“an angel of God never has wings” (in History of the Church, 3:392).
“The fact that these holy beings were shown to him as having wings was simply to symbolize their ‘power, to move, to act, etc.’ as was the case also in visions others had received. (D. & C. 77:4.)” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 703).
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) described the telephone call in which President J. Reuben Clark Jr. (1871–1961) of the First Presidency informed him that he had been called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“‘Oh, Brother Clark! Not me? You don’t mean me? There must be some mistake. I surely couldn’t have heard you right.’ This as I sank past the chair to the floor. …
“‘Oh, Brother Clark! It seems so impossible. I am so weak and small and limited and incapable’” (Spencer W. Kimball, in Edward L. Kimball and Andrew E. Kimball Jr., Spencer W. Kimball: Twelfth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [1977], 189).