The Restoration has been on my mind a lot lately because over the past 6 months I have been trying to “immerse myself in the glorious light of the Restoration” as I prepare for General Conference next weekend.
Another thing (which is very much connected) that has been on my mind a lot lately is the gathering of Israel.
When I really pay attention, I notice that The Book of Mormon talks about the scattering and gathering of Israel over and over and over again. The Book of Mormon is saturated with this doctrine.
One of the things that I wrote down in my Book of Mormon is “Because of The Book of Mormon, I know about my mission in life. I know that I am here to gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil.” (2/12/20)
The gathering of Israel is the work of the Restoration. Through the Restoration of Gospel of Jesus Christ, the House of Israel… the Family of God, is gathered and restored.
Souls are restored (Psalms 23:3)
Health is restored (Jeremiah 30:17)
Comfort is restored (Isaiah 57:18)
Wholeness is restored (Matthew 12:13)
Sight is restored (Mark 8:25)
Knowledge is restored (2 Nephi 30:5)
Love of God is restored (Jacob 7:23)
True faith is restored (Enos 1:14)
The soul and the body together are restored (Alma 40:23)
Happiness is restored (Alma 41:10)
Mercy is restored (Alma 41:14)
The presence of God is restored (Alma 42:23)
Grace is restored (Helaman 12:24)
Good is restored (Helaman 14:31)
Blessings are restored (D&C 109:21)
Over the past couple of years since President Nelson became the prophet, he has focused heavily on teaching us about our role in the gathering of Israel.
This is the vital work that is going on in the world today, at this time, in these latter-days – to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. President Nelson has called the gathering of Israel the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, and the greatest work on earth.
He said “anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel.” (Hope of Israel, June 2018)
I find it interesting that I don’t remember the gathering of Israel being emphasized as heavily and consistently in the past. Why is that?
I think its because the time is now. And I get to be a part of it. What a privilege!
“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
This morning when I woke up and was getting ready to get out of bed, I started thinking about all of this. I had some thoughts come to me that I wanted to write down…
-I have been sent to the earth at this time, to a family that already knew the gospel. My mission and purpose in life is to gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil and bring them to a knowledge of their Redeemer.
-In thinking about the post that I wrote on February 17th about my relationship with Jesus Christ being restored, I thought about how I get to help in the restoration process. I get to help to restore others’ relationships with God, at the same time as my own relationship with Him is being restored.
It occurred to me that in The Allegory of the Olive Trees, Christ not only is the Master of the Vineyard, but He is also the “Mother Tree”.
We, as individual souls, are the branches, and many of us have been scattered. I get to assist in grafting myself and others (through motherhood, through family history, through my calling, through friendship, etc) back into the mother tree- back into their relationship with Jesus Christ.
“And, behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree which I planted whithersoever I would are yet alive; wherefore, that I may preserve them also for mine own purpose, I will take of the branches of this tree, and I will graft them in unto them. Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree, that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my vineyard.” (Jacob 5:54)
“And they also took of the natural trees which had become wild, and grafted into their mother tree.” (Jacob 5:56)
“And because that I have preserved the natural branches and the roots thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural branches again into their mother tree, and have preserved the roots of their mother tree, that, perhaps, the trees of my vineyard may bring forth again good fruit; and that I may have joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and, perhaps, that I may rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved the roots and the branches of the first fruit– Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other fruit.” (Jacob 5:60-61)
When I work on family history and I find long lost family members, and especially when I do the temple work for those family members, I am adding (grafting) those branches back into the family tree… the family of God. We often talk about “The family tree”… I am now seeing that it is the Mother Tree, which is Christ.
The restoration/gathering is both on a large scale (restoration of the gospel/gathering of Israel) and on a small scale (personal repentance and forgiveness; a return to physical/mental/emotional/spiritual health when there has been chaos or sickness; a return to a state of peace and rest when there has been fear and stress, etc.)
As I do my part to help gather Israel on the large scale, Jesus Christ is gathering and restoring anything that is out of place and/or broken in me.
Through it all, I am gathered, grafted, and restored. And it is then my privilege to get to assist in the gathering, grafting, and restoration of others.
