Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 12

Introduction

Give a class member a piece of paper and ask him to tear it.  Of course, that’s easy.  Then give someone else a phonebook and ask them to tear it in half.  It can’t be done.  What can this activity teach us about the Lord’s purposes in gathering his people?  This lesson focuses on the gathering of Israel and our part in it.

The Lord is gathering His people

The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “All that the prophets … have written, from the days of righteous Abel, down to the last man that has left any testimony on record for our consideration, in speaking of the salvation of Israel in the last days, goes directly to show that it consists in the work of the gathering” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 83).

Read the Tenth Article of Faith.  What is the gathering of Israel?

Physical gathering

The physical gathering of Israel occurs as Church members come together in a particular location or in the stakes of Zion throughout the world.

Spiritual gathering

The spiritual gathering of Israel occurs as people learn the gospel, come unto Christ, are baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and keep their covenants. In this way they are gathered from the world into the Church, or the kingdom of God on earth.

Read D&C 29:8. 

• What is a purpose of the gathering revealed in this verse?  I believe the Lord wants us to “prepare [our] hearts and being prepared in all things.”  Remember that preparation is something that you do before it is needed. 
• How have you been blessed by being gathered into the Lord’s church?

The Saints gather in Ohio

In December 1830, just eight months after the Church was organized, the Lord gave the first call in this dispensation for the Saints to gather physically. He revealed to Joseph Smith that the Saints should leave New York and gather in Ohio (D&C 37:3).

Why did the Lord command the Saints to gather in Ohio?  Read D&C 38:31-32:

• Escape from their enemies
• Be gathered as a righteous people without spot
• Receive the Lord’s law
• Be endowed with power from on high

Read D&C 110:9-10.  What “endowment” was given to the Saints in Ohio?  The temple endowment as we know it today was not introduced until Nauvoo.  The Church and its leaders were endowed with priesthood keys:

·         Verse 11 – Moses returned the keys of the gathering of Israel.

·         Verse 12 – Elias restored the priesthood keys of preaching the gospel of Abraham for the blessing of generations to come.

·         Verses 13-16 – Elijah returned the keys of temple work.

These blessings were truly unknown to the world.  The world really didn’t know what it was missing, but the blessings that have come as a result of the temple in Kirtland will literally save the world.

The Lord had high expectations for the attitude and behavior of the Saints as they gathered.  Read D&C 38:24-27.  What did the Lord require of them?  Why is unity important in the church?  How can we become more unified?

Continuing with these expectations, read verses 34-39.  This was a time of great poverty for the Church, as members left their homes and farms and followed the Prophet’s counsel to gather.  Even in these times, the Lord expected his children to care for each other.  Today we have been blessed with great riches, and endowed even more fully in the temple.  How much greater is our responsibility to administer to the needy, and to beware of pride?

Why were the saints in 1830-31 so willing to sacrifice financially?  How can we improve our lives by following their example?

The Saints gather in Missouri

A few months after the Saints began gathering in Ohio, Joseph Smith traveled to Missouri and received a revelation designating Missouri as the place for the city of Zion (D&C 57:1–3). With this revelation, Missouri became a second gathering place for the Church in this dispensation (D&C 63:24, 36–48). From 1831 to 1838, the Church maintained centers of population in both Ohio and Missouri.

The following time line summarizes the early revelations about the land of Zion and the establishment of the Church in Missouri.

1. June 1831 (in Kirtland, after the first conference there): The Lord called Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and other elders to go on a mission to Missouri. The Lord also promised to consecrate the land of Missouri to His people as the land of their inheritance (D&C 52:2–5, 42–43).
2. June 1831 (in Kirtland): The Lord revealed that the Saints from the Colesville Branch in New York, who had journeyed to Ohio, should continue on to Missouri (D&C 54:8).  This meant their 360 mile journey was extended by more than 800 miles!
3. July 1831 (after the Prophet had traveled to Missouri): The Lord revealed that the city of Zion would be located in Missouri, with Independence as the center place. A temple would be built in Independence (D&C 57:1–3).

Today saints gather to Zion in our own lands

In the early days of the Church, the gathering served several important purposes:

1. Provide physical safety
2. Provide spiritual safety
3. Provide for the building of temples

Today these functions are accomplished by the stakes.  President Benson taught:

“Presently, Israel is being gathered to the various stakes of Zion. … A stake has at least four purposes:

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).

Conclusion

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “What was the object of gathering … the people of God in any age of the world? … The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation. … It is for the same purpose that God gathers together His people in the last days, to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and anointings” (History of the Church, 5:423–24).

This work of gathering continues today at an accelerated pace.  We are blessed as we work to contribute to this effort.