Ministering - Why?

I remember as a young man sitting in the priesthood session of conference a speaker shared about his Bishops Interview as he was turning 12 years old and would be eligible to receive the Aaron Priesthood. That interview lasted hours as the Bishop opened the scriptures and what would become his new role as newly ordained Deacon. I sat at the edge of my seat wishing I had had a similar experience. I waited with baited breath for the Speaker to share more about this singular experience. The Bishop quoted from D&C section 13 which contained the words of John the Baptist to Joseph and Oliver. He said, 

D&C 13 

1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I ^aconfer the ^bPriesthood of Aaron, which holds the ^ckeys of the ministering of ^dangels, and of the gospel of ^erepentance, and of ^fbaptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the ^gsons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in ^hrighteousness.

The speaker focused on the words the "Keys of the Ministering Angels" and how although he had not yet received the priesthood of Aaron, he truly felt that day that he had been ministered unto by an Angle of the Lord. That experience comes to mind every-time I hear those words and although there implications have changed over the years I still feel a surging well spring of the spirit each time I hear them.  

Recently in Companionship study with my wife that same phrase was quoted and a very different lesson was taught to me and the Spirit focused my attention on a work I had never given much thought to. The word was "Keys" 

I knew that John the baptist was not just referring to being ministered to by angels but also ministering as angles. So why did he prefaces that statement with "Keys"

Who holds those Keys and what are they part of the Aaronic Priesthood? I did not realize this till very recently that phrase is really talking about the role of the Bishop which is an office of the Aaronic priesthood. The bishop is the one that coordinates and directs and holds the keys of the ministering of angles.

Around this same time in my daily book of Mormon study I had just finished the book of 2 Nephi Found in the early part of the Book of Mormon. Those last three chapters hold great significance in my growth of the gospel. They lay out perfectly in Nephi's plainness, the Doctrine of Christ; not just his understanding of them, but the words that God the Father and Jesus Christ used to instruct him in the Doctrine of Christ. 

2 Nephi 31 

11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father ^agive the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, ^bfollow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall ^afollow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no ^bhypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real ^cintent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are ^dwilling to take upon you the ^ename of Christ, by ^fbaptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the ^gbaptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the ^htongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

Nephi explains that after one receives the Holy Ghost then you recovery the Baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost. and that as a result you can speak with the tongue of Angles.

Nephi recognizes that his listeners and probably his future readers are confused by this speaking with the tongue of angles and clarifies his meaning.

2 Nephi 32

2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had ^areceived the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the ^btongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

3 ^aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, ^bfeast upon the ^cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will ^dtell you all things what ye should do.

4 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ^aask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.

5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will ^ashow unto you all things what ye should do.

6 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ,

D&C 7

4 And for this cause the Lord said unto Peter: If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? For he desired of me that he might bring ^asouls unto me, but thou desiredst that thou mightest speedily come unto me in my ^bkingdom.

5 I say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire; but my beloved has desired that he might do more, or a greater ^awork yet among men than what he has before done.

6 Yea, he has undertaken a greater work; therefore I will make him as flaming fire and a ^aministering angel; he shall minister for those who shall be ^bheirs of salvation who dwell on the earth.

7 And I will make thee to minister for him and for thy brother James; and unto you three I will ^agive this power and the ^bkeysof this ministry until I come.

2 Nephi 31 

11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father ^agive the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, ^bfollow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.

13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall ^afollow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no ^bhypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real ^cintent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are ^dwilling to take upon you the ^ename of Christ, by ^fbaptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the ^gbaptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the ^htongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.

3 Nephi 9

18 I am the ^alight and the life of the world. I am ^bAlpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

19 And ye shall offer up unto me ^ano more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a ^asacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I ^bbaptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring ^aredemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.

22 Therefore, whoso ^arepenteth and cometh unto me ^bas a ^clittle child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have ^dlaid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.