A true story of divine protection
In my early twenties, my then-wife and I were newlyweds living in Mexico. We were staying in my parents’ basement, and homes in Mexico are built very differently than in the United States. Everything is made of cinder block or brick. No insulation, no wood, no central heating. Winters get cold, and the only way to warm the house was with a small space heater connected to a propane tank outside. A rubber hose ran from the tank into the room where the heater sat. It was normal. Everyone did it.
Around five months into her pregnancy, my then-wife began experiencing early contractions. The doctor told us she was at risk of losing the baby and needed complete rest. Since her mother lived in the same city, we decided it would be safest for her to stay there while I continued working. So I took her to her mom’s home, made sure she was settled and cared for, and then returned alone to the basement.
One morning, while asleep under warm blankets, I heard a voice. It told me to wake up. The voice was calm but firm. I felt heavy and exhausted, like I had only slept a few minutes. I ignored it. I told myself I needed five more minutes.
The voice came again, stronger. You need to get up. You need to go take care of the things that are pending.
Again, I resisted. I felt groggy, almost drugged. My eyes felt too heavy to open.
The third time, the voice came with power and urgency. Wake up before it is too late.
Those words went straight through me. The tone was unmistakable. It carried a seriousness that shook me. I forced my eyes open, even though my eyelids felt like they were weighted down. I got up, put on my jacket, and climbed the stairs toward the outside door.
As soon as I stepped onto the stairs, I felt something strange. A rush of cold air filled my chest. It felt clean and refreshing, almost like the feeling you get when you breathe in after taking a strong mint or a Halls cough drop. It felt pure. It felt like life.
I went upstairs to the main floor of the house and noticed how late it was. I had never overslept like that. I tried to remember what was so urgent and why I felt like I had to be up. Nothing came to mind, but I stayed awake and headed back downstairs.
Halfway down the stairs, the smell hit me.
Propane gas. Heavy. Thick. Everywhere.
I froze. The entire basement was full of gas. The heater’s pilot light must have gone out during the night, and the propane had been leaking for hours. I could barely breathe. The concentration was so strong it burned my nose and throat. I ran back up, took another breath, and rushed down to open every window and door. Then I raced outside to shut off the propane tank.
As the fresh air slowly pushed the gas out, I realized why I had been so groggy, why I could not keep my eyes open, and why the voice had sounded so urgent. I started feeling little bumps rising on my skin, my hands, arms, legs, and face. I panicked and called a friend who was a doctor. He lived five minutes away.
When he examined me, he stepped back and shook his head. Then he smiled and said, Somebody upstairs really likes you.
I asked him what he meant.
He told me, This is severe propane gas intoxication. You should not be alive.
That is when everything hit me. The voice. The urgency. The command to wake up before it was too late. The sudden cold rush of air in my chest. My then-wife being away and safe in her mother’s home. All of it.
God had warned me. God had protected me. Either He spoke to me directly or He sent an angel to do it.
I should have died that morning, but I did not. And it was not luck. It was not coincidence. It was intervention. I was preserved for my future, for the children I would one day have, for the life I still needed to live.
Sometimes we go through life unaware of the quiet miracles happening around us. But I know this. God is real. Angels are real. The veil is thin, and heaven is far more involved in our lives than we often realize.
That morning in Mexico was not just a close call. It was a rescue.
And I carry it with me as a reminder that God still speaks, God still warns, and God still saves.
Angels Are Still Among Us
Scripture is not silent on this.
Angels minister to God’s children, not just in ancient times, but today.
1 Nephi 11:30 tells us:
“And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men, and they did minister unto them.”
The pattern is clear.
Angels descend.
They minister.
They minister not just to prophets or chosen few, but to the children of men. Meaning all of us.
Other Scriptures
Alma 13:24 teaches that “angels are declaring glad tidings” even now.
Moroni 7:29 asks us directly:
“Have miracles ceased? Behold, I say unto you, Nay neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.”
Hebrews 1:14 describes angels as “ministering spirits” sent forth to serve those who will inherit salvation.
The Bible and the Book of Mormon are consistent.
Heaven is involved.
Angels work on earth.
They minister, strengthen, warn, comfort, protect, and guide.
Teachings from Modern Prophets and Apostles
President Russell M. Nelson
President Nelson has repeatedly testified that angels assist the covenant people. He teaches that “Heaven is not far away and those who live on the other side of the veil are very aware of us.”
He once said that righteous departed loved ones are “not far, and they are very interested in your well being.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Elder Holland is perhaps the strongest modern voice on angels. His message “The Ministry of Angels” is a masterpiece. He teaches that angels come both from the other side of the veil and also as mortal angels around us. He said:
“Some of them we cannot see. Some of them we can. But always they come.”
He adds that angels are commanded to “disperse the powers of darkness.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Elder Oaks taught that angels minister to those who keep their covenants and to those who pray with real intent.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Elder Uchtdorf taught that God often sends angels in the form of ordinary people moved by the Spirit to bless another person’s life.
