Touched by an Angel

Being in the limelight does not always mean that the position is one of positive influence. President Trump was the leader of the free world, but his celebrity was so polarizing that it caused the things that he said to be taken out of context at best and in too much context at worst! He was a polarizing figure before he ascended the presidency. With the audience he had, the world, he had the power to inspire billions for or against something.

If President Trump tells a group of people not to tolerate people who harangue them in public, some hearer may take that as an opportunity to protest and run down the opposition in a car or charge the U.S. Capitol Building in D.C. Those are extreme perspectives to the negative, of course. Would the former President actually support such behavior? Depending on who you talk to will determine that answer.

In "Alma: Celebrity Preacher," I wrote about the life of a man named Amulek who was visited by an angel of God. The purpose of this angel's visit was to get a businessman named Amulek to meet the most well-known person in his entire nation.

Some changes had occurred in this special celebrity's life just like Donald Trump. This celebrity was a polarizing figure in his nation, Alma. Though his celebrity did not come about because he had a popular TV show and was a billionaire like former President Trump, the sentiment can be similar. Alma started as an active persecutor of the Church his father started, whose name was also Alma.

He was not popular with some of the people because he changed his life and pastored a church while being elected to the position equivalent to President of the United States for his nation, Chief Judge of the Nephites. He then resigned to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is like he did a yo-yo with his career--trying to figure out where he needed to be when he finally decided it was as a minister. By this time, enemies had grown all around him since he had his hands in so much during his life.

Alma went to the city of Ammonihah to preach the gospel because he heard that they had fallen from the correct path. Imagine former president Donald Trump knocking on doors trying to teach people about Jesus. That's just about where Alma was.

Alma had set his back against the city of Ammonihah after some of its citizens abused and cast him out. Severely sorrowing over the rudeness of the people and their unwillingness to receive him, Alma planned to move on when an angel appeared to him. Despite the abuses he suffered, the angel told Alma to go back to Ammonihah and tell the people to repent or face destruction.

Not only did the people live sinfully, but the angel revealed that the notable people of that city planned sedition against the Nephite nation. Plans to infringe on the freedoms of all Nephites had fertile ground among them. Freedom to worship God was a potential casualty. The angel informed Alma to go warn the people. His new mission was to save the people of Ammonihah from self-destruction because of Spiritual and political subversive activity.

In preparation for his new assignment, Alma had prayed and fasted for many days for the insight and spiritual strength it would take to face his abusers. It took an extraordinary experience to provide Alma with the courage to return to the city. It took something extraordinary for Amulek to be prepared to meet Alma rather than visit his relative as he had determined to do as was his custom.

The angel told Amulek, a wealthy man of means and influence in Ammonihah, that he should receive a prophet of God into his home who would bless all that he had for so doing.

Several things became apparent to Amulek following this experience:

1. God is real.
2. Everything he learned about the scriptures is true.
3. Keeping the commandments brings blessings.
4. God speaks through prophets.

In Amulek's case, meeting up with the former leader of his nation is not the most fantastic thing that happened to him. Seeing an angel who introduces the fact that he would meet up with the former leader of his nation was the most awesome thing. Imagine getting an introduction like that from heaven.

ANGEL: Rodric, I am here to tell you that you will play host to the former president of the United States. He is tired and hungry. Go prepare.

Rodric: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

ANGEL: You must prepare for him. He is on the way.

Rodric: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

ANGEL: Yes, I am an angel. Peace and calm to you. Hurry, he is getting closer.

Rodric: Okay. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

ANGEL: Rodric.

Rodric: Ahhhhhhhh! What? I meant, yes sir. Uh, should I say yes my lord?

ANGEL: I am your fellow servant of God. I am here to let you know God wants you to help the former president of the US.

Rodric: I don't know. Which one will it be? If it is one of the rascals ... I don't know.

ANGEL: You will know when you see him. It is your responsibility to help those whom the Lord tells you to help.

Rodric: Fine! I don't have to like it, though!

I am not mocking in doing this, I hope (maybe a tiny bit). My purpose is to show that these are real people, like you and I, who had extraordinary experiences when all they expected to do was go about their normal day--specifically Amulek. The next article will examine the changes that occurred due to these divine meetings with Alma and Amulek.