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Born to Change the World: Your Part in Gathering Israel
"The Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel," declared President Russell M. Nelson. "That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today." In this book you'll find answers to
So I'm from Ephraim or Manesseh? So what?What does it mean if I'm from another tribe?What does it mean to gather Israel?
As members of the Church, we are often told to obey commandments because we are children of God or because we have been saved for the last days. But isn't everyone on earth right now a child of God who has been saved? What sets Latter-day Saints apart?
We have a birthright! We have been given much—temporally and spiritually. Now it is time for us to use what we have been given to make an eternal difference for people throughout the world—in other words, to gather Israel.
"Don't let the world change you," writes Brad Wilcox, "when you were born to change the world!"
So I'm from Ephraim or Manesseh? So what?What does it mean if I'm from another tribe?What does it mean to gather Israel?
As members of the Church, we are often told to obey commandments because we are children of God or because we have been saved for the last days. But isn't everyone on earth right now a child of God who has been saved? What sets Latter-day Saints apart?
We have a birthright! We have been given much—temporally and spiritually. Now it is time for us to use what we have been given to make an eternal difference for people throughout the world—in other words, to gather Israel.
"Don't let the world change you," writes Brad Wilcox, "when you were born to change the world!"
76 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2019
27 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
February 7, 2022
My entire understanding of the literal gathering of the House of Israel has been changed by reading this book. I understood it to be a symbolic gathering of people in the last dispensation. And while the symbolic imagery exists, when speaking of the literal gathering of the house of Israel (Jacob), there are very real, organized, and practical steps that we take to do it. It is where the Old Testament and the latter days are linked.
Not only does Brad Wilcox bring clarity to the idea, he helps to focus on our individual role in said gathering. To be a part of something so incredible is really inspiring and I would recommend this book to anyone seeking clarity on what the gathering of the House of Israel means as well as what we can do within our sphere to take part.
Not only does Brad Wilcox bring clarity to the idea, he helps to focus on our individual role in said gathering. To be a part of something so incredible is really inspiring and I would recommend this book to anyone seeking clarity on what the gathering of the House of Israel means as well as what we can do within our sphere to take part.
August 27, 2019
Taught my YW lesson on three chapters this past week. Was able to read the whole thing in one night and love all the information packed into such a concise book. I know I'm biased being the author's daughter but man, my Dad is such a great teacher! He is able to make complicated things understandable, memorable, and relevant. This is a winner that I highlighted the entire way through!
June 12, 2019
If I could give this one MORE than 5 stars, I would!! Read. It. Now. I listened to Brother Wilcox read it on my Deseret Book account - he’s awesome. I’ve actually listened to it twice now. Recommended it to my kids. Quoted it in church. It is a fantastic, quick read geared towards answering questions about who we are, why we are here on earth at this particular time, and what it all means in the big picture. It is motivating and empowering. I love the way Wilcox teaches us how Old Testament “stuff” matters to us today. I’ve already purchased one hard copy and intend to purchase it again (cause my daughter stole my copy to take on her mission). 😏 Good stuff.
November 19, 2024
This was so good! This was Brother Wilcox’s talk from October 2024, fleshed out into a book. Or since the book came first, his talk was the book condensed into 15 minutes. He does a marvelous job of painting a vision of our purpose here on earth as “youth of the noble birthright”. It is uplifting and inspiring and helps clarify our place in God’s plan for all of His children. This was my daughters’ favorite talk from Conference and I’m hoping I can get them to read the book.
October 3, 2020
An awesome book about the gathering of Israel, I highly suggest it!
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October 31, 2019Some really interesting insights and thoughts about the importance of gathering Israel and the role we all play in that. I know I'll be reading this one again!
July 11, 2019
You guys, this is a good one. I'm so glad I bought it! Brad Wilcox has yet to disappoint. After each chapter I would stop and think, "Wow, that was my favorite chapter." And then the same thought would come to me in the next chapter. I consider myself a student of the gospel and love Mark Shields' book, "Your Covenant" about how the Abrahamic Covenant is for us, and this book goes right along with that. There are a lot of people and details and scriptures and symbols involved in the gathering of Israel, but that doesn't mean it has to be out of our reach or understanding. Brother Wilcox includes explanations of each of the twelve tribes--with diagrams, y'all--and adds his characteristic wisdom and insights. There's some deep gospel stuff, and there's some you-are-no-ordinary-person-we-need-your-help-in-gathering-Israel stuff. I sat and pondered for days on something glorious I read on page 38. I marked and shared a quote from page 49. I journaled about chapter 5. I shared parts of chapter 6 with my children. This book is worth your time.
