This scripture ties in with a story from the Old Testament that has always brought me peace. It is found in 2 Kings 6. The King of Syria has sent his horses and chariots to surround Elisha the prophet. His servant sees this and is struck with fear: And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? (verse 15)
Elisha's response is miraculous: And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (verses 16-17).
I think that if our spiritual eyes were allowed to be opened for a few moments, we would be amazed and humbled by what we see. I believe we would see evidence of God's love for us in the form of heavenly protectors around us.
When my children were babies, I know they spoke an angelic language to those on the other side. I would catch them focusing intently at empty space and carrying on excitedly--sometimes even laughing gleefully. I remember feeling something different in the room during those precious moments. I knew that I was not the only one watching over my child. What comfort that was to me! I remember one of my children sitting on my hip, pointing at a picture of the Savior and exclaiming, "Jesu!" Up to that point, I hadn't even taught her about Jesus, and she had never said anything coherent--she was still too young. It was a beautiful reminder that my sweet baby recognized people whose presence she had recently left and would certainly recognize them when they came to visit her from time to time.
One particular experience that has remained vivid in my fading memory occurred shortly after the passing of a dear friend. His wife was still grieving the passing of her teenage son, only to have her husband die a few short years later of cancer. My two youngest children loved this couple and they loved my kids. They would often watch them for my husband and I. Emily, my youngest, especially loved my friend's husband. She was still a baby when when he died. I was visiting my friend shortly after her husband's passing, and Em was in my arms. My friend was having an especially difficult day, dealing with all of the financial ramifications that come when someone dies. As I was talking to her in her kitchen, Em started getting excited about something. She stared down the hall towards the door that led to the garage intently and started babbling to someone. The feeling in the room noticeably changed. Both my friend and I could feel it. Suddenly, the chime that only sounded when the door going out to the garage was opened or closed went off. We could see the door, and it had neither opened nor closed. Emily immediately calmed down and stopped talking. My friend and I had no doubt that her husband had been there. We felt his presence come and go. God knew that she needed a comforting witness that her husband was watching over her.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, 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” (Book of Mormon, Moroni 7:35-37). 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 (October 2008 LDS General Conference, The Ministry of Angels).
When I speak of angels, I also think of the earthly angels that God has sent and continues to send to me. I think of a visiting teacher who became a dear friend after serving my family for a long three-month period while I lay in bed during my third pregnancy--taking care of my two small children and hers as well, leaving her house to clean mine. I think of my niece Charlee who passed away at age 6 of a debilitating illness, but taught me so much about cherishing the moments of life that are often taken for granted. I think of my children, who are also my teachers. They have lifted me to heights that I could never have achieved without them. I think of a husband who loves me in spite of me.
I think of two grandchildren who teach me lessons each week about enjoying the little things in life and who distract me from the world and give me spiritual eyes to see what God wants me to see. The other day my 3-year-old grandson saw a city train (he loves trains) and said, "Tomorrow I am going to ride the train by myself." I asked him how he would know where to get off and he said, "I will get off at the temple." Now, I know this may seem trite and cute to anyone reading this, but he loves the temple. The Utah valley is full of these beautiful buildings and he loves visiting as many as he can, but specifically, the Salt Lake Temple. His papa (Grandpa) has taken him there many times on the train, so he knows right where it is. His conviction about knowing where he was going by looking for the temple was an angelic witness to me about the power that the temple has to draw us away from the tugs and pulls of the world and give us the direction we need. I will treasure that experience as a message from an angel.
I think of young 18 to 20-year-old young men and women who give up 18-24 months of their lives to serve God on church missions and become ministering angels to His children. They are lifted on the wings of their own angels as they courageously go in faith.
I also think of angel friends who text me that they are thinking about me without even knowing that I needed their kind words to lighten the load of a heavy day. I think of unknown angels who left money and gifts when my parents were dealing with the financial and emotional strain of having a child with brain cancer.
But the angels who have held up the sometimes crumbling foundations of my life the most have been my angel mother and father. Words cannot express what their live-saving love has done for me.
To end, I would say there is ample evidence in my life to prove the existence of angels, but it is my faith and God's grace which offer me the chance to claim and ask for their blessings and influence. I believe it is good for us to ask God to send angels to strengthen our families. It is comforting to know that they are there for us as we are exhausting our own best efforts. Ask for angels and God will send them.
Click on the following links related to angels:
Angels In Disguise
Angels are God's Emissaries
The Ministry of Angels by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
A Few of My Many Angels
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| Dad and Mom |
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| Charlee |
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| Grandma Jennie with Emily |
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| My Children |
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| Grandpa Hayden |
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| Our Grandchildren--Cohen and Brielle |
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