Alma's Angel

[changed]

My little 8-10yo class wanted to know who this angel was, and now this same angel is cropping up again in another lesson - 

Does anyone know - who is the angel that stops Alma the younger twice?  Once in Mosiah 27:11 on his "road to Damascus", and again in Alma 8:14 to tell him to go back to Ammonihah?  Is it also the same angel that told Amulek about Alma?  

Edited May 1, 2016 by changed

[cdowis]

His name is Tom, otherwise known as Tom the angel.

And,  yes, he is very busy and he's unlikely to visit your class --  unless someone is very very bad.

Edited May 1, 2016 by cdowis

[JAHS]

I have never seen anyone try to identify who that angel is. All we can say is that he is a person who either lived or will live on this earth.

Edited May 1, 2016 by JAHS

[changed]

Really, that's the best anyone on here has?  Well, I just had to go spill the beans to a bunch of little 8yo's that their teacher doesn't know everything and isn't to be trusted...  bah humbug  

 

[Boanerges]

I actually thought Tom was a good answer. He may have a flaming sword, we don't know the name of that angel, either.

From another point of view, this may be an excellent teaching moment for those youngsters. Fact is we don't know everything. I read somewhere that " We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." I'm not sure the name of Alma's angel is great or important. Apparently Alma either didn't know or didn't think it was important. Sometimes in the church we need to embrace ambiguity - there's too much of a mentality that we know or need to know everything.

[CV75]

6 hours ago, changed said:

My little 8-10yo class wanted to know who this angel was, and now this same angel is cropping up again in another lesson - 

Does anyone know - who is the angel that stops Alma the younger twice?  Once in Mosiah 27:11 on his "road to Damascus", and again in Alma 8:14 to tell him to go back to Ammonihah?  Is it also the same angel that told Amulek about Alma?  

Can you please provide the link to the manual (or scripture verses) that explains how this is the same angel?

Edited May 1, 2016 by CV75

[changed]

Can you please provide the link to the manual (or scripture verses) that explains how this is the same angel?

 

It's the same one - 

Alma 8:15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.

re Mosiah 27  11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in acloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

 

The angel that delivered the first message, also delivered the 2nd, and possibly also prepared the way for Alma to meet Amulek

20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

 

 

Alma's guardian angel?  Must have been some relative, or acquaintance of the family ... whoever it was, they turned Alma around quickly - and turned him around quickly twice!

 

 

Edited May 1, 2016 by changed

[CV75]

11 minutes ago, changed said:

 

It's the same one - 

Alma 8:15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.

re Mosiah 27  11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in acloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

The angel that delivered the first message, also delivered the 2nd, and possibly also prepared the way for Alma to meet Amulek

20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

Alma's guardian angel?  Must have been some relative, or acquaintance of the family ... whoever it was, they turned Alma around quickly - and turned him around quickly twice!

Thank you. I can see the first two references being the same angel, and Moroni visited Joseph Smith more than once, so it does happen. I'm not sure what more significance we can attach for 8-year olds.

[cdowis]

44 minutes ago, Boanerges said:

I actually thought Tom was a good answer. He may have a flaming sword, we don't know the name of that angel, either.

George.  And he's still guarding the Tree of Life, so he doesn't have time to visit Alma, or anyone else.

[VideoGameJunkie]

That angel was me in my pre mortal form. I just don't remember much of my pre mortal life and duties.

[changed]

5 hours ago, CV75 said:

Thank you. I can see the first two references being the same angel, and Moroni visited Joseph Smith more than once, so it does happen. I'm not sure what more significance we can attach for 8-year olds.

Not just for 8yo's, it's just kind of interesting.  What are all the examples we have of the same angel visiting someone over and over again?

Do Mormons believe in guardian angels?  I wonder who mine is...

 

Edited May 2, 2016 by changed

[VideoGameJunkie]

57 minutes ago, changed said:

Not just for 8yo's, it's just kind of interesting.  What are all the examples we have of the same angel visiting someone over and over again?

Do Mormons believe in guardian angels?  I wonder who mine is...

 

Your guardian angel is probably a deceased ancestor.