May 30, 2019
This 7 chapter book was a quick read. I loved learning some new information about the 12 tribes of Israel. Brad Wilcox is a talented speaker and writer and listening to him read this audiobook was like listening to one of his talks. Really enjoyable. He has a lot of good personal stories. He also has a great way to make comparisons or analogies that can really be paradigm shifting.
Highly recommend. Great Sunday reading.
Highly recommend. Great Sunday reading.
May 22, 2019
Excellent and inspiring!
June 7, 2019
Wow! I’m going to start reading it again tomorrow!
June 3, 2019
This is a wonderful reference regarding to the Gathering of Israel! I found it to be very informative!
June 6, 2019
I had not idea that a fairly short book of only 78 pages could be packed with so much information and insights. Wonderful book!
July 22, 2019
The author had a lot of good insights on his topic. I enjoyed reading it.
August 16, 2019
I enjoyed this book, I loved his teachings about the gathering of Israel and its relation to my life. It was also helpful the historical lesson on the tribes of Israel.
December 27, 2020
I always love anything from Brad Wilcox. Since I was a teenager, his words have brought me peace and hope. He is so personable in his writing and states things so simply and clearly that you can't misunderstand. His book, The Continuous Atonement, is absolutely life-changing.
The Gathering of Israel is one of my favorite topics in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have always thought it was so cool that we can be a part of something so epic and important. That said, I'll have to be honest, I was hoping for a little more in this book. It was all really good, but it was so short. I finished the whole thing in about an hour. It was sort of like an appetizer... really delicious, but at the end, you are still hungry for more.
The Gathering of Israel is one of my favorite topics in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have always thought it was so cool that we can be a part of something so epic and important. That said, I'll have to be honest, I was hoping for a little more in this book. It was all really good, but it was so short. I finished the whole thing in about an hour. It was sort of like an appetizer... really delicious, but at the end, you are still hungry for more.
September 23, 2019
This is a short and sweet and encouraging little book about the gathering of Israel--what it is and how it applies to us. God loves His children and wants all to return to Him. The greatest and most important work happening on the earth now is that of gathering Heavenly Father's children back to Him. We have a part to play to change and bless the world. Here are a few quotes I liked:
"'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, nothing else compares in majesty... the gathering of Israel is now, and it is real (Russell M. Nelson, p. 2).'"
"Sometimes we are so busy gathering that we forget what it is all for... God wants to gather as many of His children who are willing to live with Him and like Him eternally. To that amazing end, He must first gather His gatherers. That's us (p. 3)!"
"God expects us to care for our brothers and sisters throughout the world (p. 8)."
"'Our destiny as a people... is to make a difference in this world, something we can do only if we are willing to be different (Robert L. Millet, p. 10).'"
"The family was not a stellar example of love, unity, and righteous living. Nevertheless, God was still able to use them--as weak as they were--to accomplish His purposes (p. 19)."
"The story of the house of Israel is...about...redemption (p. 20)."
"'We are behind the couch. Come find us (p. 21)!'"
"How did Israel get lost (p. 21)?"
"The Northern Kingdom fell into apostasy (p. 24)."
"The vast majority of Israelites simply lost their cultural memories and identities (p. 27)."
"The scattering of Israel was a consequence of people's unrighteous choices, but God can make good come out of bad situations (p. 28)."
"'The Lord said that he would scatter Israel among the Gentile nations, and by doing so he would bless the Gentile nations (Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 28).'"
"Joseph Smith and the Saints faced horrible persecutions, and yet the Prophet knew the gathering of Israel could not wait. He sent Brigham Young and others faithful Apostles on missions to Great Britain (p. 30)."
"We seek them 'one of a city, and two of a family, and...bring them to Zion' (Jeremiah 3:14). We 'fish them, and...hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks' (Jeremiah 16:16, p. 33)."
"One of the purposes of the book is to convince Jews and Gentiles that Jesus is the Christ (p. 35)."
