I read something from Hugh Nibley recently that stood out to me. It was very simple, but it jumped out at me. I think there is a profound truth about our existence in the vast universe behind this simple realization.
What I was reading was a lecture from Nibley’s Book of Mormon class in the 1990s.
Hugh Nibley asked a question:
What is it that angels do when they minister to an individual?
His answer – “It’s quite simple. They talk to them.”
When Christ was on the mount of transfiguration with Peter and John and He was ministered to by angels, what did they do with Christ at that time? They spoke to Him.
When Nephi was taken up in vision atop a mountain and spent time with an angel, what did the angel do? Talk to him.
When Daniel was in the Lions’ Den, the angel shut up the mouths of the lions, but what else did he likely do? Do you imagine the angel and Daniel just sat there looking at each other? I think not. I think it likely the angel was talking with Daniel while they were in the den together.
Same goes with Shadrach, Meshach , and Abednego who were thrown in the fiery furnace. Do you imagine the angel was standing and staring at them? I don’t.
What is the significance of this?
What is the ministering of angels? The ministering of angels is quite often angels simply conversing with mortals.
What is the point?
Angels come from another realm to visit mortals, and what do they do? Talk.
Yet we’re surrounded by mortals all day every day. How often do we really talk?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a ministering program. I think this program gets overcomplicated. All the program really asks is for us to talk to each other. Angels come from other dimensions to do it. We can pull out a phone and have someone on the other end of a line in seconds. We can be angels every day. All it takes is talking to people.
I think this a profound thing to consider. All it takes for you to be someone’s ministering angel is to reach out and talk to them. This can be the difference in someone’s life.
No Coincidences 