The Father of all of us is watching and assisting and always there are those angles that come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal. In the recent October General Conference, Elder Holland spoke about angles and how they are still all around us today. He gave many examples from scripture and from daily life. As I was thinking about this blog post I began to look back on my own life and recalled the times that I had experienced the presence of angles in my life. Three specific experiences came to my mind. Without over doing the personal experiences I would like to share briefly; the first is when I first attended the temple, second my Grandma Raquel, and third my best friend Daniel Gessel (Danny or Ducky for short). As I further researched this topic I was able to better understand and see god’s hand in my life. I looked at all the times in my life and how through others seen and unseen have been there to help me uplift me and shelter me when necessary. In Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 it states “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”
It was my first time attending the Seattle Temple I was a fresh 12 year old and so excited. The nerves of what to expect were in my stomach all day. When we finally arrived at the temple, dressed in our pure white and were sitting in the waiting room I could hardly wait to begin the baptisms. Then the Temple President had to begin the session which to me seemed to only prolong the wait. However I will never forget the words that he shared with us that night. As he said how excited he was to have us here in the temple, he also expressed how he could feel how excited those who we were going to be baptized for were. He said that they would be there with us in our presence and they would not be limited to floor space. As I preformed my baptisms for those choice spirits I was filled with the spirit that they were present. As we drove away from the Temple that night I was happy to have been blessed with that experience to feel of their joy. Chieke N. Okazah said, “we are literally answers to prayers when we are willing to serve”. I know that my sense of those spirits was my joy of service and, as I look back now I cannot recall anything specific about that time in my life whether or not I needed to feel that uplifting joy. However my gratitude for that experience is full and great. Elder Holland states “Has the day of miracles ceased? Or have angles ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved? Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that angles appear and minister unto them” Moroni 7:29-37. I know that it was because of my faith and the faith of those I was being baptized for that I was able to feel their presence. Mary Ellen Smoot also commented on this saying, “If you are faithful and true to the profession you have made you are to become the companions of angles”.
When god sent us to this earth he said that we would be left with his aids. He has given us the Holy Ghost to help us make decisions and he from time to time will send his angles to cheer and uplift us, when we tread through the darkness of the wildernesses in life. “ I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angles dispatched to bless us in time of need…those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angles are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods…Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people”. My dear sweet Grandma Raquel was the definition of angelic. She had such a strong testimony of Christ and was an example to all that she came in contact with. My favorite thing about her was even in casual conversation over popcorn and, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, my grandma would find some way to slip a gospel principal in and bare her testimony about it to us grandchildren. The scripture in 2 Nephi 32:3 it says “Angles speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ”. In class someone said, “When you are speaking and you feel the spirit you speaking with the tongue of angles”. I felt the spirit every time my grandmother spoke, I know that she was an angle in my life sent to uplift me and keep me strong thru the challenges in my life. “When such a friend as this departs we hold forever in our hearts, a sweet and hallowed memory, bringing us nearer lord to thee”, Hymn 293.
Later in my life my grandmother became one of those trails and for the first time I did not know what to do. I felt so alone and confused because I had never had to wonder where my comfort was going to come from. As I was searching for comfort in this trial i came across # Nephi 12:4 "blessed are all they that mourn for they shall be comforted". From this I soon learned “God does notice us, and he watched over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs” Spencer Kimball. This is where my third experience of my best friend Daniel (Danny or Ducky) comes into my life. Again I echo the words of Elder Holland in that there are angles that we walk and talk with in our everyday lives. He comments, “My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angles, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am Testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face…God knew the challenges we would face, and certainly knew how lonely and troubled we would sometimes feel…but in these times of special need, he always sends angles, divine messengers, to bless his children, reassure them that heaven was always very close and that his help was always very near”. After my grandmother’s passing my best friend Ducky was one of the only thing besides my family that kept me grounded and full of comfort. Of course it didn’t stop at that one incident he has been there for me to cheer me up through all of my bad days and good days. In the hymn each life that touches ours for good it reads “Vrs. 1:Each life that touches ours for good reflects ours for good reflects thine own great mercy Lord, thou sendest blessings from above, thru words and deeds of those who love. Vrs.2: What greater gift dost thou be-stow, what great goodness can we know than Christ-like friends, whose gentle ways strengthen our friends, whose gentle ways strengthen our faith en-rich our days”. I know that I met and befriended Ducky because he is my angle sent to give me aid and assistance that heavenly father wants me to have. In the major times of this past year plus I could feel God’s great love as my Father in Heaven as I counseled with my best friend. I am so much stronger and better off when I have my best friend at my side.
