Joseph Smith
The Prophet Joseph Smith promised Newel K. Whitney in a blessing on October 1835, “Angels shall guard [his] house and shall guard the lives of his posterity.” 1
“In the evening I attended meeting in the Seventies’ Hall. George J. Adams preached and I made some observations afterwards, and related a dream which I had a short time since. I thought I was riding out in my carriage, and my guardian angel was along with me. We went past the Temple and had not gone much further before we espied two large snakes so fast locked together that neither of them had any power. I inquired of my guide what I was to understand by that. He answered, ‘Those snakes represent Dr. Foster and Chauncey L. Higbee. They are your enemies and desire to destroy you; but you see they are so fast locked together that they have no power of themselves to hurt you.’ I then thought I was riding up Mulholland street, but my guardian angel was not along with me. On arriving at the prairie, I was overtaken and seized by William and Wilson Law and others, saying, ‘Ah, ah! we have got you at last! We will secure you and put you in a safe place!’ and, without any ceremony dragged me out of my carriage, tied my hands behind me, and threw me into a deep, dry pit, where I remained in a perfectly helpless condition, and they went away. While struggling to get out, I heard Wilson Law screaming for help hard by. I managed to unloose myself so as to make a spring, when I caught hold of some grass which grew at the edge of the pit.” 2
“The hand of the angel of his presence has been extended toward thee by which thou hast been lifted up and sustained; yea, the Lord has delivered thee from the hands of thine enemies and thou hast been made to rejoice in his salvation:” 3
I saw Elder Brigham Young standing in a strange land, in the far south and west, in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of about a dozen men of color, who appeared hostile. He was preaching to them in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it. 4
Brigham Young
“All people have their guardian angels. Whether our departed dead guard us is not for me to say. I can say we have our guardian angels.” 5
John Taylor
“Thou [speaking to women] being willing and anxious to imitate them [spirits who were exalted], waiting and desirous to obtain a body, a resurrection and exaltation also, and having obtained permission, madest a covenant with one of thy kindred spirits to be thy guardian angel while in mortality, also with two others, male and female spirits, that thou wouldst come and take a tabernacle through their lineage, and become one of their offspring. You also chose a kindred spirit whom you loved in the spirit world to be your head, stay, husband and protector on the earth and to exalt you in eternal worlds. All these were arranged, likewise the spirits that should tabernacle through your lineage.” 6
David O. McKay
“Following a series of meetings at the conference held in Glasgow, Scotland, was a most remarkable priesthood meeting. I remember, as if it were yesterday, the intensity of the inspiration of that occasion. Everybody felt the rich outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. …
“During the progress of the meeting, an elder on his own initiative arose and said, ‘Brethren, there are angels in this room. …’
“President James L. McMurrin, president of the European Mission, arose and confirmed that statement by pointing to one brother sitting just in front of me and saying, ‘Yes, brethren, there are angels in this room, and one of them is the guardian angel of that young man sitting there,’ and he designated one who afterward became a patriarch. …
“Pointing to another elder, he said, ‘And one is the guardian angel of that young man there. …’ Tears were rolling down the cheeks of both of these missionaries—not in sorrow or grief, but as an expression of the overflowing Spirit. Indeed, we were all weeping.” 7
Joseph Fielding Smith
“We have often heard of guardian angels attending us and many patriarchs have spoken of such protection. There are times no doubt when some unseen power directs us and leads us from harm. However, the true guardian angel given to every man who comes into the world is the Light of Truth or Spirit of Christ.” 8
Heber C. Kimball
You have frequently heard of brother Hyde, brother Russell, and myself being afflicted with devils in England. There were legions of them came upon us and sought to destroy us: but we were not alone; our guardian angels were there to assist us, and they delivered us out of the danger, and out of the power of our enemies.9
Orson Hyde
“Our Prophet has been slain, and the burden of the kingdom has fallen upon us (the Twelve) and our lives are sought after; but while the angel that administers to man is still in attendance, his life is protected, for the guardian angel is stronger than death; but when he is withdrawn humanity is easily overcome. Hence it was with the Son of God while upon the cross, that even he, the Savior of the world could but exclaim: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me! Referring to the protecting angel whom the Lord had called away, leaving Jesus in the arms of death; that he might be taken away from this world of misery and pain to the mansions of God, where he should turn and rule the nations with a rod of iron. For proof of my assertion I have only to call upon the same individual who exclaimed on the cross: My God why hast thou taken away my protecting angel.” 10
- The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, ed. Dean C. Jessee, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984, p. 62.
- Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44, p.368
- Patriarchal Blessing of Joseph Smith, 1834
- Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 108
- Journal of Discourses, Vol.13, p.75 – p.76, Brigham Young, December 10th, 1868
- John Taylor, “Origin and Destiny of Woman,” The Mormon, August 29, 1857, New York City.
- In Conference Report, Oct. 1968, p. 86.
- Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, p.54
- Journal of Discourses, Vol.8, p.258, Heber C. Kimball, December 16, 1860
- Times and Seasons, 1845, Vol.6, p.796, History of the Church 6:337
