"Angels Did Minister Unto Them"

“Fathers and mothers, pray over your children. Pray that they may be shielded from the evils of the world. Pray that they may grow in faith and knowledge. Pray that they may be directed toward lives that will be profitable and good.”  

-President Gordon B. Hinckley, "Benediction," April 2003 General Conference  

In recent years, 3 Nephi 17 has become one of my favorite chapters in The Book of Mormon, and, given that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the world are studying this chapter this week as part of the Come, Follow Me curriculum, I wanted to share some thoughts I had when I studied it earlier this year.

Before I do that, though, let me provide an overview of the chapter, to remind you of the context:

• After appearing to the Nephites, showing His wounds to the people one by one, teaching them about baptism (3 Nephi 11), and giving a sermon nearly identical to the Sermon on the Mount contained in the Book of Matthew in the New Testament (3 Nephi 12-14), Christ then turned to subjects that were evidently difficult for His audience to understand: the scattering of Israel and the latter-day gathering of Israel (3 Nephi 15-16).  At the beginning of 3 Nephi 17, Christ perceived that they “cannot understand” and instructed them to go to their homes and ponder, pray, and prepare for more teachings the next day (3 Nephi 17:2-3).
• Jesus then “cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.” (3 Nephi 17:5)
• Christ was “filled with compassion” and healed the people that were “afflicted in any manner.”  (3 Nephi 17:6-10)
• Christ commanded that the little children be brought to Him (3 Nephi 17:11-13).
• Christ prayed, “Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel” and other things that “cannot be written.”  The prayer was so “great and marvelous” that joy filled the souls of those in attendance and they “were overcome.” (3 Nephi 17:14-18).
• Christ declared, “My joy is full,” and He wept.  And “he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.”  Angels then came down “as it were in the midst of fire” and “encircled those little ones about” and “angels did minister unto them.”  (3 Nephi 17:21-24).

I think this chapter has become one of my favorite chapters in The Book of Mormon, in part, because I have become a father.  This chapter highlights one of the most detailed accounts we have of Jesus Christ ministering to children. In fact, I studied and pondered this talk when our second child was born in 2017, as I prepared to give him a name and a blessing.  As I read this chapter recently, it struck me that there are actions I can take to minister to, bless, and protect my children.

First, I found meaning in the specific wording that Christ commanded that the little children be brought to Him.  He did not command that the little children come to Him.  It is implied that the parents and adults brought their children to Christ.  In this case it was a literal, physical “bringing.”  But I also think there is some symbolism that we as parents and leaders have to take active steps when children are young and learning their way in life to do our best to bring them to Christ, spiritually speaking.  As children grow, of course, they will have their own agency to choose whether or not to follow Christ and remain with Him as they develop independence and their own opinions, but there is much we can do to bring children to Christ.

Second, immediately after the children are brought to Christ, He prays and expresses his dismay at the “wickedness of the people of Israel.”  Given the context, I personally believe that Christ is, at least in part, grieving the effect that the wickedness of the world will bring upon the children, who are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of the choices of those around them.  

After this experience, though, I think Christ showed us through his ministering example how we can, to some degree, rebuff the effects of a troubled world that our children and youth face.  He ministered to them, “one by one.”  He blessed them.  He prayed for them.  And then He called down angels to minister to them, to encircle them about, as it were in the midst of fire.  “Fire” is often used symbolically in the scriptures to describe the Holy Spirit (i.e., baptism by fire; see, for example, Matthew 3:11; 3 Nephi 11:35; D&C 19:31).  As we do our best to immerse our children in the power of the Holy Ghost, to create opportunities for them to feel the Holy Ghost and to help them recognize the Spirit, I believe that we similarly have the ability to call down powers from Heaven, to protect our children, to encircle them about, as it were in the midst of fire.  As we do so, we can be among those angels on both sides of the veil that are protecting and ministering to our children and youth.  I believe we have access to real power in protecting our children as we send them out into the world.

The other main takeaway I gleaned from this chapter relates to something I have thought a lot about and have written about in some detail on this blog: navigating uncertainty with faith and hope.  As mentioned earlier, the chapter begins with Christ perceiving that the people did not understand His teachings, and He instructed them to go to their homes and ponder, pray, and prepare for more teachings the next day.  And yet, even though they did not understand, they went on to have this amazing spiritual experience: He healed those afflicted in any manner (no wound or hurt was too small); He prayed words that were so “great and marvelous” that joy filled the souls of those in attendance and they “were overcome”; He blessed their children as described above; He wept with the people and He declared that His joy was full.  

It impressed me that the chapter began with the people in confusion, but they wanted Christ to stay with them a little longer.  They did not comprehend what He was teaching them, but they wanted Him to “tarry a little longer” -- they wanted to be with Christ.  As a result of their faith, they had this incredible, indescribable experience with Him, to the point where they were overcome and experienced overwhelming joy!  In a similar manner, I have had moments where I do not fully understand everything.  I have questions.  But as I have kept my focus on Christ and have done my best to be with Christ, I have experienced great joy in the gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Please enjoy this touching representation of Christ ministering to the Nephites, as recorded in 3 Nephi in The Book of Mormon.