From the early days of the restoration of the Church, there has been a great day of gathering. In the section 101 of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 64, we read:
"That the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places; for the time of harvest is come, and my word must needs be fulfilled."
This gathering of the saints was a literal gathering. It was a harvest of the faithful from all over the world. As members of the church were converted, they left their homes and came to "gather" with the saints, first in the eastern part of the United States where the Church was first established, and later in Utah, where the Church was to be located. They gathered to Zion.
There was great personal sacrifice associated with this gathering. I am reminded of my great grandmother, Petrera Pederson Hougaard. She was only a child, in Denmark, when the missionaries found her family and taught them the gospel. Her father, John Pederson, was a wealthy merchant and when he as converted to the truth, he decided to sell everything he had and gather with the saints in Utah. The family had to leave everything behind. Each child could choose one thing to bring with them, aside from the bare necessities of food and clothing. Petrera chose her little rag doll.
Now, during the process of settling his affairs, John became aware of others who had joined this new faith. They were desirous of gathering with the saints as well, but they did not have the means to pay for their passage on the ship. John decided to book all of the passages on the ship and bring as many families as he was able. He spent most of his fortune doing so. And so it was that the Pederson family said good- bye to their loved ones, their home and possessions, and their place of birth to come to Zion.
The little family had many hardships along the way. While at sea, two of Petrera's younger siblings contracted the dread disease of small pox. They both died and had to be buried at sea. Then as they began their long journey across the plains in an ox pulled wagon, they were delayed because their mother gave birth to a baby that also died and was buried along the trail.
These things were very hard for the family, but Petrera had her own little personal trails as well. She told in her later years of how tired she was on this long journey because she had to walk most of the time. Finally, her father lifted her onto the neck of one of the oxen to ride. She was mortally afraid of the huge animal, but she decided she was more tired than she was afraid, so that is where she stayed.
On another occasion, Indians approached the group of travelers. Frightening stories of what might happen to them were surely paramount in their thoughts as the leader of the Indian band rode past them looking them over. Finally he rode back to where Petrera stood with her father. He made them understand that he wanted the little rag doll clutched in her hands for his own daughter. Petreria had no choice but to give it to him. Then the Indians rode off, leaving them unharmed.
Finally the family arrived in Salt Lake City. They felt great relief at having completed their long trek. They longed for a time of rest. But it was not to be so. After just a short time in the valley, they were assigned by Brigham Young to travel south to settle the Manti area.
It was late in the fall, and by the time they got there, there was no time to build homes. And so they built dugouts against the cliffs, in an area that is now just east of the Manti Temple.
The winter was harsh, but they survived, if just barely. And when the spring came, they looked forward to it with great anticipation. This excitement, however, was soon overcome with concerns for safety, because they began to find large rattlesnakes everywhere - in their beds, in cupboards, above their doors. It seems that these snakes had been hibernating in the rocks, and were now coming to life in the warm weather. Petrera's father and other men in the group decided to hunt them down. They found the snakes rolled into great balls containing hundreds of snakes in caves in the cliffs. They pushed sagebrush into the openings of the caves and then set them on fire. The miracle was that not one person died from snakebite.
They continued to work hard for many years to build their homes, farms, the little community of Manti and then the temple. Sacrifice and service was part of their every day lives. But to them, coming to Zion, gathering to be with the Saints and having the blessings of the Temple was the most important thing. It was because of their great faith in Jesus Christ and their great love for Him. They were not just gathering to Zion, they were gathering to Him.
Many of you may have similar stories in your families. Some of you may be the first members of the Church in your families. But I am sure all of us wonder how these early Pioneers could have done what they did? We wonder if we would have had the same kind of strength and faith?
This principle of "gathering" is an eternal principle. We are bound by it just as were the early saints. Now,we are not asked to gather in the same way as they were, so let's look a little further into why they "gathered" as they did and what "gathering" means for us. In 1 Nephi 22:25 we read:
"And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture."