"This is the kind of organization that will be needed when Christ comes again in His glory and billions...of people will immediately want to learn about Him and His Church... If we wait until that moment to get organized, it will be too late (p. 38)."
"How do priesthood and temples bless the lives of those who have joined or attached themselves to the Church (p. 40)?"
"'Promises of the Lord unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will not be realized through any one branch of the house of Israel, but through all of them (LeGrand Richards, p. 48).'"
"Our patriarchal blessings assure us that the house of Israel is truly our home (p. 49)."
"Who are we?... 'We are his people' (Psalm 100:3, p. 51)."
"God looks on us, the members of His Church, to save the world (p. 52)."
"The idea of a covenant or chosen people is not particularly popular or politically correct in our world today, but through the lens of the gospel we see that 'the gathering and preservation of the house of Israel is not simply a means whereby God can favor or reward a portion of his children. Rather, it is the means whereby the Holy One of Israel can make available to all men and women... the peace and joy of righteous family living here and the fullness of eternal life in the world to come (p. 54).'"
"Being chosen to rule and reign equates to being chosen to serve and minister (p. 55)."
"God has a work for all of us to be doing, but He also has a work for each of us to be doing (p. 60)."
"'Pray to understand your spiritual gifts--to cultivate, use, and expand them (Russell M. Nelson, p. 61).'"
"'Find and fulfill your mortal missions (Wendy Nelson, p. 61).'"
"I wish I could see God's plan for my life all at once, but instead it comes line upon line (p. 62)."
"We must be tenacious about setting goals but flexible enough to trust God's timing in achieving those goals (p. 62)."
"Stepping out of our comfort zones can make us lights, but it can also make us targets. God wants us to be lights anyway (p. 63)."
"'While we do not know remember the particulars...this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to. You are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of you just as are those we sustain as prophets and apostles (Spencer W. Kimball, p. 68)!'"
"Some of our offerings will be great, others small. Some will be public, others private, but all will be absolutely vital (p. 69)."
"Don't let the world change you, when you were born to change the world (p. 69)."
"All paths do not lead to God, but they do eventually lead to the opportunity to find and walk the one covenant path that does (p. 71)."
"The gathering of Israel is about giving everyone the chance to make those choices (p. 72)."
"Sometimes God uses His people to finish His work, and sometimes He uses His work to finish His people. Either way, it is a great work indeed (p. 78)."
"'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, nothing else compares in majesty... the gathering of Israel is now, and it is real (Russell M. Nelson, p. 2).'"
"Sometimes we are so busy gathering that we forget what it is all for... God wants to gather as many of His children who are willing to live with Him and like Him eternally. To that amazing end, He must first gather His gatherers. That's us (p. 3)!"
"God expects us to care for our brothers and sisters throughout the world (p. 8)."
"'Our destiny as a people... is to make a difference in this world, something we can do only if we are willing to be different (Robert L. Millet, p. 10).'"
"The family was not a stellar example of love, unity, and righteous living. Nevertheless, God was still able to use them--as weak as they were--to accomplish His purposes (p. 19)."
"The story of the house of Israel is...about...redemption (p. 20)."
"'We are behind the couch. Come find us (p. 21)!'"
"How did Israel get lost (p. 21)?"
"The Northern Kingdom fell into apostasy (p. 24)."
"The vast majority of Israelites simply lost their cultural memories and identities (p. 27)."
"The scattering of Israel was a consequence of people's unrighteous choices, but God can make good come out of bad situations (p. 28)."
"'The Lord said that he would scatter Israel among the Gentile nations, and by doing so he would bless the Gentile nations (Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 28).'"
"Joseph Smith and the Saints faced horrible persecutions, and yet the Prophet knew the gathering of Israel could not wait. He sent Brigham Young and others faithful Apostles on missions to Great Britain (p. 30)."
"We seek them 'one of a city, and two of a family, and...bring them to Zion' (Jeremiah 3:14). We 'fish them, and...hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks' (Jeremiah 16:16, p. 33)."
"One of the purposes of the book is to convince Jews and Gentiles that Jesus is the Christ (p. 35)."
"This is the kind of organization that will be needed when Christ comes again in His glory and billions...of people will immediately want to learn about Him and His Church... If we wait until that moment to get organized, it will be too late (p. 38)."
