The Ministry of Angels

This talk by Elder Holland is absolutely amazing. I read it three times yesterday and wanted to record the parts that inspired me the most.

"But God knew the challenges they [Adam and Eve] would face, and He certainly knew how lonely and troubled they would sometimes feel. So He watched over His mortal family constantly, heard their prayers always, and sent prophets to teach, counsel, and guide them. But in times of special need, He sent angels, divine messengers to bless His children, reassure them that heaven was always very close and that His help was always very near. "

"Usually such beings are not seen. Sometimes they are. But seen or unseen they are always near."

"Often [their assignment] is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention, guidance in difficult times."

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, 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. “[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.” On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal."

"May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise as contained in one of President Monson’s favorite scriptures: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, . . . my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and “the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.”

Personal Goals:

• I never want to forget that God is very near, and
• I want to be aware of and worthy of the help of His angels.
• At some point I hope to have a perfect faith, but until then I will keep trying to increase the faith I do have.
• Since reading this article, I envision myself moving throughout my home and community flanked with angels. I picture them on my right, on my left, before me, and behind me.
• And then, in response to Elder Holland's request that we become more angelic, I try to fit in with the angels around me.
• Additionally, I am trying to recognize the people in my life who act as my angels: the woman who brings some warm, beautiful hand-me-downs to me right before the cold weather hits, the friend who calls just to see if I am all right, my husband who sends me to go take a nap when he knows I've absolutely had it for the day, my children who hug me and tell me they love me, my family who offers their love and support, the neighbor who does an unexpected kindness...there really are angels all around me, and when I realize this, I feel peace, comfort, and love--even in this rough world.