As I understand the Lord’s work, there are some few people to whom heavenly angels minister. The men and women who are ministered to by heavenly angels are taught for the purpose of encouraging faith in others. As explained to Moroni by his father: “neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men. For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, shewing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness. And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him; and by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ.” NC Moroni 7:6
Angels are sent to minister to men, women and children: “And now, [God] imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men, but women also. Now this is not all. Little children do have words given unto them many times which do confound the wise and the learned.” NC Alma 12:26
Enoch was translated with his city and has become a ministering angel: “He [Enoch] is a ministering angel, to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation[.]” T&C 140:13
The Lord’s disciple John was translated, or in other words made a ministering angel. This is how the Lord described it to Peter when he asked about John’s future: “Therefore, I will make him as flaming fire and a ministering angel. He shall minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation who dwell on the earth[.]” T&C 1: JSH 13:19
Translated men and women serve as angels. They are “held in reserve to be ministering angels” by the Lord. T&C 140:14
An angel is a messenger sent to deliver a message from God. If the person has been translated, or resurrected, or even remains mortal, when they deliver a message from God they are a ministering angel.
When the three Nephite disciples were changed or translated, after the end of the time of a mortal life they no longer appeared or ministered openly to people. They acted only as angels, in the role of teaching servants who would then teach others to have faith in God. As Mormon mentioned about these angel-messengers: “they are hid from the world. But behold, I have seen them and they have ministered unto me, and behold, they will be among the gentiles and the gentiles knoweth them not.” NC 3 Ne. 13:5
Heavenly angels minister to mortal messengers, who then teach the residue of people to have faith in God. But there is a singular focus involved in this work: to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of the Father. They do not minister to allow people to claim they are better, to assert possession of superior knowledge or spirituality, or to satisfy men’s curiosity. It is to fulfill covenants made by the Father to His children.
When fools trifle with the souls of men by claiming they have some great message that has nothing to do with fulfilling the covenants of the Father, they are either lying or have been deceived by a false spirit. There is an unfortunate amount of that going on now (as is always the case when the work of the Father is underway).