[CV75]

8 hours ago, changed said:

Not just for 8yo's, it's just kind of interesting.  What are all the examples we have of the same angel visiting someone over and over again?

Do Mormons believe in guardian angels?  I wonder who mine is...

Aside from Moroni visiting Joseph Smith? There must be a collection of examples somewhere... I have heard GC talks referring to family members helping us from beyond the veil, but as far as a one-on-one, assigned-for-life "Guardian Angel," I haven't heard of that in LDS teaching.

[cdowis]

10 hours ago, changed said:

Not just for 8yo's, it's just kind of interesting.  What are all the examples we have of the same angel visiting someone over and over again?

Do Mormons believe in guardian angels?  

 

The question can now be asked if there is a specific guardian angel assigned to each individual? There is nothing in the scriptures that suggests this to be the case. The writings of the General Authorities also state the answer to be no. Elder John A. Widtsoe said, “The common belief, that to every person born into the world is assigned a guardian angel to be with that person constantly, is not supported by available evidence. … In fact the constant presence of the Holy Ghost would seem to make such a constant, angelic companionship unnecessary” (Durham, p. 403).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote that “to suppose that either all men or all righteous men have heavenly beings acting as guardians for them runs counter to the basic revealed facts relative to the manner in which the Lord exercises his benevolent watchfulness over his mortal men” (Mormon Doctrine, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1960, p. 341).

In summary, there is not evidence of a guardian angel assigned to every person; but angels have served a guardian role as they warn, protect, and strengthen those they have ministered to on earth.

https://www.lds.org/liahona/1984/04/questions-and-answers?lang=eng

So the answer is.... yes and no

[The Nehor]

On May 2, 2016 at 11:29 PM, changed said:

Not just for 8yo's, it's just kind of interesting.  What are all the examples we have of the same angel visiting someone over and over again?

Do Mormons believe in guardian angels?  I wonder who mine is...

 

I suspect angels are involved in our lives but guarding us non-stop? Doubt it. That would be boring for them.

[rivie62]

My bet is that it was Abinadi, but there is no doctrine for that.  I just imagine if I had preached to and been killed after helping Alma the senior to find his faith that I would want see it through to helping his son to find his.

We do know angels are given 'dispensations' to 'manage', as Moroni, the last prophet of the Nephites, was given the task to manage the plates that he and his father created, because he was the angel that handed them over to Joseph and then took them back.  

[RevTestament]

On 5/1/2016 at 5:50 PM, changed said:

 

It's the same one - 

Alma 8:15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.

re Mosiah 27  11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in acloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon which they stood;

 

The angel that delivered the first message, also delivered the 2nd, and possibly also prepared the way for Alma to meet Amulek

20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

 

 

Alma's guardian angel?  Must have been some relative, or acquaintance of the family ... whoever it was, they turned Alma around quickly - and turned him around quickly twice!

"The angel of the Lord" seems to be shorthand for Gabriel.

[ksfisher]

3 hours ago, RevTestament said:

"The angel of the Lord" seems to be shorthand for Gabriel.

How do we know that?

[probablyHagoth7]

5 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

How do we know that?

NT mentions of Gabriel use that same phrasing.

[Kenngo1969]

On 5/1/2016 at 2:11 PM, cdowis said:

His name is Tom, otherwise known as Tom the angel.

And,  yes, he is very busy and he's unlikely to visit your class --  unless someone is very very bad.

My brother's name is Tom, and a counselor to the bishop whom I served as executive secretary is also named Tom.  I believe I shall show them this thread.  I believe both of them shall get a pretty big kick out of it.  

[Avatar4321]

I always wondered if it was Joseph Smith

Edited May 22, 2017 by Avatar4321

[strappinglad]

Apparently missionary style name tags are not included in the 'ministering angel' kit.

[The Nehor]

On 5/1/2016 at 11:29 PM, changed said:

Not just for 8yo's, it's just kind of interesting.  What are all the examples we have of the same angel visiting someone over and over again?

Do Mormons believe in guardian angels?  I wonder who mine is...

 

Moroni sure visited Joseph a lot in succession.

While I believe angels can and do intervene in mortal lives in various ways I do not believe there are guardian angels assigned to everyone full-time. Seems like a boring way to spend the afterlife.