During my Come, Follow Me study, an unexpected verse stuck out to me. It seemed pretty inconsequential in previous readings—like a pass-through detail. But in our current political climate’s divisive upheaval and thinking of President Nelson’s call to prepare now for the Savior’s Second Coming, the verse suddenly felt significant. It felt like a latter-day call to gather to war or to God.
Gathering to War
The Book of Mormon recalls the Nephites and Lamanites’ final civil war battles. The prophet Mormon captained the Nephites’ armies, some of whom refused to fight because of fear. During one series of battles against the Lamanites, Mormon’s armies repeatedly suffered defeat and retreat. They finally ended up in the land of Joshua, which robbers and Lamanites infested. Of this dangerous time, Mormon wrote
And it came to pass that we did gather in our people as fast as it were possible, that we might get them together in one body. (Mormon 2:7)
The word gather reminded me of President Russell M. Nelson’s constant plea to gather Israel.
[T]hese surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance….
I saw battle lines drawn as the civil war between God’s children continued to completion—a battle for the souls of men. And both sides are gathering “in [their] people as fast as it were possible.”
Prior to the last great battle between the Nephites and Lamanites, long after the Spirit of the Lord ceased helping them, Mormon said they gathered in all the remainder of the people. All!
And when three hundred and eighty and four years had passed away, we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the land of Cumorah. And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon…[knew] it to be the last struggle of my people… (Mormon 6:5-6)
This reminded me of the Jaredite’s last great civil war. Opposing leaders Coriantumr and Shiz spent four years gathering every person possible.
[T]he people who were for Coriantumr were gathered together to the army of Coriantumr; and the people who were for Shiz were gathered together to the army of Shiz.
Wherefore, they were for the space of four years gathering together the people, that they might get all who were upon the face of the land, and that they might receive all the strength which it was possible that they could receive.
And it came to pass that when they were all gathered together, every one to the army which he would, with their wives and their children—both men, women and children being armed with weapons of war, having shields, and breastplates, and head-plates, and being clothed after the manner of war—they did march forth one against another to battle…. (Ether 15:13-15)
These battles wiped out millions of people and incredible civilizations and happened because those people rejected the Lord, His prophets, covenants, and ordinances. Without the Spirit of the Lord, the civilization, like Legion who possessed the Gadarene swine, “ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.”
Gathering to God
Rather than gathering people for destruction, the Lord gathers them for glory.
Lachoneus and his people gathered in faith, in the strength of the Lord.
And they did fortify themselves against their enemies; and they did dwell in one land, and in one body, and they did fear the words which had been spoken by Lachoneus, insomuch that they did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers unto the Lord their God, that he would deliver them in the time that their enemies should come down against them to battle. (3 Nephi 3:25)
The Lord delivered them!
I’m fascinated by gathering into one body—Jesus Christ’s version.
Paul taught
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (Ephesians 5:30)
Paul made that concept a little clearer for me to understand by teaching that through covenants and ordinances, we are gathered—with our unique capacities and purposes—as one body in Christ.
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body . . .
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
Each part of that gathered body matters significantly.
This Is Our Time to Gather
This election cycle seemed to split the United States in half, while the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called for gathering and unity. In an increasingly darkening world, the Lord calls upon unified Saints to gather to Zion.
Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations;
And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth.
And there shall be gathered unto [Zion] out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.
I used to think that every person in the world had to be hunting down his neighbor for everyone to “be at war one with another.” But I realized that time has exacerbated the “war of words and tumults of opinions” that Joseph Smith experienced. Our divisive culture breeds murderous hearts, even if that seems to look like a mean-spirited, self-righteous comment on social media. It’s shocking to see how many followers of Christ prefer the general destruction of their fellowmen because of political affiliation they feel threatens their own.
Since becoming the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson continually urges church members to gather.
There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that. There is nothing of greater consequence. Absolutely nothing.
This gathering should mean everything to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth. …
Pray daily that all of God’s children might receive the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You and I are living to see, and will continue to see, Israel gathered with great power. And you can be part of the power behind that gathering! … (“Hope of Israel” (worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018))
This gathering is all about giving every human soul the chance to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is all about saving souls. (“Hope of Israel” (Europe Area devotional, Jan. 23, 2022), unpublished.)
God wants to connect all people to the covenant He made anciently with Abraham. . . . That gathering is the most important work taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude. Nothing else compares in importance. The Lord’s missionaries—His disciples—are engaged in the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, the greatest work on earth today.
But there is even more—much more. There is a huge need to spread the gospel to people on the other side of the veil. God wants everyone, on both sides of the veil, to enjoy the blessings of His covenant. The covenant path is open to all. We plead with everyone to walk that path with us. No other work is so universally inclusive. (The Everlasting Covenant, Liahona, 2022)
I love you and thank you and now bless you with the ability to leave the world behind as you assist in this crucial and urgent work. Together we can do all that our Heavenly Father needs us to do to prepare the world for the Second Coming of His Beloved Son.
I invite you and your family to pray each day intentionally about what you can do that very day to help gather Israel. (“Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 70.)
The Lord is gathering those who are willing to let God prevail in their lives. The Lord is gathering those who will choose to let God be the most important influence in their lives. (Let God Prevail, 2020 General Conference)
We’re in the latter days. It is time to fully pick a side—and gather to war or to God. We can choose to let God prevail in our lives. The prophet of the Lord has promised that we can leave this warring world behind as we gather others to the body of Christ on both sides of the veil. What an amazing promise and opportunity!
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