"How do priesthood and temples bless the lives of those who have joined or attached themselves to the Church (p. 40)?"
"'Promises of the Lord unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will not be realized through any one branch of the house of Israel, but through all of them (LeGrand Richards, p. 48).'"
"Our patriarchal blessings assure us that the house of Israel is truly our home (p. 49)."
"Who are we?... 'We are his people' (Psalm 100:3, p. 51)."
"God looks on us, the members of His Church, to save the world (p. 52)."
"The idea of a covenant or chosen people is not particularly popular or politically correct in our world today, but through the lens of the gospel we see that 'the gathering and preservation of the house of Israel is not simply a means whereby God can favor or reward a portion of his children. Rather, it is the means whereby the Holy One of Israel can make available to all men and women... the peace and joy of righteous family living here and the fullness of eternal life in the world to come (p. 54).'"
"Being chosen to rule and reign equates to being chosen to serve and minister (p. 55)."
"God has a work for all of us to be doing, but He also has a work for each of us to be doing (p. 60)."
"'Pray to understand your spiritual gifts--to cultivate, use, and expand them (Russell M. Nelson, p. 61).'"
"'Find and fulfill your mortal missions (Wendy Nelson, p. 61).'"
"I wish I could see God's plan for my life all at once, but instead it comes line upon line (p. 62)."
"We must be tenacious about setting goals but flexible enough to trust God's timing in achieving those goals (p. 62)."
"Stepping out of our comfort zones can make us lights, but it can also make us targets. God wants us to be lights anyway (p. 63)."
"'While we do not know remember the particulars...this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to. You are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of you just as are those we sustain as prophets and apostles (Spencer W. Kimball, p. 68)!'"
"Some of our offerings will be great, others small. Some will be public, others private, but all will be absolutely vital (p. 69)."
"Don't let the world change you, when you were born to change the world (p. 69)."
"All paths do not lead to God, but they do eventually lead to the opportunity to find and walk the one covenant path that does (p. 71)."
"The gathering of Israel is about giving everyone the chance to make those choices (p. 72)."
"Sometimes God uses His people to finish His work, and sometimes He uses His work to finish His people. Either way, it is a great work indeed (p. 78)."
November 25, 2024
Wow. I finally understand why President Nelson talks about the gathering of Israel so much. It is everything. This book was phenomenal. I read the book in one night and feel so inspired and blown away. It all means so much more to me and looks so different in my mind than it used to. I’ve been wanting to understand the covenants God made with Abraham/Isaac/Jacob and how they relate to use, as well as the gathering of Israel, and this was a very useful tool for studying. Buying this book for my personal library - excited to read it as my kids get a little older and help them understand their role in the gathering.
February 20, 2020
A good little primer on the gathering of Israel and what that means to us now.
July 4, 2020
Don’t let the world change you when you were born to change the world. A short book about our part in the gathering of Israel. I’d recommend it!
I think I would have enjoyed it more in print. I have a hard time with audio books as it is, and this one had a lot of info to digest. I would have liked to see the charts and take more time to synthesize the details.
I think I would have enjoyed it more in print. I have a hard time with audio books as it is, and this one had a lot of info to digest. I would have liked to see the charts and take more time to synthesize the details.
August 31, 2020
Great short read! I feel like I finally understand the gathering of Israel on a more personal level. Lots of gold in this small book!
November 9, 2020
A short book I saw from a review from our niece and decided to read it. Glad I did!
September 29, 2021
I’m surprised how much I learned about the gathering of Israel! A insightful little book!
March 23, 2022
Well-researched and explained, but not riveting or memorable. As always, Brad Wilcox has a few excellent one-liners that drive his point home, but other than that, it seemed different in style from his other books and less relatable.
October 23, 2023
I found this inspiring and motivating!
May 31, 2024
A brief description of the 12 tribes of Israel, what their specific callings are and how we can contribute.
April 8, 2020
This book is a little gem. When I first picked up the book and started listening I truly thought it was a book on the Savior, because I hadn't read the subtitle. Because I went into the book thinking of the Savior and knowing He WAS born to save the world it made the fact that this book is about ME, that I was born to save the world so much more profound!