In the early days of the church, the "gathering" was for the purpose of building up the strength of Zion. It was for the purpose of building temples and gathering to them in order to receive the ordinances of the Lord. This was done physically as the members of the Church gathered in large groups. It was also done spiritually as individuals increased in faith as they sacrificed for the Lord.
I remember hearing of a fast and testimony meeting where members of the Church were talking about the terrible sacrifices made by the Martin-Willie Handcart Company. There was even a little criticism about the fact that the company had started their trek so late in the year. At the very back of the hall, an old man stood to bear his testimony. He had been a survivor of that handcart company when he had been a young boy. He expressed his great love for the Lord, and his gratitude for having had the privilege to sacrifice so much. He declared that it was that very sacrifice that built the faith that he felt so strongly these many years later.
Today we have members all around the world and we gather differently. New members are not asked to leave their homes and come to Utah. Rather, we gather in branches, wards and stakes in our own areas. But we gather for the same reasons as did our fore fathers as they gathered to Zion. We gather to establish the church. We gather to the temples. We gather to establish the gospel in our own hearts. We gather to be strengthened by one another and by the Spirit. We have come to understand that the word "Zion" means pure in heart, and so we "gather" in order to purify ourselves before the Lord.
Now, this kind of "gathering" does not generally require the same kind of sacrifice as did the "gathering" of the early saints. But today, may I suggest, that the word "gathering" may have a deeper meaning for us as individuals. And it may require a different kind of sacrifice. I would like to begin by asking some questions. First, what does it mean to us, individually, to "gather"? To whom do we "gather"? What is our "gathering place"? And, what are the blessings we receive as we "gather"?
First, let us consider what it means to us individually to "gather." In the D & C 86:7 we read:
"Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares...."
This scripture refers to gathering the righteous saints out of the wickedness of the world. But we are already members of the Church, so what does this mean for us? Could it mean that we must "gather" ourselves away from the influence of the world. And if so, then each of us might ask the question "what must I do to "gather" myself "out" and be counted in the Lord's harvest?" And, "what kinds of sacrifices will I have to make?" This may mean that each of us will need to really look at how we live and how exact we are in obeying the commandments of the Lord.
We have lots of direction and help from our Heavenly Father in doing this. But let's just read in D&C 84: 43-45:
"And now I give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life. For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ." Heavenly Father has given us many specific commandments, but he also teaches us how to discern what is right and what is wrong. In this scripture, I love the idea of truth being light and wickedness or worldliness being dark.
I saw a vivid representation of this when I visited church members in Africa. We were traveling into the bush country in Kenya. We had to travel in a four-wheel drive vehicle because of the condition of the roads, or the lack thereof. Our goal was to visit a small branch. The countryside, or the "world" was very harsh. There was a famine in the land and the people were suffering. We traveled through dessert and then rugged bush country. We drove through dry creek beds, past small isolated villages where the children ran alongside our car and the adults sat idly by the roadside. We drove through wooded areas where we saw simple, small homes, maybe 12' by 12', made of brush and scrap wood or pieces of corrugated metal, which housed large families as well as orphaned neighbor children. We saw animals that were skin and bone and people who looked no better. We saw people whose lives were as drab and brown as the dirt in which they lived. Then, as we drove through the trees, we came around a bend in the road, and there was a beautiful little LDS chapel. It was all white and was landscaped with green lawn, and flowers. There was a low iron fence surrounding it. The chapel was in stark contrast to everything else around it. It was clean and beautiful and seemed to glow in the sunlight. You could feel the spirit that resided there.
The people gathered there, waiting for us, were different from the other people we had seen as well. They were dressed in their Sunday best, even though it was a Saturday. They were clean, reverent and radiated the Spirit. They were smiling and happy! They were there as families, eager to be taught. These humble people had brought themselves "out" of their world and "gathered" to the light. I was stunned by the image they represented.
