LDS Freedom Forum

My poll was inspired by some people in this thread (and a few others here on the forum):

http://www.ldsfreedomforum.com/viewtopi ... 31&t=29051" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You CAN change your answer if you receive an angel after you've already voted.

I would also love comments and stories from anyone willing to share!

Had one involving a child wanting to come. That's all I'll say.

Excellent poll! Thanks Jules. I will share my experience.

I do not remember how old I was, but it was in our first ward so I had to be younger than 9. We lived in Midvale - I can't remember the stake or ward. I was young, so my memory isn't too great on what happened but my parents tell it like this: There were two men not dressed in traditional Sunday-attire that looked dirty standing in the foyer (is that what they call it?) and were talking with a member of the bishopric. My mother went over and began talking with them. They told her that they live in the mountains in tents and came down to visit and to eat. My mother felt so good talking with them and invited them to come to our house to eat. Later that day, they knocked on the door and when my mother opened the door to them the Spirit confirmed to her that they were angels. My mother wept and hugged them. They sat down and my mother served them dinner. For some reason, I remember the dinner very well. We had corn on the cob. One of them looked up at me and smiled. I can remember his face very well. They left shortly after. My mother and I are the only ones that remember their faces and we always talk about how nice it would be to see them again. Unfortunately, I do not believe that I have had another encounter with an angel (resurrected or translated). Thanks again for posting this topic, it reminds me that receiving angels is possible and in fact, to be expected from us. I will again make this a goal in my life

I wonder if the person who voted for the last option would be willing to come forward and discuss their reasoning for that choice....?

JulesGP wrote:I wonder if the person who voted for the last option would be willing to come forward and discuss their reasoning for that choice....?

:ymhug:
Just wanted to see if you would ask that very question. Would have been funny but the humor was suffocated by a second vote for that option. Hhhmmmm

JulesGP wrote:I wonder if the person who voted for the last option would be willing to come forward and discuss their reasoning for that choice....?

Moroni 7:36-37 is a great testimony to us of the reality of angels in our midst.
Some may have different understandings of what they define as "angel". Sometimes they take on a mortal appearance so many will not recognize them as such. I define angels as any messenger from the other side whether disembodied or not. I know they have helped me in various situations like many others. Yet their presence often goes unnoticed in the lives of many ordinary people.

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 miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.

HappyOne wrote:

JulesGP wrote:I wonder if the person who voted for the last option would be willing to come forward and discuss their reasoning for that choice....?

Moroni 7:36-37 is a great testimony to us of the reality of angels in our midst.
Some may have different understandings of what they define as "angel". Sometimes they take on a mortal appearance so many will not recognize them as such. I define angels as any messenger from the other side whether disembodied or not. I know they have helped me in various situations like many others. Yet their presence often goes unnoticed in the lives of many ordinary people.

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 miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.

:ymapplause:
Happy One, I really like you!

Jeremy wrote:

JulesGP wrote:I wonder if the person who voted for the last option would be willing to come forward and discuss their reasoning for that choice....?

:ymhug:
Just wanted to see if you would ask that very question. Would have been funny but the humor was suffocated by a second vote for that option. Hhhmmmm

And now, (so far....) a third (?!?!).

I'll share one of my experiences with Angels:

There were some things going on in my life that the spirit had been telling me I needed to change. I was dragging my feet because of the personal difficulty involved, and because I was "fearing the arm of the flesh". The spirit became more and more heavy - telling me that I really needed to make these changes, and I continued to stall. One night I had terrible insomnia, and as I lay in my bed, a person appeared in the doorway of my bedroom. She told me that I needed to make this change in my life NOW - and not delay any longer. It left such an impression on me and I could not deny the truthfulness of the messenger or the message. I changed the thing I had been procrastinating immediately the next day, and kick myself for not listening to the spirit in the first place. (I am not suggesting as a friend of mine joked - that you neglect to follow the spirit in order to evoke visitations from angels   :ymblushing: .) But it was a cool experience to have an angel come to me that way with a message. I look back at that and I see how incredibly important it was for me to not only make those changes in the first place, but to change them RIGHT THEN without delay. If I hadn't, it could have detrimentally affected the lives of others and changed the course of mine for the worse as well.

