Angels occupy a revered role in the narrative of the Nephites as divine messengers and instruments of God’s grace and power. On a particularly sacred occasion recorded in the Book of Mormon, during the ministry of Jesus Christ among the Nephites following His resurrection, angels manifest in an awe-inspiring display. After Jesus had ministered unto the people and observed their faith and righteousness, He commanded that their little children should be brought forth. As the multitude watched, the heavens opened; angels descended as if in the midst of fire, encircling the children and ministering unto them (3 Nephi 17:24).
Another instance of angelic ministration is recorded when Jesus, later instructing His Nephite disciples in the establishment of His church and the importance of prayer, ascended into heaven. The disciples subsequently gathered together, united fervently in prayer and supplication. It was during this spiritual outpouring that the disciples themselves were encircled about as if by fire, a phenomenon witnessed by the surrounding multitude. Angels descended from the heavens to minister to these disciples, a testament to their faith and the sanctity of the occasion (3 Nephi 19:14).
This celestial interaction between angels and disciples continued even as Jesus Christ reappeared among them. While the angels fulfilled their heavenly commission, Jesus Christ stood in the midst and provided further instruction and blessing to those present, illuminating the harmonious relationship between divine beings and mortal disciples in the service of the Lord (3 Nephi 19:15). The accounts of angelic ministration to the children and disciples of Christ serve as powerful affirmations of the love and attention the Savior extends to His faithful people through the service of His holy messengers.