A Two-Way Street: How “Temple Angels”
Can Help Us
Temples are
associated with angels. It’s one of their defining characteristics. Those who
attend the temple often feel angels and some even see them. They are allowed to
help us in many ways. Are we aware of the privileges that can be ours as we do
this great work?
Angels Can Have Charge Over Us
In the Doctrine and
Covenants, the Lord has described some of the blessings that come to
those who attend the temple and live worthy of the covenants made there. In the
Kirtland temple dedicatory prayer, it says: “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 over them;” (D&C 109:22).
One way to be armed
with power and glory is to have angels help us in our lives.
In this article,
when I say, “Temple Angels,” I’m referring to those departed individuals, whose
work we are doing in the Temple. There are several ways these angels may be
permitted to have “charge” over us. I want to share five wonderful accounts
which illustrate this principle.
“Temple Angels” Can Nurture us, and Let
Their Will Be Known
Kirsten Arroyo
shared this story with me:
“On October 4, 1972
in Ogden, Utah I had a wonderful experience with my Aunt Sigrid Hanson. When I
was growing up in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aunt Sigrid and Uncle Volmer were very
dear to me. Since they had not been able to have children of their own, I
filled that void and they included me in their lives as if I was their
daughter. When I was 11, my mother and I joined the Church and afterwards
emigrated to America.”
“In March of 1970
my Aunt died, and I proceeded to get her name ready for Temple ordinances. For
some reason, I bi-passed her baptism and confirmation but intended to do the
rest of the work for her. I had no clue to which temple her name would show up
for Baptism or when it would be done.”
“As I was doing the
dishes on October 4, 1972, I had a feeling come over me and I knew my Aunt was
near. I kept looking over my shoulders to see if I could see her. I thought,
‘This is strange! What is she trying to tell me?’ The feeling would not leave.”
“That same day, my
husband, David was assigned to do Baptisms at the Ogden Temple. After
performing two family names for a woman in the room, the next name on the
Screen was my Auntie Sigrid. David stopped and said: ‘I know her! She is my
wife’s aunt! We’re going to do this one a little slower.’ He was so excited to
come home and tell me. As he entered the door of our home I said: ‘Guess
what happened to me today?’ and he said, “Guess what happened to ME today?”
As we compared our experiences from the day, we were in
awe at how close departed spirits are to us, and how aware they are of our
doing, and in this case, did not want anyone else to do their baptism but a
Family member!”
“Temple Angels” Can Help With Personal Issues
Solutions to our
most pressing problems often are found in the temple, and angels can help us
implement those solutions.
John A. Widtsoe
wrote:
“I believe that the
busy person on the farm, in the shop, in the office, or in the household, who
has his worries and troubles, can solve his problems better and more quickly in
the house of the Lord than anywhere else. If he will … [do] the temple work for
himself and for his dead, he will confer a mighty blessing upon those who have
gone before, and … a blessing will come to him, for at the most
unexpected moments, in or out of the temple will come to him, as a revelation,
the solution of the problems that vex his life. That is the gift that comes to
those who enter the temple properly.” (“Temple Worship,” The Utah
Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, pp. 63-64)
Financially Blessed
For over a year
Brandon Kappner and his family were living without steady income. He
tried every angle he could think of to provide for his family, but they were
sliding deep into debt to keep their home and had just enough for the bare
necessities of life. They even used up all their food storage.
Here are some
excerpts from Brandon’s journal, January 2015:
“Throughout the
time we have had this last financial struggle, Shalice and I have been
attending the Temple every week. One day as I was doing Initiatory names,
I had one name that struck me as I listened to the blessings, and received a
feeling of joy, acceptance, and excitement in having these blessings and ordinances
completed for this particular individual. His name was Samuel Veasse.”
“As I thought about
Samuel, I suddenly had the thought about what I needed. I asked him to help me.
I asked him to minister to me about where to turn and how to find a way
to provide for my family.”
“Once I realized
that I was turning this situation into my own selfish needs, I felt ashamed.
But, to my surprise I received another impression. This one was one that
lifted me up. There weren’t words or any clear communication, I simply
understood immediately by thought. The thought was, ‘Thank
you. You have helped me deeply and I am grateful. Now let me help
you. Let me prepare a way to help you through your time of need. I am
honored to administer to your spirit and will do all I can to assist you
through this.’ It was deeply moving and strong.”
Not long after,
Brandon was given a great employment opportunity in January of 2016.
