Angels In The Outfield

If there really are angels watching us and even at times helping us, as recorded in Church history, why don't we see them?   Wouldn't it be more faith promoting if the pioneers had actually seen heavenly beings pushing their carts when they couldn't make it a step further on their own?  What could be the advantage in angels secretly helping us?

When I was a senior in high school a carload of us were headed up the canyon on the highway to a party.  One of our friends, who had very little experience riding motorcycles, decided to borrow a powerful street bike and ride it up to the party.  He recognized us in the car up ahead of him and so he hunkered down behind the small glass windshield and laid the throttle down hard.  He went past us like we weren't even moving.  We all cheered as he zipped past because it was so cool.  After he passed us, being inexperienced as he was, he sat up to wave at us and the wind took him right off the bike.  Somehow his feet caught the handlebars and we watched in horror as he struggled to get back on the seat while streaking down the highway.  By some miracle, he managed to get upright and stop on the side of the road.  He was so shaken up that he refused to get back on and someone else had to come and take the bike home.  The power of that motorcycle proved too much for his limited experience and maturity to handle.

Most of us have either taught our children to ride a bicycle or remember being taught ourselves.  Imagine if instead of putting you on a bicycle with training wheels, your parents put you on a powerful motorcycle.  It's a ridiculous idea and yet a perfect comparison to an angel appearing to those who are not spiritually prepared.

The Lord teaches us line upon line and precept upon precept in order to protect us from running faster than we have strength.

The ultimate goal in this life is for us to bear as much as we can without any support.  Just as Jesus was ultimately left alone as he hung on the cross crying out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

It must be incredibly difficult for a loving Heavenly Father and even our ancestors to watch us struggle through this life and not be able, in most instances, to help because it would be counterproductive and even detrimental to our spiritual growth to intercede with angelic visitations.

Thus, for now, the angels among us do their work quietly and unseen, so as not to disrupt our education.

Orson F Whitney
...premature knowledge--knowing at the wrong time--is fatal both to progress and to happiness.