This is an example that is a pretty obvious visitation. I wonder however, if most of us are not recognizing how often Angels actually do attend to us and minister to us each day. I would wager confidently, that every single person who has voted in this poll (even those whose answer was the last one), has received Angels thousands of times throughout their lives, and they simply do not realize or recognize those ministering to them. We tend to apply or own meanings and explanations for things that force the universe and the heavens to conform to the little paradigm stuffed in the tiny bubbles we are afraid to leave in order to see truth and reality. Angels are not merely fairy tale characters, and they are not just a blessing "for someone else"! I testify that angels are about us in abundance each day of our lives, and we can choose and learn to *SEE* them!

I would love it if others would come out with some examples and discussion so others can learn to recognize these heavenly beings that minister, protect, and serve us all every day - to help us through this mortal probation! O:-)

HUH! There were 4 voters on the last option. Now there are three and a couple of the others have increased. Does that mean that one of the unbelievers received angels?!?!?

You know Jules, technically the term "Angel" has a very specific meaning to many; how about a pre-mortal spirit or a 2000 year old man dressed in blue jeans and a sweater?

Unfortunately have also wrestled with the other kind and knew exactly who it was! :ymdevil:

shestalou wrote:Unfortunately have also wrestled with the other kind and knew exactly who it was! :ymdevil:

I would venture that it goes with the territory. Light vs. Dark. Opposition in all things.

mattctr wrote:

shestalou wrote:Unfortunately have also wrestled with the other kind and knew exactly who it was! :ymdevil:

I would venture that it goes with the territory. Light vs. Dark. Opposition in all things.

In the context of this thread I would think an "Angel" would represent a Being on the Lord's errand. This could come in multiple forms:

1) The Lord himself
2) Resurrected beings reclaimed by the atonement
3) Translated beings working directly with mortals
4) Post mortal spirits engaged in the Lords work
5) Pre mortal spirits leaving the Lords presence to announce their arrival to mortal parents etc.
6) And finally, living mortals acting under the direction of the Spirit to benefit/assist their fellow man.

There are just as many encounters with evil spirits and we could parse that out as well, but for the purposes of this thread I think a true "Angel" would fall under the list above.

Glenn wrote:

mattctr wrote:

shestalou wrote:Unfortunately have also wrestled with the other kind and knew exactly who it was! :ymdevil:

I would venture that it goes with the territory. Light vs. Dark. Opposition in all things.

In the context of this thread I would think an "Angel" would represent a Being on the Lord's errand. This could come in multiple forms:

1) The Lord himself
2) Resurrected beings reclaimed by the atonement
3) Translated beings working directly with mortals
4) Post mortal spirits engaged in the Lords work
5) Pre mortal spirits leaving the Lords presence to announce their arrival to mortal parents etc.
6) And finally, living mortals acting under the direction of the Spirit to benefit/assist their fellow man.

There are just as many encounters with evil spirits and we could parse that out as well, but for the purposes of this thread I think a true "Angel" would fall under the list above.

Agreed. I think the intent of the question might even suspend 6, though it is a valid form of "angel" as defined by "a being on the Lord's errand" above. My mention "that it goes with the territory" was not to consider evil spirits as "angels" but simply to mention that where you have 1-4, you might have to put up with an imitator either preceding or subsequent to the angelic event.

Does it count if you know an angel is there and talked to them but couldn't see them?

Called to Serve wrote:Does it count if you know an angel is there and talked to them but couldn't see them?

YES!!! We need to learn as humans that seeing spiritually is NOT the same as seeing with limited physical sight! I'm going to share another experience with an angel I did not "see". But I did hear this one audibly - where other times I've also heard them spiritually.

I had this experience on Jan 8, 1995. I remember the date because it occurred at the dedication of the Bountiful, UT temple. It was the first time in my life up to that point, that I had received (what I considered to be) a significant spiritual experience (that I knew was from the Lord anyway). I always felt so completely "spiritually retarded" up until a few years ago when my world began to change immensely, and this is the day that carried me through many years of my life as being my "one spiritual experience".

