared with Jesus. He couldn't possibly have known what Moses or Elijah looked like. Jesus doesn't make any introductions, yet Peter says, " Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."
In the Lukan version God refers to Jesus as his chosen one. When did he choose him, at conception, at birth, at his baptism by John the Baptist? This sounds a lot like adoptionist theology and Luke's author has Jesus divine from his miraculous birth so why "my chosen"? According to Luke's author, God, or perhaps more accurately the Holy Spirit, created Jesus. He didn't choose him.
So, did the three disciples fall asleep on the mountain? Did they fall on their faces when they heard God's voice? Did they hear what Jesus, Moses and Elijah were talking about? And what did God say when he spoke to them? It depends which gospel you read.
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