Here are some quotes and ideas from the book that I loved.
--Sometimes we are so busy gathering that we forget what it is all for, Elder Spencer V. Jones wrote "The doctrine of gathering strengthens purifies,and prepares us." For what? For more gathering! Ultimately, God wants to gather as many of His children who are willing to live with Him and LIKE Him eternally. p. 3
--Imagine a wealthy family in Old Testament times: father, mother, 4 sons and 3 daughters. Who gets the money when Dad dies? Most would point to the firstborn son, but that's just partly right. If Dad has 4 sons, his estate is divided into 5 equal shares. All the sons receive a portion but the eldest, who has the birthright, receives 2-a double portion. The 3 younger brothers leave with their portions, but the eldest doesn't go anywhere because with his extra portion comes added responsibility. He is expected to care for his mother and provide dowries so his sisters can be properly married. Even after his mother and sisters are gone, he will stay to govern the affairs of his father's estate. He will spend the rest of his life fulfilling his birthright responsibilities.
Members of the Church have a similar birthright. We have received an "extra portion" temporally and spiritually. It has nothing to do with our birth order in our earthly families or our gender as it did anciently. It has everything to do with our place in God's eternal family... p. 5
--As the Northern Kingdom fell into apostasy many of the righteous migrated south. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam (king of the Southern Kingdom) strong. Lehi's ancestors were probably among that group or they would have been part of a later migration in the time of Hosea. either way, that might explain why Lehi, who was from Manasseh, ended up in Jerusalem.
--The lost tribes are not together in a group under a polar ice cap. The vast majority of Israelites simply lost their cultural memories and identities. Later-day Saint scholar Jeffrey R. Chadwich has written, "Israel became lost not because they did not know where they were but because they forgot who they were. p. 26
--The title page of the Book of Mormon states that one of the purposes of the book is to convince Jews and Gentiles that Jesus is the Christ. The Old Testament teaches that life was preserved on the earth through Noah and his family. The descendants of one of Noah's three sons, Shem are called Semites or Semitic people. In addition Abraham, one of Shem's descendants was called a Hebrew and his descendants became know as Hebrews. Abraham's grandson Jacob (Israel) and the members of his posterity were called Israelits. They were referred to as Gentiles. until te blood of Israel came to be found throughout the entire earth. Because of this mixing, many Gentiles today have the blood of Israel and just don''t know it.
Pres. Nelson taught, "you have INHERITED greatness." Of course at this point it would be rare to find a pure-blood descendant of any one tribe because of all the mixing that has taken place. Almost everyone today has a combination of many bloodlines. This is why in a 2005 worldwide leadership training meeting for patriarchs, Pres. Oaks taught, "A declaration of lineage is not a scientific pronouncement or an identification of genetic inheritance. Patriarchs identify lineage "by the promptings of the Holy Ghost...regardless of the race or nationality of the person receiving the blessing." This clarification explains why 2 people in the same family--even twins--can be declared to be from different tribes.
Along with identifying our heritage from the past the declaration of lineage is also about future assignments and callings. Pres. Nelson explained that a Patriarchal blessing "declares your special lineage. It reminds you of your linkage with the past. And it will help you realize your future potential. Pres. Oaks taught, "When a patriarch declares lineage, he is identifying 'the tribe of Israel through which the person will receive his or her blessings.' this declaration concerns the government of the kingdom of God."
And what role do the tribes have in the government of the kingdom of God? We know that those of Ephraim and Manasseh have the assignment to gather Israel and prepare the church and world for the Second Coming, but we do not yet know what responsibilities the other tribes will be given.
We may not yet know the specific assignments of different tribes, but it can be instructive and insightful to consider the meanings and symbols associated with the names of each tribe according to Jewish tradition. Wilcox then goes through many of the tribes and describes the meaning of each name and their symbol, as well as some scriptures on each. p. 39
--I loved this analogy of having our mortal experience being compared to God sending all of His children on a cruise ship from one shore to another. He selected some of his children that He could trust and made them members of the crew. That's us. So when we look around on the ship and see other people sitting in lounge chairs, drinking, gambling and partying and wonder why we can't, we must remember who we are. We need to also remember that crew members get something passengers don't get: a paycheck. There is nothing w could ever be asked to do in Christ's church for which we have not already been paid. I loved someone else's comment on this analogy that crew members can also be dismissed if they are not doing their duty and are out of line.p. 51
--To appoint a Chosen people," wrote one scholar,, "is not a pandering to the racial vanity of a 'superior people,' it is a yoke bound upon the necks of those who are chosen for a special service." Truly, the Lord has made Israel great for what He is going to ask Israel to do. Latter-day Saints understand that being chosen to rule and reign equates to being chosen to serve and minister. It is a call to be more like the Savior and more like our Parents in Heaven.