As I said, I attended the Bountiful, UT temple dedication, and I was there with my (ex) husband. We were running late and actually did not have the spirit with us and had been arguing. He had not prepared himself by bringing a white handkerchief, and we were both upset about that and hoping that they would be handing them out to those who "forgot".

We sat through the dedication and president Hinckley began talking about the Hosanna Shout and how it would be done. My husband and I both began growing nervous about whether or not handkerchiefs would soon be handed out. I pulled mine out so it would be ready. It was a beautiful, embroidered, lacy antique white handkerchief that my grandmother gave me, that I believe had belonged to my great-grandmother.

Well the extra handkerchiefs were never passed out. As I sat there wondering what we would do, a man's VOICE on my right spoke to me as clear and loudly as if he was standing next to me, and told me: "Cut your handkerchief in half, and give half of it to your husband". It was so clear and audible (and loud considering the quiet reverence that was there - and with nobody else talking), that I literally turned to see who was talking to me, but nobody was there other than the people sitting in the rows preparing their own handkerchiefs. I argued in my head and said to myself: "No WAY am I cutting my grandmother's antique hanky in half!!" I sat there for probably another minute and the voice came again and COMMANDED ME even more loudly and audibly than the first time and said again: "Cut your handkerchief in half, and give half of it to your husband"! The spirit came to me so strong and witnessed the truth of this messenger's words, and I could not deny that the voice was not of this world and I needed to obey it.

So I pulled a little Swiss Army Knife out of my purse that I always carried, and cut my handkerchief in half with the little scissors. I handed half of it to my husband, and not even 30 seconds later, we stood and did the Hosanna Shout.

It was such a cool experience, and I wonder to this day who the angel was that delivered this message from God to me.

Glenn wrote:

mattctr wrote:

shestalou wrote:Unfortunately have also wrestled with the other kind and knew exactly who it was! :ymdevil:

I would venture that it goes with the territory. Light vs. Dark. Opposition in all things.

In the context of this thread I would think an "Angel" would represent a Being on the Lord's errand. This could come in multiple forms:

1) The Lord himself
2) Resurrected beings reclaimed by the atonement
3) Translated beings working directly with mortals
4) Post mortal spirits engaged in the Lords work
5) Pre mortal spirits leaving the Lords presence to announce their arrival to mortal parents etc.

There are just as many encounters with evil spirits and we could parse that out as well, but for the purposes of this thread I think a true "Angel" would fall under the list above.

You are right Glenn, I should have been more clear. The intent of my question was referring to those who would fall into the categories highlighted above. "NON-MORTAL" beings coming as a messenger/helper/protector/etc. from God.

mattctr wrote:

shestalou wrote:Unfortunately have also wrestled with the other kind and knew exactly who it was! :ymdevil:

I would venture that it goes with the territory. Light vs. Dark. Opposition in all things.

Exactly Matt! I have seen in my own experience that this is the case.

JulesGP wrote:

Called to Serve wrote:Does it count if you know an angel is there and talked to them but couldn't see them?

YES!!! We need to learn as humans that seeing spiritually is NOT the same as seeing with limited physical sight!

Whoot! I can now vote "Yes!"

By the way, the new cat has now been named Angel. So it looks like I'll be encountering at least one angel on a regular basis.

I suppose I could change mine as well...maybe that depends. I do believe that I have been ministered to many times without my direct knowledge, I don't doubt that at all. The only one that I currently know for sure happened on my mission.

At the request of an investigator, I went to visit his Aunt who had just lost her daughter to a terrible disease. To be honest, disease may not be the correct word, it seemed to be something of a much darker and more sinister nature. The woman I visited was a practitioner of Black Magic, and it seems some dark forces had come into the home and effect the family. The 18 year old daughter ended up having signs of possession that would have rivaled any Hollywood movie...body contortions, vocal changes, and things it's probably best I not discuss. She had passed away 3 days before we came, and the mother was still grieving.

I entered the home to listen to her story, to offer comfort and insight, perhaps to teach if it was appropriate. My companion was brand new in the field and didn't yet speak much portuguese...I remember feeling bad for him because we were there for about 2 hours as she laid out her grief and described what had been happening to her daughter over the past few months....and I knew he was getting sleepy since he couldn't understand much. I taught a few basic principles, asked if she'd like us to return, and eventually we left.