As I looked back upon these three experiences I know that angles do exist both mortal and immortal. We can walk, talk, feel, and council with them in the ways of the lord. In Doctrine and Covenants 136:37 it states “I did call upon by mine angles my ministering servants, and by mine own voice out of the heavens to bring forth my work”. I encourage all to look back on your own lives and recognize the angelic influences that you have encountered. It is just another way to view the love our Heavenly Father has for us as his children. To close I bare my testimony of the power of heavenly comfort in our lives. It can cheer and uplift our spirits on the darkest spots along the path of our lives. Also with the knowledge that we can feel the spirit and have angelic guidance in our lives from the example and presence of others to apply this principal to our own lives, if people are the answers to our prayers can we not look to ourselves to be more angelic, more Christ-like and closer to the spirit that we may know when to serve others. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
References:
Hymn: 293 Each life that touches ours for good
Elder Holland, General Conference, Oct 2008, The Ministry of Angles located on lds.org
President Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Dec 1974
It was my first time attending the Seattle Temple I was a fresh 12 year old and so excited. The nerves of what to expect were in my stomach all day. When we finally arrived at the temple, dressed in our pure white and were sitting in the waiting room I could hardly wait to begin the baptisms. Then the Temple President had to begin the session which to me seemed to only prolong the wait. However I will never forget the words that he shared with us that night. As he said how excited he was to have us here in the temple, he also expressed how he could feel how excited those who we were going to be baptized for were. He said that they would be there with us in our presence and they would not be limited to floor space. As I preformed my baptisms for those choice spirits I was filled with the spirit that they were present. As we drove away from the Temple that night I was happy to have been blessed with that experience to feel of their joy. Chieke N. Okazah said, “we are literally answers to prayers when we are willing to serve”. I know that my sense of those spirits was my joy of service and, as I look back now I cannot recall anything specific about that time in my life whether or not I needed to feel that uplifting joy. However my gratitude for that experience is full and great. Elder Holland states “Has the day of miracles ceased? Or have angles ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved? Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that angles appear and minister unto them” Moroni 7:29-37. I know that it was because of my faith and the faith of those I was being baptized for that I was able to feel their presence. Mary Ellen Smoot also commented on this saying, “If you are faithful and true to the profession you have made you are to become the companions of angles”.
When god sent us to this earth he said that we would be left with his aids. He has given us the Holy Ghost to help us make decisions and he from time to time will send his angles to cheer and uplift us, when we tread through the darkness of the wildernesses in life. “ I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angles dispatched to bless us in time of need…those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angles are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods…Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people”. My dear sweet Grandma Raquel was the definition of angelic. She had such a strong testimony of Christ and was an example to all that she came in contact with. My favorite thing about her was even in casual conversation over popcorn and, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, my grandma would find some way to slip a gospel principal in and bare her testimony about it to us grandchildren. The scripture in 2 Nephi 32:3 it says “Angles speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ”. In class someone said, “When you are speaking and you feel the spirit you speaking with the tongue of angles”. I felt the spirit every time my grandmother spoke, I know that she was an angle in my life sent to uplift me and keep me strong thru the challenges in my life. “When such a friend as this departs we hold forever in our hearts, a sweet and hallowed memory, bringing us nearer lord to thee”, Hymn 293.
