Angels have been given responsibility to Watch Over, Warn and
Protect the Saints
Angels are charged to watch over, warn and protect the Saints
The Lord has clearly stated to His faithful priesthood holders: “And even I have given the
Heavenly Hosts and mine angels charge concerning you.” D&C 84:42
“For this commandment is unto all the faithful who are called of God in the church unto the
ministry....that goeth forth to proclaim this Gospel of the Kingdom.....And whoso receiveth
you, there I will be also. For I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on
your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you to bear
you up.” D&C 84: 86-88
Elder Dallin H. Oaks stated at General Conference: “All over the world, faithful Latter-day
Saints are protected from the powers of the evil one and his servants until they have finished
their missions in mortality. For some the mortal mission is brief, as with some valiant young
men who have lost their lives in missionary service. But for most of us the mortal journey is
long, and we continue our course with the protection of guardian angels.” Priesthood
Session: October 1992
One of the functions of Angels is protective or guardian in nature. The scriptures teach that
angels do protect and assist mortals. Angels were used to warn Joseph to flee to Egypt
(see Matt. 2:13); to bring food to Elijah (see 1 Kgs. 19:5–8); to make it possible for Peter to
escape from prison (see Acts 12:17); to protect Daniel from the lions (see Dan. 6:22); to
protect Nephi from his brothers (see 1 Ne. 3:29–31); and to loose the bands from Abraham
when he was to be sacrificed (see Abr. 1:15)
President George Q. Cannon stated: “Now this is the truth. We humble people, we who
sometimes feel ourselves so worthless; so good for nothing; we are not as worthless as we
think. There is not one of us but what God’s love has been expended upon. There is not one
of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to
save, and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that he has not
given His Angles charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own
eyes and in the eyes of others, but the truth remains that we are the children of God, and that
He has actually given His Angels-invisible beings of power and might-charge concerning
us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping.” The Contributor volume 2 page
246
It is clear that the Prophet Joseph believed in Guardian Angels:
The Prophet Joseph prayed: “And we ask thee Holy Father that thy servants may go forth
from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be
round about them, and thine Angels have charge concerning them.” D&C 109:22
Note the following words in a poem in the "Farewell address," to Orson Hyde, Missionary of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, to Palestine in Asia. Times and Seasons,
1840, Vol.2, p.467
Farewell dear brother in the Lord,
The time has come that we must part,
Perhaps on earth no more to meet,
Oh! how the thought doth wring my heart.
But go you must, for 'tis the will,
Of him who bled upon the cross;
May his blest arm, uphold you still,
When you're upon the billows tossed.
May health, and pace, your steps attend,
And Guardian Angels go before,
To guard your path and be your friend,
And land you safe on Asia's shore.
The Prophet Joseph related the following:
"In the evening I attended meeting in the Seventies' Hall. George J. Adams preached and I
made some observations afterwards, and related a dream which I had a short time since. I
thought I was riding out in my carriage, and my Guardian Angel was along with me. We
went past the Temple and had not gone much further before we espied two large snakes so
fast locked together that neither of them had any power. I inquired of my guide what I was to
understand by that. He answered, 'Those snakes represent Dr. Foster and Chauncey L.
Higbee. They are your enemies and desire to destroy you; but you see they are so fast locked
together that they have no power of themselves to hurt you.' I then thought I was riding up
Mulholland street, but my Guardian Angel was not along with me. On arriving at the
prairie, I was overtaken and seized by William and Wilson Law and others, saying, 'Ah, ah!
we have got you at last! We will secure you and put you in a safe place!' and, without any
ceremony dragged me out of my carriage, tied my hands behind me, and threw me into a
deep, dry pit, where I remained in a perfectly helpless condition, and they went away. While
struggling to get out, I heard Wilson Law screaming for help hard by. I managed to unloose
myself so as to make a spring, when I caught hold of some grass which grew at the edge of
the pit." Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44, p.36
In a blessing he pronounced upon Newel K. Whitney in October 1835, the Prophet Joseph
Smith said, “Angels shall guard [his] house and shall guard the lives of his posterity.” (The
Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, ed. Dean C. Jesse, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1984, p. 62.
Heber C Kimball stated: “You have frequently heard of Brother Hyde, Brother Russell, and
myself being afflicted with devils in England. There were legions of them came upon us and
sought to destroy us: but we were not alone; our Guardian Angels were there to assist us,
and they delivered us out of the danger, and out of the power of our enemies.” Journal of
Discourses, Vol.8, p.258, Heber C. Kimball, December 16, 1860
Brigham Young stated: "All people have their guardian angels. Whether our departed
dead guard us is not for me to say. I can say we have our guardian angels." Journal of
Discourses, Vol.13, p.75 - p.76, December 10th, 1868
President David O’Mckay recounted the following at General Conference:
"I remember on one occasion when I was seven thousand miles from here, when President
James McMurrin was attending a conference in Scotland, that in a priesthood meeting the
power of God was so manifest that one man present in that little room jumped to his feet and
said, 'Brethren, there are Angels in this room,' and strong men began to weep, not for fear, not
for sorrow, but out of the fullness of their souls, which left them a testimony of the truth of
that statement. The man's declaration did not impress me very much; but the Spirit present
did impress me; but when President McMurrin, a brother to Joseph, arose and said, 'Yes,
there are angels in this room, and one of them is the Guardian Angel of that young man
sitting there' -- and he pointed to a young Elder whom I knew and who was in our
conference -- he was weeping as though his soul would overflow, 'and,' continued President
McMurrin, 'the other is the Guardian Angel of that young man there,' and pointed to a
boy with whom I had been associated and with whom I have been since. I knew by
inspiration that what President McMurrin said was true. Why there was not one in the
room who did not know it." Conference Report, October 1919, p.181
Messages of the First Presidency: “The Lord loves you. His Angels are always near to help
you. Your Guardian Angels stand by you to see that no harm shall touch you, no evil thought
disturb you.” Heber J. Grant Oct 1941
Elder John A. Widtsoe mentioned that there have been many in this dispensation whose
lives have been blessed through the ministry of angels. He said, “Undoubtedly angels often
guard us from accidents and harm, from temptation and sin. They may be spoken of as
guardian angels. Many people have borne and may bear testimony to the guidance and
protection that they have received from sources beyond their natural vision” (G. Homer
Durham, compiler, Evidences and Reconciliations Bookcraft 1960, pp. 402–3)
Hugh Nibley the great Gospel Scholar believed in Guardian Angels: "We used to say much
more about Guardian Angels in the Church. We used to teach much more of that doctrine,
always taught it to our kids. We don't do it anymore. I don't know why not, because it's a very
real thing, the presence of another world." Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon,
Semester 2 (1988-1990) p.303 "Some people have been through untold battles without any
scars at all. Porter Rockwell was shot at more than a duck in a shooting gallery, but he was
never harmed. There are such people, you know, that just walk right through. And this
happens often. There are some stories about that, but there are Guardian Angels. There is
such a thing; we are being watched." Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon,
Semester 2, (1988-1990) p.305
Hearing a voice of Warning
President Harold B Lee. President Lee did not grow to maturity in Clifton without his
share of trial, trauma, and testing. One of the most significant events that occurred there
during this period introduced him to the realm of the spirit and demonstrated his obedience to
spiritual promptings. It occurred when Harold had accompanied his father to Dayton, south of
Clifton, where Samuel Lee owned a small forty-acre farm. While the father was busy with his
chores, the son began exploring. Seeing the remnants of some old outbuildings, which had
collapsed, Harold parted the strands of the wire fence to go inspect them. An audible voice
warned, "Harold, don't go near that lumber over there." He heeded the warning and,
frightened, turned back. He never knew whether danger lurked there or whether the
warning was given merely to test his response to a spiritual prompting. Harold B. Lee by
Francis M. Gibbons
President Joseph F. Smith hears a voice of Warning
Charles W. Nibley who was travelling with President Smith recorded the following:
While he (President Joseph F. Smith) was a hard-headed successful business man yet very
few in this dispensation have been more gifted with spiritual insight than he. As we were
returning form an eastern trip some years ago on the train, just east of Green river, I saw him
go out to the end of the car, on the platform, and immediately return and hesitate a moment,
and then sit down in the seat just ahead of me. He had just taken his seat when something
went wrong with the train. A broken rail had been the means of ditching the engine and had
thrown most of the cars off the track. In the sleeper we were shaken up pretty badly, but our
car remained on the track. The President immediately said to me that he had gone on the
platform, when he heard a voice saying “Go in and sit down.” He came in and I noticed
him stand a moment, and he seemed to hesitate, but he sat down.
He said further that as he came in and stood in the aisle he thought ‘O perhaps it is only my
imagination’; when he heard the voice again, “Sit down,” and he immediately took his seat,
and the result was as I have stated. He no doubt would have been seriously injured had he
remained on the platform of that car, as the cars were all jammed up together pretty badly. He
said, “I have heard that voice a good many times in my life and I have always profited by
obeying it.” As quoted in “Presidents of the Church” by Preston Nibley p 266-267
A Voice said ‘Don’t Go’
Castle H, Murphy’s had been supervising the masonry work on a new home for Royal
Eccles, and his employees had recently poured a cement roof that rested on brick walls. He
hadn’t planned to go to work that day, because it was raining and the masons were not
working. However, he got a phone call from Royal, who asked if Castle could remove a
window so that he could move some furniture in that day. Castle decided to go and do that
particular job himself, since he only lived a short distance away. He set out walking and on
the way, met his uncle James Calvert. After a short conversation they parted.