President Gordon B. Hinckley
He said that ministering angels from the other side of the veil “watch over this Church” and participate in the work of salvation.
President Joseph F. Smith
His visions and writings are full of references to ministering angels being involved in the daily work of God, especially tied to family and temple covenants.
Historical Church Stories of Angels
Joseph Smith saw angels many times.
The Angel Moroni visited him repeatedly.
The Kirtland Temple was filled with angelic manifestations.
The school of the prophets spoke openly about angels assisting in the restoration.
Brigham Young taught that “angels are near us, though unseen.”
He emphasized that angels are often family members who passed away.
C. S. Lewis
Lewis wrote that the invisible world is “vastly more real” than the visible one.
In “The Screwtape Letters,” he teaches that the spiritual world is active, near, and constantly influencing us.
In “Mere Christianity,” Lewis reminds us that God sends help in forms we do not always recognize.
His famous line fits perfectly here:
“There are no ordinary people.”
This implies that all people we encounter might be messengers in disguise.
Why Angels Minister To Us
Because God loves His children.
Because the covenant path requires divine assistance.
Because the plan of salvation is a family plan, and angels are part of our eternal family.
Because the veil is thin.
Because mortality is too hard to face alone.
What Angelic Ministry Looks Like Today
Not all angels appear with glory.
Some come as impressions.
Some as sudden clarity.
Some as the unexpected strength to forgive.
Some as your bishop knocking at your door at the exact moment you needed someone.
Some as a scripture appearing in your mind with perfect timing.
Some as a departed loved one comforting you quietly, softly, unmistakably.
Some as protection in moments you never even knew were dangerous.
Some as a friend offering counsel without you ever mentioning the need.
Some as a conversation that answers a prayer you whispered only in your heart.
Some as a feeling to turn left instead of right.
Some as a peaceful warmth when everything around you feels cold.
Some as a sudden urge to reach out to someone who later tells you, “You have no idea how much I needed that right now.”
Some as a moment of courage that feels borrowed from Heaven.
Some as a calm voice that whispers, “Keep going. You’re not done yet.”
Some as the unmistakable feeling that you are being watched over, guided, and remembered.
Angels minister in a thousand quiet ways.
Most of them gentle.
Most of them subtle.
But all of them real.
As Elder Holland taught:
“If you are lonely, if you need comfort, if you need hope, angels are still sent to help.”
Heaven is not silent. Heaven is not far. And angels, both seen and unseen, are actively ministering to us every single day.
One day, after this life, we may find out just how many times Heaven stepped in and we never realized it.
But for now, we walk by faith, trusting the promise Nephi saw:
“I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men, and they did minister unto them.” And they still do.
xoxo Tino xoxo
Angeles decienden y estan involucrados en nuestras vidas
Una historia real de protección divina
En mis primeros veinte años, mi entonces esposa y yo éramos recién casados viviendo en México, en el sótano de la casa de mis padres. Las casas allá son muy distintas a las de Estados Unidos: de block o ladrillo, sin aislamiento ni calefacción central. En invierno hacía frío y usábamos un calentador pequeño conectado a un tanque de gas fuera de la casa, con una manguera que entraba al cuarto. Era lo normal.
A los cinco meses de embarazo, comenzó con contracciones tempranas. El doctor dijo que estaba en riesgo de perder al bebé y necesitaba reposo absoluto. Como su madre vivía cerca, decidimos que lo más seguro era que se quedara con ella mientras yo seguía trabajando. La llevé, me aseguré de que estuviera bien cuidada y regresé solo al sótano.
Una mañana, mientras dormía, escuché una voz que me dijo que despertara. Era una voz calmada pero firme. Me cuerpo se sentía pesado, como si hubiera dormido apenas unos minutos, así que la ignoré. La voz regreso, y esta vez más fuerte: “Tienes que levantarte. Tienes cosas que hacer.” Me resistí de nuevo, casi no podía abrir los ojos del sueño tan profundo. La tercera vez, llegó con fuerte con urgencia: “Despierta antes de que sea demasiado tarde.” Esas palabras me estremecieron. Con esfuerzo abrí los ojos, me puse la chamarra y subí las escaleras.
En cuanto pisé el primer escalón, sentí una brisa de aire frío llenar mi pecho. Era un aire limpio y refrescante, como cuando uno esta chupando unas pastillas halls y respira aire frio. Se sintió puro, Al subir al piso principal noté lo tarde que era, algo inusual para mí. Sin saber por qué habia subido me quede despierto y comencé a bajar al piso de abajo.
A mitad de los escalones, me golpeó un olor: Era gas propano. Pesado, espeso, en todas partes. El sótano estaba lleno. La llama del piloto debió haberse apagado durante la noche y el gas se acumuló por horas. No podía respirar.cerre mi boca y tape mi nariz y corrí hacia arriba por aire, respire profundamente y sostuve el aliento, regresé a abrir ventanas y puertas y luego salí a cerrar el tanque.
