In Joseph Smith's day, everybody was seeing angels, especially Smith himself. He'd be walking to the store to buy wine for sacrament, and an angel would stop him. He'd just be minding his own business, and an angel would show up wielding a flaming sword and telling him he had to marry some young woman (even though the angel should have known that he already had a wife).

When was the last time any Mormon (who was not schizophrenic) saw an angel? Especially any General Authority? Angels are, by definition, messengers. That's what the Greek word "angelos" means. It's how God used to deliver his messages.

Have angels been replaced by light pens?

I used to be a royal pain, by listening to these faith-promoting stories that youth lesson manuals were peppered with and ask why these heavenly visitations were not occurring anymore.

-Oh but Messy they are! said my teachers. They do indeed occur, but they are too sacred to be shared and discussed.


So I asked "Then why are we talking about them and why devote an entire lesson about it. Why didn't Smith keep his mouth shut?"

Bwaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

But you have a good point there, RPackham.

And the Three Nephites don't show up and change near as many flat tires as they used to. Perhaps tires are higher quality now.

Every time a Utah mormon joins the Auto Club, the Three Nephites die a little inside.

Every time a Mormon joins the Auto Club, a 1950s Chevy gets its wings.