Sunday, October 23, 2011

Reflections from Sundays lesson - The gathering of Israel

Sunday's lesson was from the manual - chapter 42 - The Gathering of the House of Israel. Sis. Crouch gave the lesson. 


She did a wonderful job of explaining the lineage of the 12 tribes, the areas where they wandered and how there will be will 2 gatherings of the lost tribes before the Second Coming - A spiritual and a physical gathering. The spiritual gathering has already begun and was started by Joseph Smith. 
Becky shared the scripture found in 3rd Nephi 10:6. It says -  O ye house of Israel whom I have aspared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and breturn unto me with full purpose of cheart.

 She asked us why a hen gathers her chicks? Why does Heavenly Father want his children to be gathered in? She said it was to protect us, bless us and teach us. 

She went on to say it is our obligation at the House of Israel to spread the gospel and we do that through missionary work. In the manual on the bottom of page 247 it states: "God gathers His children through missionary work. As people come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ, receiving the ordinances of salvation and keeping the associated covenants, they become “the children of the covenant” (3 Nephi 20:26). He has important reasons for gathering His children. He gathers them so they can learn the teachings of the gospel and prepare themselves to meet the Savior when He comes again. He gathers them so they will build temples and perform sacred ordinances for ancestors who have died without having this opportunity. He gathers them so they can strengthen one another and be unified in the gospel, finding protection from unrighteous influences in the world. He also gathers them so they can prepare themselves to share the gospel with others."

Thank you Sister Crouch for your preparation and lesson. 

- Megan