The prophet Jeremiah wrote of our time,
"Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers."
Jeremiah 16: 14-15
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So spectacular would be the latter-day gathering of Israel, that the miraculous exodus from Egypt will become a relatively minor story in comparison.
The astounding miracle of the Red Sea parting under Moses's command will pale when considered in light of what the Lord will do to bring the lost and scattered Israelites back to the land of Zion to build the great Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.
This great gathering, currently underway, involves different methods to bring about its accomplishment.
The Jews have been gathering to their homeland in the area we call the Middle East. This has been the work of diligent efforts over many years, by such things as the Balfour Declaration, the establishment of Mandatory Palestine, and of the State of Israel following the Second World War and its terrible purging, refining influence.
Pressures from without and within the tribe of Judah have led to an increasingly organized effort toward reestablishing themselves in the Holy Land. May there be peace in their land.
For the last few centuries, people have been gathering to America as well.
This gathering, led by Joseph's seed, will culminate in the establishment of a restored Kingdom of Israel. The land needed for this western Kingdom is alluded to in Joseph's own patriarchal blessing, given by his father, Jacob (Israel).
Said he, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall." (Genesis 49: 22)
Fruitful branches reaching over a wall call to mind a dropping of seeds and spreading of growth outside the confines of the conventional promised land, walled up and protected by God for His covenant people to enjoy. This running over the wall clearly implies a new promised land, beyond the borders of old Canaan, to be inhabited by Abraham's worthy descendants.
Where is this land?
It is the American continent.
Together with explicit promises in the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 1: 5-7, 20; Ether 2: 8-12; 2 Nephi 25: 20-22), we can read of a marvelous prediction that the land of Zion (America) will be protected from harm as long as those living there maintain themselves in obedience to Jesus Christ as the God of their land.
"The archers have sorely grieved [Joseph], and shot at him, and hated him:
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren."
Genesis 49: 23-26
Joseph's role is as the leader of a latter-day covenant gathering of God's children and the establishment of Zion in America, causing the building up of the Kingdom of God. This can only occur as the Lord gathers His elect from among those walking in darkness in the kindreds and kingdoms of the Earth.
The Lord has been leading them out of their scattered dispersion as the result of war, famine, persecution, oppression, economic insecurity, and other reasons. They have been seeking liberty, particularly in matters of religion and politics. These two topics are manifestations to me of the two Great Commandments—of loving God, and our neighbor.
It's unfortunate when some suppose that avoiding them in conversation is the way to make peace. Rather, civility in free and open discussion, especially when disagreeing, is a great way to ensure peace. Ignorance of God or of Godly principles will never produce a complete, lasting peace. Acknowledgement of the fatherhood of God, leading to a united brotherhood of man is the way to peace.
Religion at its core is the tie (ligature) that links us back to God. Our goodwill toward men constitutes a pure form of politics, whereby we strive to bring about the greatest good for our fellows through responsible citizenship, advocacy, representation, and unselfish service. This attitude toward politics led the American founding fathers to frame a country based on these lofty ideals, and to organize a representative government of, by, and for the People. Their inspired design has laid a groundwork for the exercise of liberty, which will lead to a just theocracy under the perfect leadership of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Doc. & Cov. 101: 77-80)
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To accomplish the great gathering, the Lord enlists fishers and hunters to seek out His elect.
"Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks."
Jeremiah 16: 16
There are two ways I visualize the differences between fishers and hunters.
First, imagine how a fisher uses bait to create a passive system for attracting fish to be captured. He may comfortably sit on the shore or on a boat, waiting for a bite. A hunter stalks the prey, and actively pursues.
The other way I contrast these fishers and hunters is by imagining a net being cast out over a wide area of water, descending and encircling a large number of fish, while a hunter focuses on only one target at a time.
These opposing interpretations provide us with four ways to consider how the Lord will use us to bring about the gathering of His people.
As the ones tasked with carrying out this work of gathering and building, what might we do?
How can we lay out "bait" by creating an attractive environment that will draw people closer to the Lord?
How can our normal, natural everyday interactions and conversations, our homes, churches, schools, workplaces, and other venues be transformed into welcoming, comforting havens, protected from the clamorous cares of the world?
How can we create a comfortable peacefulness in ourselves that others see and desire for themselves?
How can we be "an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity?" (1 Timothy 4: 12)
How can you and I diligently "hunt," by leaving our comfort zones to go into the weary world and seek out these wanderers?
How can we create intentional invitations to greater righteousness?
How might we cast a wide "net" to reach as many people as we can?
What kinds of things can we employ to appeal to a wide audience, all at once?
What can you and I do to focus on the one person who needs us—right now?
These approaches are all important and needed. There is no "magic bullet" or "perfect" bait.*
Continue on, willing to try different ways you might reach your brothers and sisters.
You can do this. You know enough.
See also:
Let Your Faith Show, by Russell M. Nelson
The Doctrine of Belonging, by D. Todd Christofferson
Love Is Spoken Here, by Gerrit W. Gong
Safety for the Soul, by Jeffrey R. Holland
The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It? by Russell M. Nelson
The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion, by Ezra Taft Benson
* Though there is no single magic bullet or perfect bait (one specific approach that always works for all people), I strongly encourage you to seek ways to employ the Book of Mormon more simply and directly in your efforts to share the Gospel.
That Book is the Lord's instrument for the gathering of Israel. It is our handbook for guiding others to make and keep covenants. It is the Lord's way of introducing the Holy Ghost to the unacquainted. It is the keystone of our religion.
It is the tacklebox from which to select your bait; it is the quiver from which to choose an arrow.
The Lord's people are much more than a warm, inviting social order. We are bound to the Lord by individual and collective covenants. This higher, holier idea of covenant belonging must supplant the world's relatively shallow understanding of welcoming inclusivity.
No one will be a true convert in this current dispensation except they enter in by the way, which is by gaining a sure witness of the divinity of the Book of Mormon.