As we exited, I apologized to my companion for letting the visit go on so long. He turned to me and said something very weird happened while we were in there. He was indeed getting a little sleepy as he had a hard time focusing. As he was near to having his head drop a little he had what he described as a vision open up to him - the door to the home burst open as dark and evil spirits entered the room....he saw the spirits enter into her and she began to contort and twist and he felt the terror of pure evil before him...he was terrified because it felt so real...but then the vision changed....he saw instead why such a thing wouldn't happen...he saw the same evil rushing towards the door but being stopped and turned away by an angel of God with a flaming sword guarding and protecting us.

I was dumbstruck and asked him "Do you even know what she was talking about in there, did you understand any of it?" He didn't. He had no idea that she was describing the evil that had been in her home, he had not heard or understood the manner of death of her daughter...to be honest he actually had been questioning himself if what he'd seen was even real. It was only when I shared with him what she'd told me that we knew we had indeed been protected by and angel of God.

I don't doubt there have been other times...but I've yet to see them. I hope to prepare myself better to be able to receive these heavenly messengers and be taught by them.

Another one I don't mind sharing that I have first hand knowledge of comes from my wife, but before we were married. She had been married before (as had I), and remembers one evening that was very special to her in the months that followed her husband's departure.

Prior to her husband leaving abruptly, she had for the first time in her 30 years of life figured out how to actually live and experience the Gospel and to find peace even when circumstances seemed to conspire against her. This had prepared her for when her husband left, she knew exactly what to do, she knew how to seek God, how to obtain comfort, how to experience peace, and how to embody at-one-ment with the Source of all that is light and good.

One of the things she'd do each night she came home to an empty apartment was listen on repeat to "Come Thou Fount" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUhU0HgTq94, the other talk she listened to on repeat nearly ever day for weeks was Elder Holland's "Liberty Jail" CES fireside - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpOylYSEaqA. She wanted to fill her empty moments with these little bits of heaven and inspiration because it made all the loneliness and despair go away. One night after praying she laid down to sleep. She suddenly heard loud and incredibly beautiful music filling the home. She thought that maybe the computer had turned on somehow and was playing something from the MoTab. So she got out of bed to find that the stereo was off, the computer was off, and there was no source for the music and singing that filled the home. She knew it was coming from the other side of the veil. So she went back to her bed and listened to the heavenly concert that seemed to be just for her, crying with joy at the peace and love that filled her heart and her home, and weeping that God would send such a powerful witness that He was indeed aware of her and with her.

Wow. Thanks for sharing Danny.

Hearing these stories has been uplifting for sure! I realize that sharing these experiences takes courage! I hate to be a troll but I eventually would like to do a poll on the open discussions to a larger audience on who has actually SEEN something supernatural, angel, demon, vision, healing (near instant), or in other words physical evidence that changes part of ones faith to a knowledge and not just a belief....

I've been talking with some friends and I thought previously that 3 in 10 active members in our faith have SEEN something extraordinary.but everyone I ask is telling me it's more like 1/10. We are sitting at close to 3 in 10 here with angels but I consider this a more special group due to the lack of contention here in the Fullness of the Gospel Forum.....

I will probably share something later but I am tired and need to go to bed and my mind and spirit aren't in the right place right now.

Sheol27 wrote:Hearing these stories has been uplifting for sure! I realize that sharing these experiences takes courage! I hate to be a troll but I eventually would like to do a poll on the open discussions to a larger audience on who has actually SEEN something supernatural, angel, demon, vision, healing (near instant), or in other words physical evidence that changes part of ones faith to a knowledge and not just a belief....

I've been talking with some friends and I thought previously that 3 in 10 active members in our faith have SEEN something extraordinary.but everyone I ask is telling me it's more like 1/10. We are sitting at close to 3 in 10 here with angels but I consider this a more special group due to the lack of contention here in the Fullness of the Gospel Forum.....

I will probably share something later but I am tired and need to go to bed and my mind and spirit aren't in the right place right now.

Start one!! I'd love that too!