Lessons on Missionary Service
Lesson No. Thirty-Two

The Book of Mormon and the Gathering of Israel

Elder Joseph Lunt and other missionaries gathering Israel using the Book of Mormon at a street market in Chile.

The Book of Mormon gives the pattern of how Israel will be gathered in the last days – (1 Nephi 22)

  • Israel was scattered among all nations, brought into captivity, and spiritually confounded because of wickedness, and because they rejected their Savior (Vs 3, 5). 
  • The Lord will raise up a mighty nation (the United States) where He will proceed to do the marvelous work of restoring the gospel and fulfilling his covenant to gather Israel (Vs 7-9).
  • To gather Israel the Lord will bare his arm (show his power) in all nations (Vs 10-11).
  • The Lord will insure that people can gather to the Church in their own nations (Vs 12).   
  • They shall be brought out of darkness and gain a testimony of the Lord and join his Church (Vs 12).  

The pattern used to gather Israel began in the United States; 1 Nephi 13-14 reveals this pattern –  

  • The Colonists were delivered from captivity and given freedom by the power of God (13: 10-19).
  • The Gentles were then delivered from their “awful state of (spiritual) blindness” (13:32), and the Book of Mormon will make known to all people that Jesus is the Christ “the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot by saved” (13:40).
  • The Restoration, including the Book of Mormon, is a marvelous work which sifts the nations.  Those who accept the gospel receive eternal life; the devil has power over those who do not (14:7).
  • The Lord’s Church is found in all nations; congregations are small compared to the world (14:12).
  • The Lord blesses and protects His people who make and keep temple covenants (14:14).
  • This is the pattern the Father follows to fulfill His covenant to gather the house of Israel (14:17).  

This pattern which began in the United States is being repeated –

  • People worldwide will have enough political and religious freedom to hear the gospel.  Elder Dallin Oaks said:  “The United States Constitution was the first written constitution in the world.  It has served American well, enhancing freedom and prosperity during the changed conditions of more than two hundred years.  Frequently copied, it has become the United States’ most important export.  After two centuries [most] nations have adopted written constitutions and the U.S. Constitution was a model for all of them” (Ensign, February 1992, p.68).
  • The great missionary effort administered by our Prophet, who holds the keys of the gathering of Israel which were restored to Joseph Smith (see D&C 110:11), is accelerating worldwide.

We are called to labor with the Lord as he fulfills his covenant to gather Israel – (See Jacob 5:69-71)      

  • Faithful members worldwide provide the leaven which lifts their countries out of darkness as more of their countrymen join the Church.  This is also the salt which will preserve their freedom.          
  • The primary way that the house of Israel blesses the families and the nations of the earth is through missionary service.  Abraham’s seed have the responsibility to “bear this ministry and priesthood unto all nations” (Abraham 2: 9).  “Abraham’s seed have carried out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day” (Bible Dictionary, Abraham, Covenant of, p. 602).

Testimony – It is our blessing to work with the Lord to gather Israel.  We do this as we live the gospel and perform missionary service.  The Lord’s work will succeed, and we are invited to be part of it. 

The Lord said, “the field is white already to harvest….and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul” (D&C 4:4).  This promise of salvation is the thing that we desire most for our family.  We know that if we keep our covenants and serve the Lord this greatest of all blessings will be ours.