Brothers and sisters, we live in a dark and dreary world where evil influences lurk on every side. Satan and his followers will stop at nothing to have our very souls, and will use any tool that is available to them to pull us down. It is all together too easy for us to become complacent in living the gospel the way the Lord would have us do. It is too easy to rationalize our behavior and not only live in the world, but of the world to one degree or another. It is too easy to become discouraged with our challenges. It is too easy to get mixed up with the "tares."
So each of us must ask, "What must I sacrifice to 'gather' out of the dark world, and come to the 'light'? What in my life must I change in order to be part of the Lord's harvest?"
Our Heavenly Father has given us many wonderful principles of the gospel that will help us come back to Him. The law of the Sabbath day, the commandment to be unspotted from the world, the principle of charity, the doctrines of service, sacrifice, and obedience are but a few, but they are all principles of the gospel, that if lived fully, will draw us closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. How well do we really live them? Do we do it with "exactness," or do we quite literally live with one foot on each side of the fence? We can't be "gathered" with the wheat, if we are interlaced with "tares." We must be willing to sacrifice worldly pleasures if we would have eternal blessings.
I would like to use two of these principles of the gospel as examples. Let us first consider the principle and then let us each evaluate how well we are living it.
First, let us talk about the Sabbath Day. What is the Law concerning the Sabbath day? In Mosiah 13:16 we read the basic law:
"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."
Then in the 59th section of the Doctrine and Covenants we find further instruction about how we "remember" and how we "keep it holy":
"And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
"For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the most high. Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;
"But remember that on this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations (offerings, whether of time, talents, or means, in service of God and fellowman. TG sacrifice) and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord." (repenting)
"And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or in other words, that thy joy may be full."
"Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer."
"And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance."
"Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fullness of the earth is yours..."[1]
When you consider these scriptures, we can see that by following them, exactly, we would be able to "gather" ourselves out of the world. But, now, let us evaluate ourselves. Is this really the way we live the law of the Sabbath day? I am sure we do the first part - go to church and partake of the sacrament. But, what about the rest? After we get home from Church, do we really rest from our everyday labors like housework, washing, ironing, yard work, work from the office or studies? Do we offer up our oblations to the Lord by serving in whatever calling we have received with commitment and dedication? Do we reach out to those in need on this holy day? Do we understand that the Sabbath day is a day to spiritually rise high? Do we really offer up our devotion to the Most High by focusing our activities of the day on Him rather than on things of the world like watching sports on TV? Do we gather our family and friends around us in appropriate ways on this day? And do we do all of this with cheerful hearts and countenances because we genuinely find joy in doing the Lord's will? In Isaiah 58:13-14 we read:
"If thou turn away...from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, or finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth..."
Now for some of us, making a commitment to live the law of the Sabbath day like this may take some sacrifice. We may have to sacrifice some of the pleasures of the world. We will have to sacrifice our sins! But as hard as this might be, the promised blessing is surely worth it. And I truly believe that as we make these sacrifices, we will soon feel like the old man who was grateful for the sacrifices that were required of him. We will see the hand of the Lord in our lives and we will be so grateful for the opportunity to be "gathered" in body and in spirit.
The second principle we will consider today, is keeping ourselves "unspotted from the World." What does it mean to be unspotted from the world? Naturally our first answer is that we are to be morally clean and chaste in our lives. But does being "unspotted" mean more than just overt sin? Could it mean that we are to shun all things that draw us into sin at any level? Could it mean that sinning vicariously by watching things on television or in movies that might be suggestive or light minded should be avoided? Could it mean that we should not read or look at material that is representative of the values of the world?
And what about being "unspotted" from the materialism of the world? While we know that the good things of the earth are for our comfort and blessing, do we get so focused on obtaining and then maintaining them that we put more emphasis on them than on things of the kingdom?
These are hard questions, but what it comes down to is this, "Am I willing to be strictly obedient to the commandments and principles of the Gospel so that I might 'gather' myself out of the world? Am I willing to sacrifice the things of the world for the things of God?"
