Angels among us

On May 15, 1829, John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood to the earth by laying his hands upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and speaking these words: “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, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.” (D&C 13:1).

A few weeks ago in Gospel Doctrine class, someone asked, “What does it mean that the Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the ministering of angels?”

The answer is straightforward: It means that after a long period known as the “dark ages,” angels can once again, by virtue of priesthood restoration, watch over and bless the lives of mortals on this earth.

In the restored Church of Jesus Christ, worthy bearers of the Aaronic Priesthood have the right to the companionship of angels. Even young deacons age 12 to 13 hold these keys and may exercise them when needed. President Gordon B. Hinckley often reminded the youth of the value of this important gift.

Angels minister to church members after faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Moroni wrote, “It is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men...” (Moroni 7:37).

The right to the ministering of angels extends to our faithful sisters by virtue of priesthood restoration. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said that all those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood and “who are clean” open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels (Ensign, November 1998).

What do angels do when they appear and minister?

The scriptures indicate that angels announce important events, preach the gospel, declare the coming of Christ, declare the words of Christ, and bring to earth the rights, keys, honor, and power of the priesthood. Indeed, the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods were both restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by angels sent from God. The Angel Moroni taught Joseph Smith and showed him where the golden plates were buried.

The term angels may refer both to spirits and to resurrected or translated beings. Today, angels minister by watching over, protecting, warning, and comforting us. They work among us in times of need. President Joseph F. Smith provided further insight about angelic beings:

“When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants. The ancient prophets who died were those who came to visit their fellow creatures upon the earth. They came to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; it was such beings—holy beings if you please—who waited upon the Savior and administered to him on the Mount. The angel that visited John, when an exile, and unfolded to his vision future events in the history of man upon the earth, was one who had been here, who had toiled and suffered in common with the people of God. … In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the Divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.” (Gospel Doctrine, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1970, pp. 435–36).

The power to bless

In the Lord’s true church, priesthood is the power and authority of God delegated to man. Priesthood keys are the right to use that power.

The priesthood is the power by which ordinances are performed, temple work is carried out, and the gospel is preached. We could not receive these ordinances and blessings without priesthood power and authority.
When authorized, we may use priesthood power to bless others, starting with our own family.

We sometimes underestimate the full potential of priesthood power. It is the power to heal the sick, convey spiritual gifts, comfort the despondent, and perform miracles. And more.

In the days of Enoch, God made a promise “that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course, to put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command.” (Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 14:30–31).

The scripture above means that priesthood power is great---almost incomprehensible. In addition to requisite authority, the verse above also shows that one must exercise faith, and bless through divine inspiration.

How does priesthood power work in our day? By the same process as in Enoch’s day.

· An ordained Patriarch gives a patriarchal blessing by the laying on of hands through direct revelation from God. Patriarchal blessings provide personal direction and counsel from the Lord.

· When blessing a child, the worthy priesthood holder listens for divine inspiration and imparts blessings as directed from heaven---with assurance that during that child’s lifetime, all such blessings declared shall be fulfilled as promised.

· When blessing the sick, the worthy priesthood holder is guided to know what to say, according to the will of God.

· When confirming one who is baptized, the worthy priesthood holder will give the gift of the Holy Ghost and impart blessings revealed by divine inspiration.

· A father may bless his wife and children by the same power, as prompted by the Spirit. The pattern is the same.

Doctrinally, the blessing is a priesthood ordinance, which differs in important ways from a prayer. By inspiration and the laying on of hands, the appropriate language of an ordinance is direct, as in “I (or we) bless you...”, rather than as a petition to God, such as “I (or we) ask Thee to bless...”

This difference between a prayer and an ordinance is profound: in the ordinance, the Lord allows a righteous priesthood bearer to act for Him, using His power.

All Melchizedek Priesthood holders should know the exact format of a priesthood blessing, and live worthily to bless by inspiration and power.

“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.” (James 5:14-15)

Time for action against Time-Warner Inc.

Time-Warner, Inc. is the parent media company for the Home Box Office television company. Before the first season of the HBO series Big Love aired more than two years ago, the show’s creators and HBO executives assured members and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) that the series wouldn’t be about Mormons. However, many disrespectful Mormon themes are woven into the show, and Mormon characters are rendered as unsympathetic figures who are narrow-minded, confused, or self-righteous. According to TV Guide, the March 15, 2009 episode of Big Love sacrileged the faith’s most sacred temple ceremonies.

We are offended when the most sacred practices are misrepresented or presented without context or understanding. We view this programming as a form of religious pornography. Therefore, we encourage all who share our viewpoint to take the following personal choice actions against Time-Warner entities.

