Gathering of Israel

I think of the gathering as having three integral parts: physical gathering of saints, building of temples, and our own spiritual readiness to be gathered.

Physical gathering of the Saints:

Saints gathered together in Kirtland, Ohio; Missouri; Nauvoo, Illinois; and finally the Great Basin. Then the gathering changed from one central point, to stakes around the entire world: Bruce R. McConkie stated:

The] revealed words speak of … there being congregations of the covenant people of the Lord in every nation, speaking every tongue, and among every people when the Lord comes again. …

“The place of gathering for the Mexican Saints is in Mexico; the place of gathering for the Guatemalan Saints is in Guatemala; the place of gathering for the Brazilian Saints is in Brazil; and so it goes throughout the length and breadth of the whole earth. Japan is for the Japanese; Korea is for the Koreans; Australia is for the Australians; every nation is the gathering place for its own people” (in Conference Report, Mexico and Central America Area Conference 1972, 45).

Now we gather in our own stakes. President Benson taught as we gather in stakes, we have this protection:

• 1. [Stakes are] to unify and perfect the members who live in [their] boundaries by extending to them the Church programs, the ordinances, and gospel instruction.

• “2. Members of stakes are to be models, or standards, of righteousness.

• “3. Stakes are to be a defense. They do this as stake members unify under their local priesthood officers and consecrate themselves to do their duty and keep their covenants. …

• “4. Stakes are a refuge from the storm to be poured out over the earth” (“Strengthen Thy Stakes,” Ensign, Jan. 1991, 2, 4–5)

Gathering means temple building.

The Saints dedicated land to build temples in three places in Missouri, and built the first latter-day temple in Kirtland, Ohio. The temple in Kirtland was built and Joseph Smith received the keys for the gathering of Isreal. From the very beginning the temple has been integral to the gathering of the Saints. Gathering means to take out of the world and bring into the kingdom. As we become a covenant making and covenant keeping people, the protection of the Lord will be with us, and we become sanctified--thus we are gathered into God's kingdom.

Finally, gathering is a personal choice. As we hear the word of God, hearken to the word of God, and humble ourselves, we will be gathered.

He will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer. D&C 29:2

And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts; D&C 29:7

And even so will I gather mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice. D&C 33:6

The Restoration of the Priesthood/ Sunday lesson brought to you on Monday

When I was a teenager, I would often travel with my dad throughout New York on his church assignments. I loved being able to see my friends, and I always loved being with my dad. On one occasion, we were driving past the exit for the Restoration of the Priesthood. He wanted to stop, but I wanted to get home. I believe my exact response was, "Dad, I just want to go home. I'm a girl, the priesthood has nothing to do with me." My dad kept on driving. But of course, the restoration of the priesthood has everything to do with me, and it means everything to me. I have been blessed by the priesthood at every stage of my life, and will be continued to be blessed by it.

In April 1829, Oliver Cowdery came to help Joseph Smith with the translation of the Book of Mormon. While they were translating 3 Nephi, Joseph and Oliver realized that they needed to be baptized. The two went into the woods to pray. In answer to their prayer, John the Baptist Appear to them. He laid his hands on their heads and said, "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

In Sunday School, we talked about what it means to have the Ministring of Angels. Elder Oaks gave a beautiful talk about what it means to have Angels with us. It is part of having the spirit always with us.

Two of my favorite quotes:

What does it mean that the Aaronic Priesthood holds “the key of the ministering of angels” and of the “gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins”? The meaning is found in the ordinance of baptism and in the sacrament. Baptism is for the remission of sins, and the sacrament is a renewal of the covenants and blessings of baptism. Both should be preceded by repentance. When we keep the covenants made in these ordinances, we are promised that we will always have His Spirit to be with us. The ministering of angels is one of the manifestations of that Spirit.

But the ministering of angels can also be unseen. Angelic messages can be delivered by a voice or merely by thoughts or feelings communicated to the mind. President John Taylor described “the action of the angels, or messengers of God, upon our minds, so that the heart can conceive … revelations from the eternal world” (Gospel Kingdom, sel. G. Homer Durham [1987], 31).

I often take the blessing of the gospel for granted because it has always been a part of my life. Sometimes, the Lord allows me to see how I have been blessed by the gospel. Whether it is recognizing the angels that helped me through difficult times, or seeing how my choices brought safety and peace to my family. It's a remarkable gift, and those gifts are made possible because of the restoration of the priesthood.

Some of the responses from our Sunday School class of how the Priesthood blesses their lives: healing, ordinance, ability to make and keep covenants with God, and having the spirit in their lives. One of the most tender, was from a father, explaining what a great blessing it has been to baptize his children, give them father's blessings, ordain them to the priesthood. I love how the Lord connects our families both through the priesthood ordinances, and by fathers being able to perform those ordinances.

