Seagulls in the Mountains: Memo of My Missionary-Ministering

As most of you know already, I am no longer on Facebook. This means that our LDS Home Decor page is no longer active either. I was sharing inspiring little messages on there and decided that I would share those little messages to my missionary son, instead. But of course, I want the whole world to get these messages, too!

So, here is what I shared with Elder Galloway this week:

"""I hope you are adhering to the principles of obedience so that you are worthy of the guidance of the Holy Ghost in your work.

I'd like to share something interesting I read from Hugh Nibley about ministering. In my BoM reading, I am in 3rd Nephi when the Savior visits the Nephites, I wanted to understand some things better and did a little research. Nibley says some things I've never heard before. He was a professor and this is from one of his lectures on the Book of Mormon. I'll quote verbatim, but leave out bits that aren't pertinent.

"We are in 3 Nephi 17:23 now: "And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones." And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards the heaven, and they saw the heavens open [now the angels come down],... and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire [this is a form of energy, as you know]; and the angels did minister unto them." What do you mean by minister? Well, if you check the various places in the Book of Mormon [you see] it means they talked to them. In the first chapter of Luke, the Christmas chapter, the angel comes. When Gabriel appears to Zacharias in the temple, he says I have come to chat with you, to have a conversation with you. He says the same thing with Mary. When angels come and minister, what they do is bring the word. That's what their ministry is, to bring the word, so they come and talk with us. But minister is a two-way road. You talk back and forth. It's not just a vision or revelation-they come to chat and discuss. That's what ministry is-to take care of you, to explain things to you, to satisfy you. This is what happens in the New Testament. The multitude saw it, and they talked with them."~~~This whole thing is Hugh NIbley

Then Nibley jumps to the Savior's appearance to his apostles in the Holy Land to show that he himself ministered as the angels do:

"He has many appearances after the resurrection, but he always eats with them. Why does he do that? That marvelous passage in Luke 24:36 explains [this]. It's after the resurrection and the apostles are talking among themselves. Again, it uses the same words, autōn lalountōn, chatting, conversing, exchanging ideas. That's the very one that's used when the angels come in the beginning of Luke. The angel comes and speaks to Mary and others. That's what they do-they minister."

SO, Elder, this is what you are doing. You are an earthly angel charged with the mission to minister. Here are some more awesome things I read last week. As you know, the Savior sat one by one with his disciples in America (3 Ne 28:1), and asked what each desired of him. Nine of them said they want stay on the earth til the age of a man then to go straight to the Kingdom where Jesus dwells, so he tells them- okay, when you're seventy-two you shall come to my kingdom and find rest. (3 Ne 28:4)

Then, as you know, three of the apostles were apprehensive to tell him what they desired. ( I wonder why?) The Savior knows their thoughts. He tells them they shall be kept here on the earth until all has been fulfilled and he returns again in his Glory.

The prophet Mormon then makes his own interjection about whether or not the three Nephites were mortal or not. He knew not. (not YET anyway! See verse 26! Ask and ye shall receive!) Then he bears record to us, that these three men did go "upon the face of the land, and did minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as would believe..."

Here's the clencher: (in verse 27) Mormon tells us that these three men will be among the Gentiles and the Gentiles shall know them not. And they'll be among the Jews and the Jews will not know them either. Mormon says they will minister to the all the scattered tribes/nations/kindreds/tongues/people.

And in verse 30, Mormon says that these three Nephite men are as the angels of God... That through prayer in the name of Jesus (same way you pray!) they can show themselves unto whatsoever man it seemeth good.

And in verse 32, Mormon says that even among the Gentiles there will be great and marvelous works wrought by them- the three Nephites. (Guess where you're working- among the Gentiles!)

SO, Elder, I hope you can see that you have been called to be a ministering angel. There are many other angels working right along with you. Some earthly, some heavenly, and even one of those three Nephite men could be in your very midst.

As Boyd K Packer once said: If all you know is what you see with your natural eyes and hear with your natural ears you will not know very much.

Be better than human, my son. Rise above, and exceed the expectations.

Love, Mom""