Remember the Verizon commercial where the Verizon guy points out that he is backed up by a giant network?  Did you know that our ancestors are just like that?   I also have thought that if you consider how many ancestors are behind you (think of a pedigree chart), it does not take very long to have hundreds of angels cheering you on.

My final thoughts are because someone I know that does not believe in the help of angels to the same extent that I do…He feels that if angels are helping us so much, why is there still a struggle or how can I have a bad day if I am aware of the help of angels?   I have considered his important questions and come to a few conclusions.

First, this life was meant to give us earthly experiences and also to prepare us for our eternal destiny. It seems to me that those experiences are to build our strengths. Perhaps we will need those particular strengths in the future while we are on earth, or even in the life to come. It is valuable for us to learn we are stronger than we know, to realize our faith was sufficient – these lessons are not for God to see what we are made of (as He already knows), but for us to see we are better than we think we are.

Second, angels will not do what we can do for ourselves. We have our agency and we are capable people. We must at times, be like Nephi, and move forward not knowing beforehand how things will work out. But we have been promised that as we step forward and accept our circumstances, angels will help us and we will have our vision opened.:

All of you know that we believe in the mi

nistering of angels. You also know that angels will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. For them to do so would be contrary to the order of heaven. If angels will not do for you what you can do for yourself, be assured that the Holy Ghost will not do it either. It is not the design of heaven that we be rescued from all difficult situations. Rather, it is the system that we grow up and learn to handle them.

The sense of being overwhelmed is very much a part of the jour

ney. The power with which God clothes us in His holy temples does not suppose that the journey we have been called to make will be an easy one.

Nevertheless, the path we seek will always be clearly marked by the covenants we have made and the callings we have received. It is in the accepting of our lot and moving forward with what the Lord has asked of us that we discover that the Holy Ghost enjoys our company, angels feel constrained to join us, and the heavens open to our vision. (Joseph Fielding McConkie, BYU Devotional)

Finally, there are times where I think we could have additional help, but our stubbornness, our personality, or attitude get in the way. Joseph Smith said, “If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.” If I want to mope around and feel sorry for myself, I am not living

up to my privileges and will likely not feel the help of angels. In that situation, angels may or may not be “round about” trying to bear me up, but it will not matter if I am too busy focusing on my lot rather than on the many blessings I have available to me.

And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto
you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister un

to the children of men. Moroni 7:29

The fact is that angels are here and miracles are still happening, I just hope that my eyes are open enough to see the miracles that are happening every day.

While I strongly believe in the help of angels, it is secondary to the constant companionship that comes from the gift of the Holy Ghost.  President Wilford Woodruff said to J. Golden Kimball: “Now, Brother Kimball, I have had visions, I have had revelations, I have seen angels, but the greatest of all is that still small voice.”  I love that we have the gift of the Spirit with us and that we also have a huge network of angels backing us up!