Ministering of Angels

In our family recently, we witnessed the death of my wife, the mother of our children and grandchildren. I explained to all of her posterity when I was asked if she is now a ministering angel in these words:

"And whoso ^areceiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go ^bbefore your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my ^cSpirit shall be in your hearts, and mine ^dangels round about you, to bear you up." (D&C 84:88).

The short answer is "yes," your mother (and grandmother) is one of those angels the Lord refers to here. She is always going to be with you from this day forward, even though you may not always see her or feel her as much as you would like. Be assured that she is aware of you, she sees you, and she knows your hearts perfectly. She will be a gift to you from a loving Heavenly Father. The spirits of our deceased ancestors are deeply concerned about us and they love us more than you can imagine. When you pray to your Father in Heaven for guidance or comfort or a special need you may have, I give you my witness that those answers will come. Often they are referred to as the "whisperings" of the Spirit, or "the still, small voice," describing the Holy Ghost. But it has been my experience that the answers may also come quietly from our beloved family members who have preceded us in death and now reside in the world of spirits, as Mom (and Grandma) now does. She may come quietly and even uninvited when you least expect her to show up in a dream. She will settle in your heart with soft, loving and even imperceptible nudges of inspiration about what you should do next. She may just whisper peace to your troubled or anxious heart, but never doubt her reality in your lives. She will always be found "round about you" even when you don't even know it or feel it. I know that is true.

Section 13 of The Doctrine and Covenants consists of the words John the Baptist spoke, as he conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery: “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels. . .”

Those who have the Aaronic Priesthood conferred upon them, we are frequently taught in the Church, thereby have right to the ministering of angels. The implication is those who do not hold this priesthood have no right to the ministering of angels. We have misunderstood, and obtaining a proper knowledge of these things is absolutely fundamental to the establishment of the latter-day Zion if we will ever be enabled to come into the presence of an “innumerable company of angels.” (See TPJS, 325).

John said the Aaronic Priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels. However, John did not say what that key was. What is the key of the ministering of angels?

The Prophet Mormon revealed this first Aaronic Priesthood key:

. . . it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men. . . (Moroni 7:37).

The key is faith, specifically faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the key by which angels appear and minister unto men and women. It is the first spiritual key of power. Like “the Hebrew Church [we must come] to an innumerable company of angels, unto God the Father of all, and to Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new covenant.” (TPJS, 325).

Upon reflection, this makes perfect sense. Acting in his editorial role in the compilation of the records comprising The Book of Mormon, Moroni reflected on the faith of his forefathers:

I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers. . .
Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith. . .
It was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God. . .
By faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.
For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.
Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth.
Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.
Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.
And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith.
And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.
And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad. . . (Ether 12:6-22).

All the mighty works recorded in holy writ have come by faith without exception. Without faith nothing happens. Of course it is the first key of power! No other possibility qualifies. From the “Lectures on Faith” in Joseph’s School of the Prophets, we learn:

Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and without power there could be no creation, nor existence! (Lectures On Faith, 1:24).
[Faith] is the principle of power in the Deity as well as in man. . . and without it there is no power, and without power there could be no creation nor existence! (Lectures on Faith, Questions & Answers, Lecture First; also see Hebrews 11:3).

We may be given authority to act in positions in the Church, but without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we really have no power in the priesthood because without faith we can do nothing. (D&C 8:10). 

Today, I Will Write

Once you reach a certain age and you are "retired" from the work-every-day world, you have more latitude than you ever imagined. You awake each morning to greet a new day with a clean slate just waiting for your input. You can sleep in if you choose. You can call a friend you haven't seen for awhile and go to lunch. If it's summer you can play a round of golf. You can go to the temple if you can get an appointment, and if you live by several temples as we do you can choose which one to attend. You can read your new favorite book. You can research a topic that interests you. Life seems to bristle with new opportunities. You can call and visit with a child or grandchild on their birthdays, or visit their world of sports when they play the games they love. Or you can wake up with the thought, "Today, I will write."

And that's what I feel impressed to do today. Several thoughts have been tumbling around in my head, itching for expression.

Salt Lake Temple

First, we are living in a day of ongoing revelation. This is troubling to some, but not to me. Many of the temple ordinance workers with whom we served in the Salt Lake Temple were so proficient in the endowment ceremony and had of necessity memorized every word of the dialogue. Many do not like comfortable things around them to change. The closing of the temple for extensive renovations was for many a difficult end of an era, as they realized many of them would not live long enough to ever see it reopen. They get used to doing things a certain way, and they love the thought that what they know is steady state and predictable. Policies change, procedures are altered, technology is introduced to supplant older manual ways of doing things. Missionaries now call home on each preparation day to their families, something we never did in my era. I remember being called many years ago as a ward clerk at the time the Church introduced digital records and computer programs into the wards. Membership records, home and visiting teaching assignments and financial records were now computerized. Being a ward clerk was not a calling to which I had ever aspired. Then, it dawned on me that few if any others in the ward were familiar with computers at that time and that was likely the only reason I was called to assist in that transition.  

President Russell M. Nelson

Second, I have rejoiced exceedingly with the last five years of acceleration in the pace of the Church under the inspired leadership of President Russell M. Nelson. I don't think he's left a single stone unturned in seeking for ways to improve, streamline, clarify and amplify the teachings of the gospel which have been entrusted to him. Try this simple exercise to see what I'm talking about. Go back into the Ensign and then the Liahona (or the Church website) since President Nelson has become the President of the Church. Isolate his sermons, print them out, compile them sequentially, then study them intently. It may take you weeks to do, but the effort will be worth it. You will discover, as I have, the pure revelatory channel that has opened up. I remember saying to my sons and daughters after that first General Conference over which he presided and conducted, "Well, he is not going to be just a caretaker President of the Church." Little did I know how accurate that insight would prove to be.

