There is so much to talk about in
these last four chapters of 1Nephi. A lot of ideas and feelings came
to me as I read them. I was particularly impressed by 1Ne 22:11-12. They Speak
of the gathering of ‘Israel in a powerful way:
“Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed
to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his
covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.
Wherefore, he will bring them again
out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance;
and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall
know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of
Israel.”
Before I served my mission, I regret
to say these verses were the type I would skim past. I couldn’t relate. But
when I witnessed the change in people as they accepted and started living the
gospel of Christ, I finally understood “the gathering of Israel.” It is a
powerful, unstoppable force that is “penetrating every continent, (and)
visiting every clime.”
One year ago, at general conference,
Elder Nelson asked every missionary in the world to stand at one moment. It is
difficult to describe the overwhelming feeling of peace and power that I felt
as I stood with thousands of young and old men who were consecrating everything
to move forward the incredible work of God.
The gospel is that stone cut out of
the mountain without hands. It is rolling forward to fill the earth.
I sure miss my mission.