“That job grew and was successful for me and led to another step. After
all of this, we are now doing well and have almost paid off all of the debt we
built up during that time.” Samuel, his “temple angel” was true to his word,
and Brandon knew it.
He was Literally Given MEANS
Bill Boushka, a
Radiologist from El Paso relates a difficult time recently where he had a major
challenge in his life and fervently prayed for help as he went to the temple.
“I had come to the
Temple with a problem. My Radiology company was spending large amounts of my
life’s savings because the new Eastside location was not very busy. The amount
of money I was losing was pretty astounding! I was nearly worried sick! I was
anxious that I did not have enough means to keep the DOI running until
it was turning a profit.”
“At the Temple,
when I saw the name of the person for whom I would be proxy, I almost laughed.
The name was John Clifton MEANS. I said to myself, “Well
that didn’t take long to get an answer!” As I walked towards the endowment
room, a phrase from a scripture came into my mind, ‘provide means for
us’. Here is the full quote: ‘And if it so be that the children of men
keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them,
and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which
he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us
while we did sojourn in the wilderness.’” (1 Nephi 17:3)
“Four days later I
discovered, after meeting with my stockbroker, that I have a lot more money
than I knew. I was again reassured”
He knew angels had
taken “charge” of his problem and rendered aid.
“Temple Angels” Can Give Us Specific Knowledge
A few years ago,
Timmi Lynn Webster had a marvelous experience. Her daughter Kylie was attending
college, but learning had always been difficult for her because she was
handicapped and had special needs. Timmi Lynn recounts:
“That morning Kylie
called and asked that I pray for her (because she was going to have a very
difficult math mid-term exam). I told her I was going to the temple right
then and would do so.
As I was getting
out of the car, I remember looking at the temple card. The name of
the person I was doing was Matilda. I literally talked aloud and said,
‘Matilda, I am going to do your work. I need a favor too. Can you help my
daughter on her math test? If you aren’t good at math, could you find someone
who is?”
“I have never had
such a sacred experience in the temple or ever felt so close to the person I
was doing work for.”
“When I got home, I
got a call from Kylie. I was surprised because she was finished so quickly. She
told me she couldn’t believe how easily the answers came to her and that she
felt like she had done very well (which she did) She told me she felt as
though someone was sitting next to her and helping her. I told her it
was Matilda, and that one day I would tell her about it.”
“This was a turning
point for me. It was the first time I believed that Kylie really could succeed
in college because I literally understood then that she could access not only
the quickening power of the Holy Ghost, but that she had angels beyond the veil
who would aid her in ways I never imagined. I also learned that when we
go to the temple it can be a two-way street. As we help those beyond the veil
through temple work, there are those who can help us as well. I look so
forward to one day meeting Matilda. I feel as though it will be like meeting an
old friend.”
Blessings When We Return Often
Ezra Taft Benson
stated: “Do we return to the temple often to receive the personal
blessings that come from regular temple worship? Prayers are
answered, revelation occurs, and instruction by the Spirit takes place in the
holy temples of the Lord.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1988, p. 85)
“Temple Angels” Can Dispatch Healing
A dear friend (who
I won’t name), shared a miraculous story of healing from the
temple. She had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She was a woman
of great faith and had resolved since her diagnosis to attend the temple every
day she possibly could. She lived close to a temple and for several weeks she
faithfully attended 4-5 times each week, always with healing on her mind.
One day as she was
sitting in the initiatory room she had an extraordinary experience. She
suddenly became aware that her spirit was transported outside her body and she
witnessed what she was told were cancer cells that one by one were encircled
with light, and then “zapped.” She was absolutely mesmerized by this amazing
display, however her “out of body” point of view only lasted a few moments to
inform her of what was happening in her body.
A few days later
when she went to her doctor, she was told that the cancer was retreating at a
rapid rate. Shortly thereafter she went into remission.
She felt strongly
that this healing came from attending the temple so often.
She knew that she
had received angelic aid.
Elder Jeffery
Holland profoundly stated, “In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from
both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and
discouragement strike—and they will—you remember and never forget that if
our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the
eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They
will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham’s seed.”
(BYU Devotional, 18 March 1980).
Inside temples we
can tap into this unseen power more than anywhere else.
Temples are
associated with angels. As the scriptures say, angels are “armed with the power
of God,” and often are given “charge” over us. Those who attend the temple
often feel this power from the angelic realm. Serving in the temple can be a
two-way street. We help them, and often they will help us. Are we aware of the
privileges that can be ours as we do this great work?
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