When Castle approached an intersection, he said, ‘a voice spoke to me as clearly as I
had ever heard a voice. It said, ‘Don’t go!’
Surprised Castle said, ‘I stopped looked around to see who had called me. I saw no one and
started along my way again. The voice repeated the warning. At that I stopped, thought a
moment, turned on my heel and returned home. I went into the front room and sat down to
read a paper, having told Verna that I was impressed not to go. After a few minutes Uncle
James Calvert came rushing in and asked Verna if I had returned...
‘She said I had and he replied,’ Thank God! I just heard that the roof under which Cass was
going to work had caved in and killed a number of men.’
‘We rushed up to see what had happened, and surely enough the roof had caved in, and a
number of men were taken to hospital. As I recall, two of those men died. It seems that the
men were under the roof knocking out the braces with sledgehammers to remove the forms
from under the concrete, which had not dried sufficiently because of the rain. One was
standing just where I would have been working had I disregarded the warning voice.
Autobiography and episodes from the life of Castle H. Murphy, Missionary to Hawaii
Deseret Book 1963 pages 154/155
Elder Nephi Jenson records hearing a voice which saved his life
“In June 1900 I was released from my mission in Florida and took the train from Tiffin to
Macon, Georgia. When I arrived at Macon I learned that the train to Chattanooga, Tennessee
was leaving from another station at three in the morning. I had a transfer man take my
baggage over to the other station. I went to the hotel and told the clerk to be sure and wake
me up at 2-30 the next morning. In the morning the porter came and said “Hurry, or you will
miss your train”. I took my satchel and went over to the station and found that the transfer
man had put someone else’s baggage on my claim check. I did not know what to do. I walked
down the side of the train in a quandary. The logical thing to do was to remain and get the
baggage located. The next train was to leave in ten hours.
When I got down to the engine I had decided to get the baggage settled, when a voice said to
me “Get on this train!” I looked around because it was a loud voice. I boarded the train.
Two days later I was in Chattanooga feasting on some big southern watermelons at the
mission home when President Ben E. Rich came in with a telegram in his hand and said.
“Brother Jenson you are supposed to be dead”. He further said, “ I have a telegram from
President Snow in Salt Lake City to take your remains and see that they are immediately sent
to Utah.
What had happened in the intervening time was that the train that left ten hours later had
encountered a heavy rainstorm and a bridge under the tracks was washed out. The train
plunged into the embankment and all the cars except a couple of the last cars, killing all the
persons aboard except a few in the last cars. My baggage being on the train was found with
its contents scattered around, close to the body of a man. Rescuers found some of my
personal cards about his body and they immediately telegraphed church headquarters in Salt
Lake City to make arrangements for quick disposition of the body of Nephi Jenson, killed in
the train accident. The telegram that President Rich had in his hand was in answer to the one
that had been sent by the rescuers. Recorded 5 May 1953 “Spirit World Manifestations”
Jacob Heinerman pages 201/202
A Voice of Warning: Take your money out of your purse
In 1903 Mary Ellsworth who was the wife of the president of the Northern States Mission
received a warning to take her money out of her purse. One day Sister Ellsworth had to take a
deposit of $300, which came from the missionaries and the mission to the bank. To lose this
money would have caused great hardship. She was going through a crowded department store
in downtown Chicago when she suddenly heard a warning voice say “Take your money out
of your purse” Mary turned to a young English girl who had accompanied her and asked if
she had heard the voice. “No Mum,” the voice replied. The voice spoke again telling Mary to
take the money out of her purse. Mary told the girl what the voice had said. The girl
answered: “I’d certainly do what it said mum”
Mary walked behind a large screen so that she was out of sight, and took the money out of
her wallet. She then placed it inside a handkerchief and pinned the bundle securely to the
inside of her dress. The two women then continued their shopping. As they were walking out
of the door of the department store, Mary felt a tug on her purse. Glancing down she saw that
her purse was open, and her wallet was gone. Looking around, Mary spotted a small, well
dressed little boy- about eight or nine years old-scurrying away as fast as he could go.
Mary rushed after him, grabbing the boy, and force him to stop. In a no-nonsense voice Mary
threatened to call the police if he did not return her wallet. The boy handed back Mary her
wallet, then took off into the crowd. Later it was discovered the boy belonged to a gang of
young boys who were being taught and directed by older expert pickpockets. Isits from
Beyond the Veil pages 131-132