The Key of the Ministering of Angels

The Aaronic priesthood is often described as the "preparatory priesthood." Often, the preparation is thought of as young men being prepared for the Melchizedek priesthood. While this is appropriate and leads to many good insights about the service a young man renders while holding the Aaronic priesthood, the words "preparatory priesthood" are not found in scripture. Rather, we find in D&C 84: 26-27, "[The Aaronic] priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel; Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments ..."

Notice that the keys held by the Aaronic priesthood include the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel, including the gospel of repentance, baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments. Thus, holding the key of the preparatory gospel makes the Aaronic priesthood a preparatory priesthood. In other words, rather than the focus being on the preparation of young men for the Melchizedek priesthood, the focus is on the Aaronic priesthood holding the keys that prepare members of the church for the higher blessings available through the Melchizedek priesthood.

While the preparatory gospel seems familiar, I have long wondered about the key of the ministering of Angels. The scriptures contain many stories of literal appearances of angels. Yet, when I was a young holder of the Aaronic priesthood I never saw an angel. In addition, I was unsure of how the key of the ministering of angels worked. In a wonderful talk called, "The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament," (General Conference, October 1998) Elder Dallin H. Oaks explains:

But the ministering of angels can also be unseen. Angelic messages can be delivered by a voice or merely by thoughts or feelings communicated to the mind. President John Taylor described “the action of the angels, or messengers of God, upon our minds, so that the heart can conceive … revelations from the eternal world” (Gospel Kingdom, sel. G. Homer Durham [1987], 31). 

Nephi described three manifestations of the ministering of angels when he reminded his rebellious brothers that (1) they had “seen an angel,” (2) they had “heard his voice from time to time,” and (3) also that an angel had “spoken unto [them] in a still small voice” though they were “past feeling” and “could not feel his words” (1 Ne. 17:45). The scriptures contain many other statements that angels are sent to teach the gospel and bring men to Christ (see Heb. 1:14; Alma 39:19; Moro. 7:25, 29, 31–32; D&C 20:35). Most angelic communications are felt or heard rather than seen. 

How does the Aaronic Priesthood hold the key to the ministering of angels? The answer is the same as for the Spirit of the Lord. 

In general, the blessings of spiritual companionship and communication are only available to those who are clean. As explained earlier, through the Aaronic Priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, we are cleansed of our sins and promised that if we keep our covenants we will always have His Spirit to be with us. I believe that promise not only refers to the Holy Ghost but also to the ministering of angels, for “angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ” (2 Ne. 32:3). So it is that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels. 

I love this insight. We become clean as we begin to exercise faith sufficient to repent of our sins and, as a result of baptism, enjoy the blessings of the gift of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Thus, it seems that the key of the ministering of angels is intertwined with the key of the preparatory gospel because it is by receiving the preparatory gospel that we begin to receive the guidance of angels who speak by the power of the Holy Ghost. What a remarkable blessing it is to know that our Father in Heaven loves us enough to provide guidance through the power of the Holy Ghost, including angels who speak by that power. As Alma said in Alma 32:

  23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned.

This promise is to all men, women and children. Those who are clean, or become clean through the preparatory gospel, receive God's word through angels working by the power of the Holy Ghost. And, as Nephi taught his brothers, that will include angels speaking by a still small voice. With time, that voice may grow into a voice that is heard, or even the literal appearance of angels. But, even if we don't literally see angels, there is great peace in knowing that we can be guided by the "still small voice" of angels speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost. I am very grateful for the the preparatory gospel and for the ministering of angels.