Satan knows we have important crew member duties that need to get done, and he will do everything he can to keep us from fulfilling them. ...Being chosen includes conscious ans deliberate discipleship. He doesn't like that , so he tries to dissuade us.
"Behold, there are many called, but few chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson--that THE RIGHTS OF THE PRIESTHOOD AR INSEPARABLY CONNECTED WITH THE POWERS OF HEAVEN, AND THAT THE POWERS OF HEAVEN CANNOT BE CONTROLLED NOR HANDLED ONLY UPON THE PRINCIPLES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. (D&C 121 34-36)
God loved His children in Sodom and Gomorrah, but he could not find even ten He TRUSTED. Pres. Nelson wrote, "Once we know who we are and the royal lineage of which we are a part, our actions and our direction in life will be more appropriate to our inheritance."
When you look in the mirror and see nothing worthwhile staring back at you, look harder and remember Elder Holland's words. Next time you sing the song "I am a Child of God" and don't feel like it sets you apart, remember I wrote an additional verse just for you:
I am a child of God,
Saved for the Later day
With noble birthright given to me
That I must now repay.
Leading, guiding, helping all God's
Children find the way
Teaching all what we must be
To live with Him someday. p.57
--What were YOU born to do? Sometimes this line-upon-line direction comes in personal prayer or during the sacrament. Patriarchal blessings provide invaluable help, as does pondering the lives and contributions of heroes we admire and strive to emulate. However discovering our missions is seldom quick and rarely once and for all. If it were, we would miss much learning, development, and growth along the way. We must be tenacious about setting goals but flexible enough to trust God's timing in achieving those goals. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. p. 62
--Pres. Nelson said "This gathering should mean EVERYTHING to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth." Some of our offerings will be great, others small." p. 69
--DON'T YOU DARE LET THE WORLD LEAVE ITS MARK ON YOU, WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO LEAVE YOUR MARK ON IT. DON'T LET THE WORLD CHANGE YOU. WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO CHANGE THE WORLD. p.69
--In this life or the next everyone faces a choice; Do I enter a covenant relationship with Christ by baptism or not? Those who have been baptized and have strayed face another choice: Do I renew my covenant relationship or give up? The gathering of Israel is about giving everyone the chance to make those choices. Pres. Nelson explained that we must offer "the gospel of Jesus Christ to God's children on both sides of the veil who have neither made crucial covenants with god or received their essential ordinances."
It is only through a covenant relationship that we receive a fullness of grace and are transformed . Latter-day Saints scholar Robert J. Matthews explained, "Timid souls must learn to be brave overzealous natures must develop patience; rebellious persons must learn to conform; the slothful must become diligent the spiritually uncultured must be refined; and all must must learn self-discipline. The covenant relationship encourages us to deal with these personal weaknesses; every gospel covenant ties the individual closer to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power to help us turn weaknesses into strengths. p.72
--We have been born into the family of Jacob and trusted to find our brothers ad sisters who have been lost. We must prepare the world for the coming of the Savior. It is easy to become distracted and find excuses, but in quiet quiet moments and personal ways, we are reminded of who we are and the missions we have been sent to earth to perform. Whether in public or private, we are never alone in fulfilling those missions. Not only are God and Christ aware of us, but They ar working with us. p. 78
Here are some quotes and ideas from the book that I loved.
