I believe that holders of the Priesthood have the power to change the atmosphere that surrounds them.  This power stems from the keys that were bestowed upon every man and boy when he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.  Those keys include the keys to the ministering of angels.  (D&C 3:1).

I was asked, what are those keys, and how do they work?

The keys to the ministering of angels has been mentioned and discussed at least 17 times in general conference over the past 50-plus years.  I have reviewed each of those statements, and would like to share what I've learned.

At least three times in general conference President Thomas S. Monson repeated this statement:  “Never forget that as a holder of the Aaronic Priesthood you are entitled to the ministering of angels.”

Said President Gordon B. Hinckley, “If we are boys who have received the Aaronic Priesthood, we are entitled to the ministering of angels to guide and direct, to bless and protect us.  What a remarkable and wonderful thing that is.”

And L. Tom Perry stated, “I testify to you that the Lord is bound by solemn covenant to bless your lives according to your faithfulness.  If you will heed the voice of warning of the Holy Ghost and will follow His direction, you will be blessed with the ministering of angels.  This blessing will add wisdom, knowledge, power, and glory to your life.  This is a sure blessing promised to you by the Lord.”  (L. Tom Perry, Ensign, November 2010, 92-93).

It is plain that holding the keys to the ministering of angels means that that man or boy has the power to access help from angels, and to call that help down from heavenly sources.

The Lord Himself said in section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein is found the oath and covenant of the Priesthood, “I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”

(84:88).

“And even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you.”  (84:42).

We have a choice.  We can surround ourselves with angels, or we can be surrounded by demons.  If we don't surround ourselves with holy angels, then Samuel the Lamanite says that our language will be thus:  “Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls.”  (Helaman 13:37).  What an awful thought!  What a stark choice!

When I first opened the Book of Mormon and began reading, it became all that I wanted to do.  The reason was because of the light that flooded into my mind.  Up to that point I couldn't have told you that my head was full of darkness, but I could actually feel light coming in and pushing the darkness out.

My wife says, “I don't think I've ever had darkness in my head.”  Probably not.  She has been an obedient, baptized member of the Church possessing the gift of the Holy Ghost all her life.  She can be grateful for that, and I can be equally grateful that I found the light.

I kept reading the book, and the darkness was evicted.  My whole outlook, and my whole life changed.

Because of that experience, I believe that most people in the world are in the same state that I was in before my baptism.  Their heads are full of darkness, and they know it not.  The light that penetrated my mind was surely from the Holy Ghost, but I'm quite sure that there were also angels rejoicing as they witnessed my conversion and enlightenment.  They were undoubtedly near, and were helping in every way that they could.  Surely my progenitors were involved.

Significantly, President Joseph F. Smith said:   “Our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.”  (James E. Faust, quoting President Joseph F. Smith, Ensign, May 2006, 51).

That was the case with my Grandfather McCornack.  He came to comfort my mother when she was greatly worried about my military service in the Far East during the Vietnam conflict and at the capture of my sister ship by the North Koreans.  He stood by her bed and said, “You don't need to worry about Jamie.  He's going to be all right.”

She ceased worrying.  That visit changed her whole outlook and the atmosphere that surrounded her.  She always spoke reverently about that experience.

If we are to have the ministering of angels, we must be worthy.  Elder L. Tom Perry admonished us thus:

“Young men of the Aaronic Priesthood, I testify to you that the Lord is bound by solemn covenant to bless your lives according to your faithfulness.  If you will heed the voice of warning of the Holy Ghost and will follow His direction, you will be blessed with the ministering of angels.  This blessing will add wisdom, knowledge, power, and glory to your life.  This is a sure blessing promised to you by the Lord.”  (Ensign, November 2010, 92-93).

Said President Gordon B. Hinckley:  “You cannot afford to do anything that would place a curtain between you and the ministering of angels in your behalf.

“You cannot be immoral in any sense.  You cannot be dishonest.  You cannot cheat or lie.  You cannot take the name of God in vain or use filthy language and still have the right to the ministering of angels.”  (As quoted by Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, November 2011, 62).

We have the power to change the atmosphere by which we're surrounded.  I don't know if ministering angels had anything to do with the experience that I'm about to relate, but it demonstrates the point that I want to make that our righteousness and our desires can change our surroundings.

While in the military, I attended four months of security school at Goodfellow Air Force base in San Angelo, Texas.  Every day, every single day, Garrett, our instructor, got up in front of the class and told dirty jokes.  I was captive, and I hated it.  There was nothing that I could do but bow my head, tune him out, and try to think other thoughts.

After some weeks, the jokes suddenly stopped.  I was grateful and immensely relieved.  A classmate named Carlson asked me later, “Do you know why Garrett doesn't tell jokes anymore?”

“No, why?”

“It's because you won't laugh.”

I was dumbfounded to think that my silence, and what must have been my obvious disgust, had even been noticed.  In my mind's eye I can see my grandfather, and others, working to soften that man's heart.  Was it just my example that accomplished that, or did I have help?  I know beyond a doubt that we have angels helping us on a regular basis, and that in nearly every case, we're unaware of their involvement.

I also know beyond a doubt that most of what I have accomplished in life has not been because of any skill or wisdom that I possess.  I view myself as being one of the most incapable people in the world; yet because of my constant prayers in every undertaking, and because of the Lord's help, I really believe that I can do anything.  Surely it's not the Lord Himself rendering all that assistance.  He is undoubtedly helped by all of His holy angels.  He said so Himself.  And who would be more eager to come to my aid than my progenitors and those for whom I've done temple work?

Joseph Smith said that “they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith.”  (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 326).

By this I know that my grandfather is pained when I sin, and I also know that he is pained when I am pained.  I know that he would be anxious to help me in any way that he could.  I know this because that is the same attitude that I have concerning my own grandchildren.  That attitude will not undergo any change, except to be heightened, when I pass to the other side.  I'm going to be most interested in what my posterity is doing, and I'm going to want to help.  That's my attitude now, and it won't change.  That is the same attitude that my grandfathers possess about me.

I know that I have the ministering of angels.  The Brethren and the Lord have said so.  I know that I'm mostly unaware of their ministrations.  That's OK, and as it should be.  Those ministrations are likely a daily occurrence.  What a comforting thought it is to think about President Joseph F. Smith's statement that those ministering angels are my own people who have a vested, eternal interest in me.