37 …how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
As Latter-Day Saints. We believe in the Gathering of Israel. This is both a spiritual gathering, and a literal gathering. In Old Testament times, the patriarch Abraham was promised by God that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
That promise was extended to his son Isaac, and then Isaac’s son Jacob. Jacob was later renamed “Israel” by the Lord. Israel begat the 12 tribes of Israel and it was through this family that the promises were to be fulfilled. The Lords blessings were to be theirs if they would keep the commandments given to them.
These promises included the responsibility to take the gospel to the world. They also included blessings of specifics lands for inheritance. Where much is given, much is required. The Israelite’s were also told that if they did not live by the commandments of the Lord, they would be scattered. And scattered they were, first with the 10 tribes of the northern kingdom, by Assyria, and finally with the tribes of the kingdom of Judah by Babylon.
The Lord scattered Israel into all of the world. But the Lord was merciful and promised that in the Latter-days, Israel would be gathered together again. Israel, subsequently intermixed with peoples all over the earth, with the only Tribe really keeping its full identity being the tribe of Judah. Through this remarkable tribe we have been blessed to have the Holy Bible.
In 1836, the prophet Moses appeared to Joseph Smith and gave him the keys to the gathering of Israel. So the work of gathering commenced with missionaries being sent to as many countries as would let them in to preach the gospel and gather Israel in spiritually. We know as latter-day saints that the literal gathering of Israel to it’s lands of inheritance is also underway and will culminate with Israel receiving all if this inheritance.
Perhaps the most important gathering though, is the individual gathering that takes place one person at a time as they are converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Has this gathering happened to you? If it hasn’t, I testify that it can.
All you need to do, is have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, be baptized by immersion by those who hold the proper priesthood authority, receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and keep the commandments until the end of your life (repenting when you fall short).
Jesus Christ wants to gather you into his church. He stands with open arms.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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I recently came across this blog post about one of my ancestors Jacob Foutz. I’m related to him through my fathers line. Ben Tanner (me)>Ron Tanner>Stan Tanner > Art Tanner> Joseph B. Tanner>Nora Foutz>Joseph Lehi Foutz> Jacob Foutz.