--Sometimes we are so busy gathering that we forget what it is all for, Elder Spencer V. Jones wrote "The doctrine of gathering strengthens purifies,and prepares us." For what? For more gathering! Ultimately, God wants to gather as many of His children who are willing to live with Him and LIKE Him eternally. p. 3
--Imagine a wealthy family in Old Testament times: father, mother, 4 sons and 3 daughters. Who gets the money when Dad dies? Most would point to the firstborn son, but that's just partly right. If Dad has 4 sons, his estate is divided into 5 equal shares. All the sons receive a portion but the eldest, who has the birthright, receives 2-a double portion. The 3 younger brothers leave with their portions, but the eldest doesn't go anywhere because with his extra portion comes added responsibility. He is expected to care for his mother and provide dowries so his sisters can be properly married. Even after his mother and sisters are gone, he will stay to govern the affairs of his father's estate. He will spend the rest of his life fulfilling his birthright responsibilities.
Members of the Church have a similar birthright. We have received an "extra portion" temporally and spiritually. It has nothing to do with our birth order in our earthly families or our gender as it did anciently. It has everything to do with our place in God's eternal family... p. 5
--As the Northern Kingdom fell into apostasy many of the righteous migrated south. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam (king of the Southern Kingdom) strong. Lehi's ancestors were probably among that group or they would have been part of a later migration in the time of Hosea. either way, that might explain why Lehi, who was from Manasseh, ended up in Jerusalem.
--The lost tribes are not together in a group under a polar ice cap. The vast majority of Israelites simply lost their cultural memories and identities. Later-day Saint scholar Jeffrey R. Chadwich has written, "Israel became lost not because they did not know where they were but because they forgot who they were. p. 26
--The title page of the Book of Mormon states that one of the purposes of the book is to convince Jews and Gentiles that Jesus is the Christ. The Old Testament teaches that life was preserved on the earth through Noah and his family. The descendants of one of Noah's three sons, Shem are called Semites or Semitic people. In addition Abraham, one of Shem's descendants was called a Hebrew and his descendants became know as Hebrews. Abraham's grandson Jacob (Israel) and the members of his posterity were called Israelits. They were referred to as Gentiles. until te blood of Israel came to be found throughout the entire earth. Because of this mixing, many Gentiles today have the blood of Israel and just don''t know it.
Pres. Nelson taught, "you have INHERITED greatness." Of course at this point it would be rare to find a pure-blood descendant of any one tribe because of all the mixing that has taken place. Almost everyone today has a combination of many bloodlines. This is why in a 2005 worldwide leadership training meeting for patriarchs, Pres. Oaks taught, "A declaration of lineage is not a scientific pronouncement or an identification of genetic inheritance. Patriarchs identify lineage "by the promptings of the Holy Ghost...regardless of the race or nationality of the person receiving the blessing." This clarification explains why 2 people in the same family--even twins--can be declared to be from different tribes.
Along with identifying our heritage from the past the declaration of lineage is also about future assignments and callings. Pres. Nelson explained that a Patriarchal blessing "declares your special lineage. It reminds you of your linkage with the past. And it will help you realize your future potential. Pres. Oaks taught, "When a patriarch declares lineage, he is identifying 'the tribe of Israel through which the person will receive his or her blessings.' this declaration concerns the government of the kingdom of God."
And what role do the tribes have in the government of the kingdom of God? We know that those of Ephraim and Manasseh have the assignment to gather Israel and prepare the church and world for the Second Coming, but we do not yet know what responsibilities the other tribes will be given.
We may not yet know the specific assignments of different tribes, but it can be instructive and insightful to consider the meanings and symbols associated with the names of each tribe according to Jewish tradition. Wilcox then goes through many of the tribes and describes the meaning of each name and their symbol, as well as some scriptures on each. p. 39
--I loved this analogy of having our mortal experience being compared to God sending all of His children on a cruise ship from one shore to another. He selected some of his children that He could trust and made them members of the crew. That's us. So when we look around on the ship and see other people sitting in lounge chairs, drinking, gambling and partying and wonder why we can't, we must remember who we are. We need to also remember that crew members get something passengers don't get: a paycheck. There is nothing w could ever be asked to do in Christ's church for which we have not already been paid. I loved someone else's comment on this analogy that crew members can also be dismissed if they are not doing their duty and are out of line.p. 51
--To appoint a Chosen people," wrote one scholar,, "is not a pandering to the racial vanity of a 'superior people,' it is a yoke bound upon the necks of those who are chosen for a special service." Truly, the Lord has made Israel great for what He is going to ask Israel to do. Latter-day Saints understand that being chosen to rule and reign equates to being chosen to serve and minister. It is a call to be more like the Savior and more like our Parents in Heaven.