Later in my life my grandmother became one of those trails and for the first time I did not know what to do. I felt so alone and confused because I had never had to wonder where my comfort was going to come from. As I was searching for comfort in this trial i came across # Nephi 12:4 "blessed are all they that mourn for they shall be comforted". From this I soon learned “God does notice us, and he watched over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs” Spencer Kimball. This is where my third experience of my best friend Daniel (Danny or Ducky) comes into my life. Again I echo the words of Elder Holland in that there are angles that we walk and talk with in our everyday lives. He comments, “My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angles, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am Testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face…God knew the challenges we would face, and certainly knew how lonely and troubled we would sometimes feel…but in these times of special need, he always sends angles, divine messengers, to bless his children, reassure them that heaven was always very close and that his help was always very near”. After my grandmother’s passing my best friend Ducky was one of the only thing besides my family that kept me grounded and full of comfort. Of course it didn’t stop at that one incident he has been there for me to cheer me up through all of my bad days and good days. In the hymn each life that touches ours for good it reads “Vrs. 1:Each life that touches ours for good reflects ours for good reflects thine own great mercy Lord, thou sendest blessings from above, thru words and deeds of those who love. Vrs.2: What greater gift dost thou be-stow, what great goodness can we know than Christ-like friends, whose gentle ways strengthen our friends, whose gentle ways strengthen our faith en-rich our days”. I know that I met and befriended Ducky because he is my angle sent to give me aid and assistance that heavenly father wants me to have. In the major times of this past year plus I could feel God’s great love as my Father in Heaven as I counseled with my best friend. I am so much stronger and better off when I have my best friend at my side.
As I looked back upon these three experiences I know that angles do exist both mortal and immortal. We can walk, talk, feel, and council with them in the ways of the lord. In Doctrine and Covenants 136:37 it states “I did call upon by mine angles my ministering servants, and by mine own voice out of the heavens to bring forth my work”. I encourage all to look back on your own lives and recognize the angelic influences that you have encountered. It is just another way to view the love our Heavenly Father has for us as his children. To close I bare my testimony of the power of heavenly comfort in our lives. It can cheer and uplift our spirits on the darkest spots along the path of our lives. Also with the knowledge that we can feel the spirit and have angelic guidance in our lives from the example and presence of others to apply this principal to our own lives, if people are the answers to our prayers can we not look to ourselves to be more angelic, more Christ-like and closer to the spirit that we may know when to serve others. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
References:
Hymn: 293 Each life that touches ours for good
Elder Holland, General Conference, Oct 2008, The Ministry of Angles located on lds.org
President Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Dec 1974
Scriptures: D&C 136:37, D&C 84:88, Moroni 7:29-37, 2 Nephi 32:3, 3 Nephi 12:4
Stand for Truth and Righteousness ( youth conference book): Mary Ellen Smoot, Chieke N. Okazah
Stand for Truth and Righteousness ( youth conference book): Mary Ellen Smoot, Chieke N. Okazah
8 comments:
Lucy, I like the way you work your blog around three personal experiences. I think it works well. Remember your audience and to proof-read before you post: I think you meant "angels," not "angles."
I loved that you had lots of personal experiences and that they flowed all through your blog. You did a great job!
Lucy,
I enjoyed reading about your personal experience at the temple. It was really touching.
I love the idea that angels are all around. Thank you for your testimony!
Angels are all around us - you are right about that. Thank you for sharing the quote by Kimball how often other people met our needs and the Lord uses others to answer of prayers. And yes - we all should try to be more christ-like and angelic in our attitudes and behaviors so the Lord can use us. Make sure to proof read - angels not angles... its a bit distracting. Loved the angel photos in the beginning!
Wonderful blog Lucy. Your personal experience in the temple was very touching, I liked it a lot.
I like how you introduced your blog with angels from the Willow Tree series. They set the tone well.
I really enjoyed your blog. Your testimony is powerful and it strengthened my own testimony of angels all around us and that the Lord works through people to answer our prayers. Thank you!
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