Doctrine of Gathering

As I was preparing for General Conference a few weeks ago, I read an article by Elder Bednar in the Church News (Learn Elder Bednar's pattern for studying conference messages). In this article he talked about one way we can study the general conference messages every six months. He said, “the basic pattern is to identify the fundamental doctrine or principle that is being taught, find invitations to act related to that doctrine or principle, and then also recognize the promised blessings that will come as we act in accordance with that invitation.” By following this counsel, I've been able to see how the Come, Follow Me study program has been organized to help us find and study these patterns.

While reading D&C 37-40 this week, one of the principles that was emphasized was that of gathering. The commandment/invitation that was given to the saints was to move to Ohio (37:3). Section 38 contains the following blessings related to gathering:

• strength (v. 15)
• confidence (v. 15)
• greater blessings (v. 17)
• learn how to be one (v. 27)
• safety and protection from the enemy (v. 28-31)
• receive God's law (v. 32)
• endowed with power from on high (v. 32)

As I looked over that list I realized that as we follow the latter-day commandment/invitation to gather people together in our stakes, wards, branches, homes and temples, we also are given these same promised blessings which are invariably much greater in scope than what we are asked to do.