Tender Mercies Tuesday: Ministering Angels

This past Saturday, October 10th, a bus carrying students from the American Fork High School Marching Band, including our daughter, was in an accident. They were returning home from a competition (that they won) at Idaho State University in Pocatello, ID. The bus driver blacked out behind the wheel. The woodwinds instructor, Heather Christensen, jumped up and grabbed the wheel in an attempt to bring the bus under control. She was able to guide the bus until it was thrown on its side. Heather was killed instantly.

"Usually [angels] are not seen. Sometimes they are. But seen or unseen they are always near. Sometimes their assignments are very grand and have significance for the whole world. Sometimes the messages are more private. Occasionally the angelic purpose is to warn. But most often it is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention, guidance in difficult times.

"I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the world Himself.

"As Mormon said to his son Moroni, who would one day be an angel:

“Has the day of miracles ceased?
“Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
“Behold I say unto you, Nay; for … it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men. …
“For behold, they are subject unto [Christ], to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.” (Moroni 7:35-37, 30)


Fifty students don't walk away from a crash like this with only minor injuries without some heavenly help:

An Idaho State emergency official that was at the scene of the accident said that this bus traveled the exact narrow path that it needed to avoid an even more serious situation. The bus missed an outcropping of volcanic rock on one side and a deep ditch on the other. If either had been hit at the speed the bus was traveling, there would surely have been multiple fatalities and critical injuries.

"I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods.

"Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."

John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Heather, thank you for saving our daughter's life!

Jumble was hospitalized overnight because of a lung contusion (bruise) that needed to be monitored for at least 12 hours in case serious complications developed. In addition to the lung contusion, she suffered a banged up shoulder, a swollen nose, and minor cuts and bruises to her face, legs, arms, back, and feet. An x-ray the following morning showed that all concerns about her lung had been resolved, and we were able to bring her home that afternoon.

"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.” (Moroni 7:36)

“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.” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88)

With Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, we can add our testimony of ministering angels. We have seen it for ourselves this weekend.

(All quotes by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland are from "The Ministry of Angels" October 2008 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)