Como viviamos en la base de una montaña el viento rapidamente empezo a sacar el gas, entendí por qué estaba tan aturdido, por qué no podía despertar y por qué la voz era tan urgente. Empece a sentír ronchas levantándose en mi piel me empece a preocupar Llamé a un amigo médico. Vivía a cinco minutos. Cuando me examinó, negó con la cabeza, sonrió y dijo: “Alguien allá arriba te quiere mucho.”
Porque dices? Me explicó: “Esto es intoxicación severa por gas propano. No deberías estar vivo.”
En ese momento todo hizo sentido. La voz. La urgencia. El mandato de despertar antes de que fuera tarde. Como senti ese aire fresco en mi pecho. Mi esposa lejos y segura. Todo. Dios me advirtió y me protegió...nos protegio Ya fuera Él directamente o un ángel, fui rescatado. Debí haber muerto, pero no sucedió. No fue suerte ni coincidencia. Fue intervención divina. Fui preservado para el futuro que aún tenía por vivir. Para cumplir una mision que aveces no se si ya la cumpli
A veces caminamos por la vida sin notar los milagros desapercibidos, la intervencion divina Pero sé que Dios es real. Los ángeles son reales. El velo es delgado y el cielo participa más de lo que imaginamos. Aquella mañana no fue un accidente. Fue un rescate. Y lo llevo conmigo como recordatorio de que Dios aún habla, aún advierte y aún salva.
Los ángeles aún están entre nosotros
Las Escrituras son claras: los ángeles ministran a los hijos de Dios hoy. En 1 Nefi 11:30, Nefi vio “ángeles descendiendo sobre los hijos de los hombres; y les ministraban.” El patrón es simple: los ángeles descienden y ministran a todos, no solo a profetas.
Alma 13:24 dice que los ángeles declaran buenas nuevas ahora mismo. Moroni 7:29 enseña que los milagros no han cesado, ni los ángeles que ministran a los hombres. Hebreos 1:14 los describe como espíritus enviados para servir a los que heredarán la salvación. La Biblia y el Libro de Mormón coinciden: el cielo está involucrado, los ángeles trabajan, protegen, guían, consuelan y advierten.
Voces modernas
El presidente Russell M. Nelson enseña que el cielo no está lejos y que quienes han partido están muy conscientes de nosotros. El élder Jeffrey R. Holland, en su mensaje “El ministerio de los ángeles,” declara que algunos ángeles no los podemos ver, otros sí, pero “siempre vienen.” Dice también que dispersan los poderes de las tinieblas. El élder Oaks explica que los ángeles ministran a los que guardan convenios y oran con verdadera intención. El élder Uchtdorf enseña que Dios envía ángeles en forma de personas comunes movidas por el Espíritu. El presidente Hinckley dijo que los ángeles velan por la Iglesia. Y el presidente Joseph F. Smith registró visiones frecuentes del ministerio angelical, especialmente ligado a la familia y los convenios.
En la historia de la Iglesia, José Smith vio ángeles numerosas veces. Moroni lo visitó repetidamente. El Templo de Kirtland estuvo lleno de manifestaciones. Brigham Young enseñó que los ángeles están cerca aunque no los veamos, y que muchos son familiares que han partido.
C. S. Lewis escribió que el mundo invisible es más real que el visible. Enseñó que el mundo espiritual es activo y cercano. Y su famosa frase “no existen personas ordinarias” nos recuerda que cualquiera podría ser un mensajero enviado por Dios.
Por qué los ángeles ministran
Porque Dios ama a Sus hijos.
Porque la vida en convenio requiere ayuda divina.
Porque somos familia eterna.
Porque el velo es delgado.
Porque la mortalidad es demasiado pesada para cargarla solos.
Cómo luce el ministerio angelical hoy
A veces llega como una impresión, una claridad repentina, fuerza para perdonar, un obispo tocando la puerta en el momento exacto, un pasaje de las Escrituras que aparece en tu mente, un ser querido fallecido que te consuela, protección que nunca supiste que necesitabas, un amigo que aconseja sin que digas nada, una conversación que responde una oración silenciosa, un impulso de girar a la izquierda, un calor de paz en medio de frío emocional, la urgencia de llamar a alguien que lo necesitaba desesperadamente, un momento de valentía prestado del cielo, o una voz suave diciendo: “Sigue adelante. No has terminado.” Y a veces simplemente el sentimiento claro de que alguien te está cuidando.
Los ángeles ministran de maneras suaves y sutiles, pero reales. Como dijo el élder Holland: “Si estás solo, si necesitas consuelo, si necesitas esperanza, los ángeles todavía son enviados para ayudarte.”
El cielo no está en silencio. El cielo no está lejos. Y los ángeles, visibles e invisibles, siguen ministrándonos cada día.
Un día, después de esta vida, sabremos cuántas veces el cielo intervino sin que lo notáramos. Pero por ahora, caminamos por fe, confiando en la visión de Nefi: “Vi ángeles descendiendo sobre los hijos de los hombres, y les ministraban.” Y siguen haciéndolo.
xoxo Tino xoxo
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