1. Cancel subscriptions to:
* AOL (formerly America Online)
* Time Inc. publications (Fortune, Time Magazine, Mad Magazine, Money, People, Sports Illustrated, Sunset, among many others)
* HBO and Cinemax ... both heavily oriented toward R-rated (violence, nudity, profanity) movies and unrated pornographic-action series that air nightly

2. Discontinue purchases of video DVDs bearing the Time-Warner, Warner Bros., or New Line Cinema labels.

3. Avoid patronizing the following Time-Warner movies (among others):
* Watchmen
* The Dark Knight
* Sex and the City
* Journey to the Center of the Earth
* 10,000 BC
* Get Smart
* Body of Lies
* Yes Man
* Four Christmases
* Gran Torino
* All “Harry Potter” films

Big Love is not "big," and it it knows nothing about real love.

The foundation of our faith

We anchor our faith by a firm belief in a personal, loving God.

We know that there is a God in heaven, who is Father of our spirits. We know this because 1) the scriptures tell us so, 2) righteous prophets both ancient and contemporary testify of Him, 3) all His creations, on earth and in the vastness of our universe, declare his handiwork (Psalm 19:1), 4) He hears and answers our prayers, and 5) His spirit whispers to us that He is real.

We knew God before we were born, and we hope to return to God after completing our lives. We believe that we can if we are worthy once again to stand in His presence.

The prophets tell us how we should live to please God, and we strive to understand and follow those teachings. God does not compel us to believe in Him or to do His will. Instead, we have the gift of personal choice, the freedom to choose, and the opportunity to charter our own course through life. We believe that obedience to God will bring the ultimate happiness.

We trust in God and know that He loves and cares for us. This faith in God brings peace and assurance--even in the midst of troubled times.

We oppose all that is ungodly: the immoral, the unjust, the dishonest, and those who betray our trust.

Right to life
We support the rights of children to be born and experience life, to be nurtured by both a father and a mother in a stable and supportive home environment, and to learn the value of prayer.

We allow God to determine the length of our days and the time and place of our death, and we oppose those who would terminate human life prematurely.

Creation and evolution
No scientist ever created life; none completely understands the scientific process of death. To appreciate life, we must contemplate both science and God's divine role.

We believe that God created this earth, filled it with plant and animal life, and provided it with an abundance of resources to sustain the populations that reside on it. He set the earth in its precise orbit, axis tilt, optimum distance from the sun, and speed of rotation to make the days and nights, and the four seasons. He alone controls the climates and weather patterns--the storms, floods, draughts, hot summers, and cold winters.

The earth is billions of years old. Scientific data do not support the old sectarian notion that God created and populated the earth in just six 24-hour periods. Evolution on a limited scale can be observed in nature. However, that observation does not extend to the absurd hypothesis that life began spontaneously from a sea of nucleic acids and a sudden bolt of lightening from which all life forms evolved, or that man evolved from lower life forms.

While acknowledging the changes that result from mutation and natural selection (survival of the fittest), we do not overlook the Designer, the Creator, and the Provider who made all things possible.

We find no contradictions between true science and true religion, for God is the author of all truth. Our challenge is to discover the marvelous creativity of God in all its majestic diversity, form, function, and beauty: the computational power and memory of the brain, the stamina and endurance of the heart, the visual acuity of the eyes, hearing sensitivity of the ears, smelling by the nose, tasting by the tongue, and the overall magnificence of physiological processes in man and all other plants and animals.

What matters most

Our mission is to build and strengthen our eternal family. We start with the principle of love and respect for each other--and total commitment to our marriage. We honor the example set by our parents. We strive to set that same example for our children and grandchildren.

The House of the Lord
Temple marriage is the foundation of an eternal family. The ceremony contemplates a marriage based on covenents with God and each other. Great promises are sealed on man and woman in a temple marriage. Therefore, the quality of the marriage relationship takes on great importance. Realizing the promised blessings depends on how well we understand and keep our covenants.

We were married in the Seattle Temple in Bellevue, Washington (pictured above). Our anniversary date is June 23. We find peace in the temple.

Peace and Comfort
We all seek peace in our homes, in our hearts, and in all parts of our lives. People of all faiths and cultures seek inner peace. But real and abiding peace comes from personal purity, integrity, and character traits that nurture peace. Richard L. Evans observed: “To find peace—the peace within, the peace that surpasseth understanding—men and women must live in honesty, honoring each other, honoring obligations, working willingly, loving and cherishing loved ones, serving and considering others, with patience, with virtue, with faith and forbearance, with the assurance that life is for learning, for serving, for repenting, and improving." Parents have an important responsibility to provide a peaceful and nuturing home for each other and for their children.

One Man, One Women
True love requires mutual respect and consideration. Fullfillment of that love and the life-long need for one another bind husband and wife together by ways in which all of the attributes of masculinity are complemented by the feminine virtues of womanhood. That part of life has no equal in human experience: one man, one woman----no counterfeit alternative subverting the Divine plan for happiness. The unity achieved through true love is much more than physical attraction. We place the highest value on kindness, loyalty, admiration, and appreciation for each other and for the ways in which the man complements the woman. Loyalty to each other is paramount. When the marriage covenant is made and kept, this deepest form of love can last forever.

Our Love for Each Other
Romantic love is exciting and our love for each other increases with time. "The most wonderful of all things in life, I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one's relationship has a glowing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing, it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of Divine accident" (Sir Hugh Walpoe). We have been married to each other for more than 20 years. Our commitment to each other extends through this life and through all eternity to come.

Our Love for God
We express love for God when we honor marriage and love others above self.

Unity is Strength
No difficulty is insurmountable, and no challenge is so great that we cannot overcome it and achieve success if we are one in heart, mind, and spirit. We have discovered the power of unity for taking on every challenge that comes to us in life. These include such simple tasks as moving the furniture, putting the boat in the water, or towing a disabled vehicle. The elegance of unity is something like a Viennese waltz: the dance is magnificant when the we hold each other just right, look into each other's eyes, and move together in synchrony and harmony over the hardwood.

Happily Ever After?
Love is the glue that binds two heart together as one. However, mere love is not enough during inevitable times of difficulty. Our life experience will test us with many disappointments and hardships. Just as the weather is not always sunny, dry, and warm, marriage is not a constant state of wedded bliss. We notice that about one day in every eight or nine seems more difficult as the relationship is tested. Life is stressful. The periodic storm is normal and maybe even a vital part of every good marriage. What is most important is how we deal with difficult situations. These are times to readjust, recalibrate, and strengthen our 'forever' relationship.

Good communication is the best healing remedy, but sometimes we also need a little space from each other to develop talents, focus on other friends or family members, read a book, exercise, enjoy the outdoors, or get necessary work done. We try to recognize each other's need for appreciation and affection. We tackle projects together. We take time off for special moments--a dinner out, a dinner in, a walk along the river, a trip to someplace far away, or something as simple as a movie at home near the fireplace. Above all, we avoid criticism of each other and negative attitudes. We are courteous to each other in private and in public.

The 'Blended Family' Challenge
Our marriage blended two sets of children, a situation that none of them wanted. So we have had to set realistic expectations, and work to overcome their resentment and mistrust. It hasn't been a fairytale experience for the kids. They've had difficulty accepting their new step-parent and making smooth adjustments to our priority values based on "marriage first and children second." We've come to realize that building a strong and happy blended family is difficult, even after working on it for many years.

The 'Empty Nest'
Many couples with children fear the day when children finally grow up, leave the nest for school, a mission, a job, or marriage. We discovered that our marriage grew stronger when the nest emptied and we could refocus on each other. Most parents feel the need to continue supporting children as they struggle to build their own families. However, we found that children do best when motivated to figure out their own support and to chart their own path to success.

We don't know why it takes such a long time for children to really love, admire, and appreciate their parents. Sometimes it never happens, and that is tragic. But on the other hand, maybe that's why God gave us the magic of 'grandchildren.'

Our children

"Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them." -- Oscar Wilde

Bryan (wife Heather) is an MBA student at the UCLA Anderson School of Business in Los Angeles. He previously worked in marketing at Dell headquarters in Austin, Texas. Heather is a confectionary artist. They spent the Fall in Barcelona, Spain.

Jenny (husband Chance) is a homemaker in West Richland, Washington, with two exceptional children. Chance is a manager at Costco in Kennewick.

Aaron (wife Erin) is a Blackhawk helicopter pilot in the Army, stationed at Ft. Benning, Georgia. They have two cute children (Logan and Harlee).

Brit (wife JeriLynn) is a 1st Leutenant in the Army, stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington. They have two cute girls (Liesl and Mirabelle). JeriLynn is a homemaker. They are expecting a little boy.

Jake (not yet married) drives long-haul trucks, and he is an excellent mechanic. His home is Conrad, Montana.

Kimberly (husband Brenn) is a dental hygienist in Arlington, Virginia. Brenn is a first-rate law student at George Washington University.