Satan knows we have important crew member duties that need to get done, and he will do everything he can to keep us from fulfilling them. ...Being chosen includes conscious ans deliberate discipleship. He doesn't like that , so he tries to dissuade us.
"Behold, there are many called, but few chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson--that THE RIGHTS OF THE PRIESTHOOD AR INSEPARABLY CONNECTED WITH THE POWERS OF HEAVEN, AND THAT THE POWERS OF HEAVEN CANNOT BE CONTROLLED NOR HANDLED ONLY UPON THE PRINCIPLES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. (D&C 121 34-36)
God loved His children in Sodom and Gomorrah, but he could not find even ten He TRUSTED. Pres. Nelson wrote, "Once we know who we are and the royal lineage of which we are a part, our actions and our direction in life will be more appropriate to our inheritance."
When you look in the mirror and see nothing worthwhile staring back at you, look harder and remember Elder Holland's words. Next time you sing the song "I am a Child of God" and don't feel like it sets you apart, remember I wrote an additional verse just for you:
I am a child of God,
Saved for the Later day
With noble birthright given to me
That I must now repay.
Leading, guiding, helping all God's
Children find the way
Teaching all what we must be
To live with Him someday. p.57
--What were YOU born to do? Sometimes this line-upon-line direction comes in personal prayer or during the sacrament. Patriarchal blessings provide invaluable help, as does pondering the lives and contributions of heroes we admire and strive to emulate. However discovering our missions is seldom quick and rarely once and for all. If it were, we would miss much learning, development, and growth along the way. We must be tenacious about setting goals but flexible enough to trust God's timing in achieving those goals. "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. p. 62
--Pres. Nelson said "This gathering should mean EVERYTHING to you. This is the mission for which you were sent to earth." Some of our offerings will be great, others small." p. 69
--DON'T YOU DARE LET THE WORLD LEAVE ITS MARK ON YOU, WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO LEAVE YOUR MARK ON IT. DON'T LET THE WORLD CHANGE YOU. WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO CHANGE THE WORLD. p.69
--In this life or the next everyone faces a choice; Do I enter a covenant relationship with Christ by baptism or not? Those who have been baptized and have strayed face another choice: Do I renew my covenant relationship or give up? The gathering of Israel is about giving everyone the chance to make those choices. Pres. Nelson explained that we must offer "the gospel of Jesus Christ to God's children on both sides of the veil who have neither made crucial covenants with god or received their essential ordinances."
It is only through a covenant relationship that we receive a fullness of grace and are transformed . Latter-day Saints scholar Robert J. Matthews explained, "Timid souls must learn to be brave overzealous natures must develop patience; rebellious persons must learn to conform; the slothful must become diligent the spiritually uncultured must be refined; and all must must learn self-discipline. The covenant relationship encourages us to deal with these personal weaknesses; every gospel covenant ties the individual closer to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power to help us turn weaknesses into strengths. p.72
--We have been born into the family of Jacob and trusted to find our brothers ad sisters who have been lost. We must prepare the world for the coming of the Savior. It is easy to become distracted and find excuses, but in quiet quiet moments and personal ways, we are reminded of who we are and the missions we have been sent to earth to perform. Whether in public or private, we are never alone in fulfilling those missions. Not only are God and Christ aware of us, but They ar working with us. p. 78
March 12, 2020
I attended BYU Education Week last year and got the privilege of hearing Brad Wilcox teach about the Gathering of Israel. He explained it in a way that FINALLY made sense to me and deeply touched me. When I saw that he wrote a book about the subject I couldn’t wait to dig in. This is the best resource that I’ve been able to find so far regarding the Gathering. It explains such an often complicated and ornate doctrine in such a simple and easy to understand way. I now understand that I have an important role in this work, and further understand the trust that God has given me, and the love that he has for me. I love this book and recommend it to all.❤️ it’s one that I will be re-reading over and over again.
November 22, 2019
Wonderful explanation of 12 tribes and how to gather Israel
December 3, 2019
I loved this tiny treasure!
"Remember who you are."
"Remember who you are."
November 17, 2019
I would give it six stars if I could! Great explanation of the twelve tribes and finding one's purpose in life
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