Our ability to "gather" ourselves out of the world comes only through the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is with his help that we are able to change our actions and our hearts. The atonement has been made, it is up to us to allow it to correct us, heal us, strengthen us, and bring us peace and joy. This then, is the answer to the second question, "To whom do we 'gather'?" We gather out of the world to the Savior. We read the words of the Savior in D&C 10:65:
"For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts;"
Think of that image- being gathered gently, kindly, with great love, to a place of safety and peace. Feel the shelter, the warmth, the security. Feel the sweet society with others who are gathered there. Feel the sweet contentment we could have in the presence of the Savior.
Brothers and sisters, the path that takes is out of the world is clear for us. The way is only hard when we try to hang onto the world that surrounds us. If we let go and allow the Savior to carry us along, the way is easy and sweet. He makes it easy. We make it hard.
We gain in strength with each good choice we make as we work along. I believe it is a process. Some days are harder than others, but as long as we are moving in the right direction and making progress, we will have the Lord's help. He did not just place us down here on this earth and say "Now come back to me- good luck". No, he has provided the way. He made the atonement. He has given us the gospel. He had given us the Holy Ghost, who can be our constant companion, to help us. And he had given us gathering places to bless us.
This then, takes us to our third question, "Where is our gathering place?" If we are gathering to the Savior, that place must be a sacred place. Our homes are sacred. The chapel is sacred. And of course ultimately the temple is sacred. Each of these places can give us protection and refuge from the world. Each of these places, if filled with the Spirit, will strengthen our effort to remain free from the world. Living a better life in our homes and in our church worship, prepares us to enter the temple.
It is in the temple that the Lord can teach us. It is there that we are able to make covenants with the Lord that deepen our understanding and secure our place with Him. It is through the temple that we are able to truly come to Him. It is in the temple that we can secure our families for eternity.
Attending the temple, often, is a wonderful gift that our Heavenly Father has given us. It allows us to serve, but it also allows us to bask in his love, to feel the spirit, and to find peace in our lives. We are lifted, taught, and strengthened in the temple. The pathway to the Savior is through the temple.
And, we do not just come to the temple, enjoy the blessings there and then leave them behind when we return home. We must take the temple with us into our everyday lives to strengthen us no matter where we may be. In that way every place we go can be a holy place, because we have become holy.
And what are the blessings of "gathering" ourselves out of the world to the Savior? There are so many blessings that come when we dedicate our lives to the Lord. Those blessings come every minute of every day as we see the hand of the Lord in our lives- protecting us, guiding us, strengthening us, helping us through difficult experiences.
The other day as I was praying in gratitude for some very specific blessings that had come to our family, and in the same breath pleading with the Heavenly Father for specific blessings we are desperately in need of, it occurred to me that life is a little like the ebb and flow of the tide. Blessings are constantly flowing to us, and challenges are constantly threatening to overwhelm us. They flow in and out of our lives, keeping us constantly on our knees before the Lord. But as we keep our covenants and strive to keep the commandments with exactness, as surely as a need arises, blessings wash in. It is sure. It is constant. It is eternal. We are being gathered in. We are told in D&C 39:22:
"And he that receiveth these things (the gospel) receiveth me; and they shall be gathered unto me in time and in eternity."
Brothers and sisters, I know that we have a loving Father in Heaven. He lives and He loves us so much that He sent his only begotten Son to atone for us and make it possible for us to live forever in his presence. I know that this is His plan for us and that part of the plan is opposition that causes us to deepen our faith, our commitment and our obedience.
Because we are surrounded by the temptations of the flesh, and because the "the time of harvest is come", we must, with conviction and courage, "gather" ourselves out of the world. We must work to gather our families out of the world and make our homes a place of refuge. We must "gather" together with one another for strength and safety. We must "gather" to the Lord, through His holy temple. We can do this! Only then, when the Harvest is over, will we find ourselves safe and secure in the presence of the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Notes
[1] D&C 59: 9-16