Last Sunday, at the close of the day, I sat down to read and rejoice in some of my favorite scripture, the stirring and beautiful remarks expressed by the prophet Alma, in Alma 29.
“Oh that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance, and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.” (Alma 29:1-2)
As I read those magnificent words, they sank deep into my heart, and I found myself carried away in imagination as to what it would be like to be an angel of the Lord.
I envisioned it all – a thunderous voice, speaking with the trump of God, delivering the message of repentance and salvation to people everywhere. It was glorious!
However, as I continued to think about it, I had an awakening – an epiphany, if you will. If I truly desired to be a messenger of God, and declare His gospel of repentance and salvation – what was stopping me?
I may not be able to go forth with a voice that shakes the earth, but I can go forth with all my mortal strength and proclaim the very same message here on earth.
Nonetheless, would I still love to be an angel, and speak repentance with power and authority? Absolutely! But no matter how much I wish or imagine, it just isn’t going to happen as long as I am “alive and well” on earth.
While continuing to ponder upon all of this, I recalled a scripture I had recently read in Doctrine and Covenants, section 130:5 which states ” . . .there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it. The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; but they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire . . .” – so basically, angels live on another globe in God’s presence.
Then a wonderful thought occurred to me. Perhaps I could be an angel after all, right here, right now; but I would dwell on, and be confined to, the planet earth. In other words, I could be an earth angel!
So what is the mission of heavenly angels? What do they do that we know of? Scripture tells us they minister, bless and instruct.
But guess what? I too can minister, bless and instruct. I can bless any life that I am willing to take time to touch. I can study, teach and share the gospel, and serve a mission as often as my heart desires.
And even though I am not empowered, or set apart in heavenly realms to be one of God’s ministering angels; I can be on His errand, doing what His holy angels do – minister to, bless and instruct those upon this earth. Just the thought of that is empowering!
As I read further, I began to ponder Alma’s heartfelt words – “But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me, . . . but I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that *perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.” (Alma 29:3,9)
After the many times I have read these verses, I was taken back to discover something about Alma that I hadn’t picked up on before.
Here was one of the greatest prophets and missionaries of the Book of Mormon, who was so filled with humility and the love of God, that he wasn’t even aware of his own incredible impact inproclaiming the gospel, and in the building up of God’s Kingdom here on earth. *(Notice Alma’s choice of the word “perhaps,” in verse 9) Now that’s humility, considering Alma’s incredible missionary record!
It isn’t until verse 13 that he makes reference to the fact that he’s even had any success. And then he is very quick to render all credit for his success unto God; immediately followed by ” . . . but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren . . .when I think of the success of these my brethren, my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.” (Alma 29:16)
Can you imagine feeling such great joy in just “thinking about” the success of a loved one’s missionary endeavors that it results in an “out of body” experience for you? Such was the state of Alma’s heart.
And even though he acknowledges that God ” . . . hath given me much success, in which my joy is full,” in his heart, he still feels he has not done enough. This amazing and powerful missionary’s reason for wanting to be an angel – was to do even more!
It wasn’t enough for him to labor, unceasingly, amongst his own people in his own tongue, converting thousands. He wanted to be able to proclaim God’s word, in every tongue, unto all people. For the more people he could bring unto Christ, the greater was his joy!
“Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth? For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word . . .But behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy.” (Alma 29:7-8,10)
Alma’s wish of his heart was to bring every soul, every member of Adam and Eve’s posterity unto repentance,” . . . that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.” (Alma 29:2)
This beloved prophet of God knew that a world filled with the Gospel of Jesus Christ- with the “Plan of Happiness,”was a world without sorrow. For the sorrow of the world weighed him down.
Alma ” . . . being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people . . . was thus weighed down with sorrow . . .” (Alma 8:14)
After reading and pondering Alma’s tender and revealing words, I believe he never had an inkling that his teachings and missionary endeavors would fill the pages of holy writ, inspiring and converting millions of people, some 1900 + years later. But how grateful I am that such is the case.
To all who have been deeply moved by these verses and share the same noble and righteous desire as Alma – to be an angel, to go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people; I think Alma would say…consider yourselves called – consider yourselves the Lord’s earth angels – Now go forth with angelic zeal, proclaiming hope and the great “Plan of Happiness,”unto every people on earth.
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