In Doctrine and Covenants 37 the Lord first commanded his people to move, what we now refer to as “The Gathering”. When I think of the effect that the gathering had on me, the first thought that comes to my mind is my ancestor James Stephen Brown. He had become acquainted with the saints in Ohio, moved with them to Missouri and Nauvoo (without having become a member), then joined the church and crossed the plains. He was part of the Mormon battalion, and also was among those saints that discovered Gold at Sutter’s mill in California. Whenever I think of the gathering I remember the many physical trials and hardships that he endured, including thirst and fatigue. He is an example to me because throughout all he endured, he remained faithful to the Lord and to the Church.

James Stephen Brown and his example is not the only effect that the gathering had on me personally. I have other ancestors that joined the Church in the British Isles or in Scandinavia that gathered to the Salt Lake valley, where they met their future spouses. Without the gathering, they most likely would not have come here, and I would not have been born.

The gathering also allowed the church to accrue enough manpower and resources to “jumpstart” the restoration. Without the gathering, it would have taken years to accumulate enough saints in one place to build a temple-probably not within the lifetime of Joseph Smith, which would have delayed receiving not only the blessings of the temple, but also the priesthood keys associated with it. If that had happened, the Church may not have been able to withstand the persecution with which it was faced, and may not have existed in the same form it does today.

Tags: Mormon Pioneers Gathering

Bookmark: