Gathering Together

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Weekly Message: Gathering...Together

Recently, in a leadership broadcast from the Utah Area Presidency, two important concepts were shared which I hope will be our guiding principles for the coming year. The first was, “Gathering…Together”, and the other was “Placing the Savior at the Center of Our Lives”.

What does the phrase “Gathering…Together” mean to you?

President Nelson is continually teaching us the doctrine of the Gathering of Israel and helping us understand it is the most important work happening on the earth today Espanol. So, one possible meaning of “Gathering Together” is that we Gather Israel…as a team.

Team members align and combine efforts to achieve a higher purpose. While they may be aware of each other’s weaknesses, rather than dwell on them in a negative way, they work together to overcome or compensate for them. Team members appreciate and gain momentum from each other’s strengths.

When we work as a team and combine our efforts with the power of our Father in Heaven, the results are miraculous AND unifying. The scriptures speak of this as a “knitting of [our] hearts” (Mosiah 18:21). We have many wonderful examples of this kind of effort from all of you over the years.

Have you considered changes you may want to make to experience more of this kind of Gathering Together in 2023?

Another possible meaning of the phrase “Gather…Together” might be this…

We all have moments in our lives when we experience the best or the worst of mortality. The birth of a new child, the loss of a loved one, a tremendous life success, a daunting health challenge. In these moments, “Gathering Together” may mean consciously “being there” for each other…perhaps sharing applause, perhaps offering a shoulder to lean on or a word of counsel. We do this kind of Gathering when we minister. We also do this when we attend activities or classes together. We especially do this when we worship together on Sundays.

“Being there” has the double blessing of increasing feelings of trust between friends and increasing faith in the Savior as we feel His power “accompany” our actions.

I invite us all to contemplate the multiple meanings of the phrase “Gather…Together”. I look forward to exploring its many dimensions as we discuss it and live it in 2023. May each of us receive the miraculous joy, support, and strength that will surely come from our Father as we learn to “Gather…Together”.

I love you all…

President Gardner