3
Nephi 3:13
Children Gather around Jesus
Jesus sits and talks
with the children as they gather around Him.
What
13 Yea,
he sent a proclamation among all the people, that they
should agather together
their women, and their children, their flocks and their herds, and
all their substance, save it were their land, unto one place.
Why
there
is strength in numbers and unity.
Pattern
3 Ne.
3:22
22
And it came to pass in the seventeenth year, in the latter end of the
year, the proclamation of Lachoneus had gone forth throughout all the
face of the land, and they had taken their horses,
and their chariots, and their cattle, and all their flocks, and their
herds, and their grain, and all their substance, and did march forth
by thousands and by tens of thousands, until they had all gone forth
to the place which had been
appointed that they should gather themselves together, to defend
themselves against their enemies.
4:1
1
And it came to pass that in the latter end of the eighteenth year
those armies of robbers had
prepared for battle, and began to come down and to sally forth from
the hills, and out of the mountains, and the wilderness, and their
strongholds, and their secret places,
and began to take possession of the lands, both which were in the
land south and which were in the land north, and began to take
possession of all the lands which had been deserted by
the Nephites, and the cities which had been left desolate.
Christ
this
could be symbolic of when Jesus spoke of gathering His flocks and the
gathering of Israel.
Luke 13:34
34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them
that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy
children together, as a hen doth gather her
brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Ensign
article
- Church leaders and members covenanted to gather “all the Saints with us, to the extent of our ability, … influence and property.”
JST, Luke 17:37
37
And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is gathered;
or, in other words, whithersoever the saints are gathered,
thither will the eagles be gathered together;
or, thither will the remainder be gathered together.
Conference
Russell
M. Nelson Of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
My
beloved brothers and sisters, thank you for your faith, your
devotion, and your love. We share an enormous responsibility to be
who the Lord wants us to be and to do what He wants us to do. We are
part of a great movement—the gathering of scattered Israel. I speak
of this doctrine today because of its unique importance in God’s
eternal plan.
Abrahamic Covenant
Anciently,
the Lord blessed Father Abraham with a promise to make his posterity
a chosen people.1 References
to this covenant occur throughout the scriptures. Included were
promises that the Son of God would come through Abraham’s lineage,
that certain lands would be inherited, that nations and kindreds of
the earth would be blessed through his seed, and more.2 While
some aspects of that covenant have already been fulfilled, the Book
of Mormon teaches that this Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled only
in these latter days!3 It
also emphasizes that we are among the covenant people of the
Lord.4 Ours
is the privilege to participate personally in the fulfillment of
these promises. What an exciting time to live!
This
doctrine of the gathering is one of the important teachings of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lord has declared:
“I give unto you a sign … that I shall gather in, from their long
dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again
among them my Zion.”17 The
coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign to the entire world that
the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill covenants He made
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.18 We
not only teach this doctrine, but we participate in it. We do so as
we help to gather the elect of the Lord on both sides of the veil.
The
Book of Mormon is central to this work. It declares the doctrine of
the gathering.19It
causes people to learn about Jesus Christ, to believe His gospel, and
to join His Church. In fact, if there were no Book of Mormon, the
promised gathering of Israel would not occur.20
Gathering of Souls on the Other Side of the Veil
Mercifully,
the invitation to “come unto Christ”34 can
also be extended to those who died without a knowledge of the
gospel.35 Part
of their preparation requires earthly efforts of others. We gather
pedigree charts, create family group sheets, and do temple work
vicariously to gather individuals unto the Lord and into their
families.36
The
choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it
is a matter of individual commitment. People can be “brought to the
knowledge of the Lord”39without
leaving their homelands. True, in the early days of the Church,
conversion often meant emigration as well. But now the gathering
takes place in each nation. The Lord has decreed the establishment of
Zion40 in
each realm where He has given His Saints their birth and nationality.
Scripture foretells that the people “shall be gathered home to the
lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in all their
lands of promise.”41 “Every
nation is the gathering place for its own people.”42 The
place of gathering for Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; the place of
gathering for Nigerian Saints is in Nigeria; the place of gathering
for Korean Saints is in Korea; and so forth. Zion is “the pure in
heart.”43 Zion
is wherever righteous Saints are. Publications, communications, and
congregations are now such that nearly all members have access to the
doctrines, keys, ordinances, and blessings of the gospel, regardless
of their location.
Spiritual
security will always depend upon how one
lives, not where one
lives. Saints in every land have equal claim upon the blessings of
the Lord.
Hymns
Children
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