Joseph Smith (1805-1844)

Third, if there is one area of emphasis that dropped out of that exercise for me it has been the emphasis on temple work by President Nelson. Joseph Smith's prophetic declaration that the Church would one day fill the entire earth when the entire priesthood was gathered in one small room over the Newell K. Whitney store is being realized in our day. The gentle, loving and kindly invitations to prepare ourselves more spiritually for participation in temple work leap out of his sermons. The number of temples now announced or currently under construction or renovation has now reached 300 worldwide. There are now 416 full-time missions that dot the globe as the Church gathers Israel on this side of the veil. The acceleration is nearly impossible to comprehend. He told us early in his administration to take our vitamins and put on our running shoes, and he has led by example. He is God's prophet on the earth today.

The Christus

Fourth, if you haven't been to the temple in some time, prepare yourself by getting your recommend updated and go. You will discover not just a "new and improved" version of temple worship, but more importantly, you will be immersed and endowed spiritually as never before. You will be shown the history of the world and your place in the ongoing work of salvation, epitomized by the life of the Savior. You will be instructed with an endowment of knowledge. You will be assured of the reality of repentance and forgiveness. During that first General Conference, April 2018, President Nelson observed, "One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children." 

President Monson, L. Brent Goates

Fifth, the newest edition of the endowment ceremony as found only in the dedicated temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a modern-day testament for all those with eyes to see and hearts to understand just how revelation operates in the Church and in our own lives. As I sat reverently in the last endowment session we attended, I felt awash in the power of the Spirit. I could envision clearly the Prophet Russell awake in the middle of the night, pen in hand at his bedside, taking down the words of the endowment, then taking those words to his Brethren of the First Presidency and the Twelve for their sustaining vote. You will feel as I did the confirming witness that what is being done in the work of the temples worldwide is coming straight from heaven. Not that it has not always been that way historically, but now it carries more power spiritually than ever before. 

In this Church we testify of the ministering of angels among us. Those angels are more often than not our deceased family members. Now residing in the spirit world while their physical bodies rest in the earth, they are teaching others the precious truths of the gospel. Sometimes they will draw near to us and impart messages of inspiration, comfort, counsel and guidance if our hearts are attuned to theirs.

Such was my experience this past week coming on the heels of our endowment session. Still basking in that revelatory light, I had a dream in which my father who died several years ago appeared unexpectedly at my side. He looked much younger than his 93 years on earth would have indicated by his slumped over posture and gnarly back. Now in my dream he stood erect, energetic and youthful before me. We had a wonderful visit together, as he reassured me of his feelings of satisfaction over our shared posterity. The words he conveyed were "obedient" and "courageous," and he told me how pleased he was with each of them. He was aware that the following day we would be baptizing our eight-year-old granddaughter Vivienne Goates. He also reveled with me in the births of a new granddaughter, Fern Josephine Goates, great-granddaughter Rosemary Johns, and great-grandson Brooks Lee Jach, all of whom were blessed by their fathers and given their names recently. There was a thorough review of each child, grandchild and all the great-grandchildren. I was having an intimate "personal priesthood interview" with him, and he was beaming throughout our visit together. I came away from that experience with the firm conviction that even though we do not rise to the level of perfection on this side of the veil, it is sufficient for him and our Heavenly Father and Jesus that we are trying to do our best. That's what pleased him so much - that our reliance on the Savior's perfection is sufficient to save everyone. 

In dreams, as you may have also noticed, words are not spoken as much as a free-flowing communication takes place. Knowledge is exchanged, comfort is offered, the rich realization that life goes on beyond the veil of death is confirmed. My father is not one "who is dead," but rather lives on in the spirit world. He had the sealing keys conferred upon him late in life by President Thomas S. Monson, and then he served as a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple. I know by his visit to me that he is still very interested in the ongoing sealing up of his posterity on this side of the veil. In fact, he shared how their work in the spirit world is limited to teaching the gospel. The ordinance work is done here in mortality, and they in the spirit world are dependent upon us to provide that effort to establish those family links. Increasingly, there is little or no distinction separating the spirit world from the physical world. He wanted me to share his message of hope for all our family to hear. 

There may be some who leave the covenant path for a season, or maybe they are indifferent for awhile, but he reassured me they will return because the offering of eternal life is so compelling that few will reject it. The sealing ordinance has power to claim even the wayward through the merciful forgiveness available to those who repent. In the end of our interview he confirmed there is nothing more important than loving one another and sustaining one another as we travel through life together. Everything that swirls around us is nothing more than background noise. The gospel of Jesus Christ provides the common denominator for each family member. As we live our lives here in mortality we are given the opportunity to become literal "saviors on Mount Zion," as we do our part in the delivery of the saving ordinances to all our kindred family members who are now living in the spirit world. The work has never been easier to identify who they are. We often speak of "taking their names through the temple," but it is so much more than that. We are blessed to have the constant reminder of our own covenants as we officiate in the saving ordinances for our ancestors, and they are blessed with the affirmation of our love for them by providing the labor of love to seal them to us and us to them.

Never in my life has the reality of linked arms together to gather Israel on both sides of the veil been more comprehensive and more spiritual. The living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson is gently, lovingly, and consistently setting the agenda for us to embrace. As you review his sermons over the past five years, notice how many times he "invites," not "commands" that we follow.