I will tell you in your heart and in your mind, by the Holy Ghost

Elder Bednar told the following story at a Ricks College Devotional in 1999, "I once was traveling to a stake conference assignment on a small and noisy commuter airplane. Seated in the row just in front of me on the plane was a woman with three young children ranging in age from an infant to a four-year-old. Because the plane had only two seats on each side of the center aisle, the mother was situated quite some distance from her oldest child, a cute little boy who obviously was flying on an airplane for the very first time. His nose was pressed firmly against the window so he would have a good view of everything that was taking place, and he delighted in describing what he was seeing to his mother as the engines started and as we taxied down the runway for takeoff. The little boy’s eyes were wide and his voice was full of excitement as the plane climbed into the sky.

During all of this time, however, the mother was busy with the two youngest children, getting them buckled into their seats, finding toys, and responding to their needs and requests. The mother consistently had been responding to the little boy’s enthusiastic exclamations in a calm, soothing voice. But because of the noise of the engines and the clatter of the small airplane, the little boy could not hear his mother’s responses. After we had been in the air for about five minutes, and thinking that his mother was not paying adequate attention to him, the little boy blurted out, "Mom, you’re not listening to me!"

I then observed a very interesting thing. The wise mother continued to respond and talk to her son in the same calm tones, never raising her voice. Eventually the little boy was able to hear his mom’s voice in spite of the engine and other noises on the plane. The mother’s voice did not change; rather, the little boy’s ability to hear her voice in the midst of the noise increased. It took some time, but the little boy learned how to block out the distracting noises around him and focus upon the familiar voice of his mother."

I think there are two parts to this lesson:

• First, what does the Holy Ghost feel like.
  
• Second, how can we block out the distracting noises around us so we can hear and recognize the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost: (these are the scriptures directly from the lesson)
D&C 6:22:23, D&C 8:2, D&C 9:8-9, D&C 11:12:13

Many of the scriptures were given as revelations to Oliver Cowdery. The Lord was teaching him in a kind and loving manner how he speaks to his children.

What can we do to stay in tune with the Holy Ghost.

Elder Bednar gave these four principles:

1. We must desire the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
2. We must invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
3. We must heed simple promptings.
4. We must heed promptings quickly.

When I was a missionary, we tried to teach others how to feel and recognize the Holy Ghost. When you are a missionary, you always have the spirit with you, so sometimes it is difficult to tell when it is there. My dear mission president, told us one way we can tell if the spirit is present: we learn more about the gospel. President Eyring taught that every time we feel the influence of the Holy Ghost we change, and draw nearer to our Heavenly Father.

So how do you feel the spirit? More importantly, how do you stay in tune with the spirit.

What can we learn?

Today, I am going to teach Sunday School about the lost 116 pages of The Book of Mormon. What can we learn from the story of the lost 116 page? While in Harmony, Pennsylvania; Joseph Smith translated the first 116 pages of The Book of Mormon with Martin Harris as his scribe. When they finished this portion of translation, Martin asked Joseph if he could take the manuscript to show his wife. Joseph asked the Lord if Martin could take the manuscript--a firm no! Time passed, and Martin who didn't have a very supportive wife kept asking Joseph if he could take the manuscript. Finally, Joseph asked the Lord again, and this time the answer was a very cautious, but be careful yes. Martin returned home with the promise that he would only show five members of his family. However, Martin began to show anyone the manuscript that walked through his door. Meanwhile, Joseph remained in Harmony where his wife gave birth to their first child Alvin, who died the same day. Emma was very sick and nearly died, Joseph nursed her for two weeks. As soon as Emma's health permitted he returned to Palmyra to retrieve the manuscript and return to translation. But Martin had broken his promise, and the manuscript was lost. Joseph cried out in inconsolable grief, "Oh, my God!…All is lost! all is lost! What shall I do? I have sinned—it is I who tempted the wrath of God". The gift of translation was taken away until September 22 of that year, when he started work on the translation of The Book of Mormon. Using Emma as a scribe, he began translating where he had stopped. In the spring of 1829, Oliver Cowdery came and Joseph quickly went to work translating the book.

1. We should accept the Lord's answers to our prayers.
2. We should fear God rather than man.
3. When we are faithful, the Lord will extend his arm of mercy to us.
4. The Lord knows that we will make mistakes, and in his infinite wisdom provides a Savior so we can repent and return to him.
5. In addition, the Lord knew that the pages would be lost, and he provided another record of the people to teach the gospel of Christ.
   
6. "The Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words." 1 Nephi 9:6
   
7. (This is for me!) We don't need to know why we should follow the spirit, we should just follow the spirit. Nephi said that he made two sets of plates for a wise purpose, which purpose he knew not. Mormon added the plates for a wise purpose, even though he didn't know all things, he trusted that the Lord knoweth all things.
   
8. God's work will go forth even though Satan tries to destroy it.
9. Like Joseph, we don't understand the gifts that God gave to us.
10. All gifts come from God, and we must remain humble to attain and keep those gifts.