3 Nephi 21

The gathering of Israel is a principle that is found throughout all scripture. It's found in abundance in the Old Testament, mentioned in the New Testament, but no where is it discussed in more depth than in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants. This only makes sense since we live in the times when all of the prophecies are being fulfilled and these books, especially the Book of Mormon, are the instruments of that gathering. A gathering of Israel cannot take place without a correct understanding of the Savior being Jehovah and the God that made the promises and covenants with Israel in the beginning. Center to the gathering of Israel in the last days is the New and Everlasting Covenant which is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the true understanding of him as Jehovah, and as the Son of God and Redeemer. The true gathering of Israel cannot take place without Israel coming to a correct understanding of their God. These covenants, promises, and prophecies have existed from the time of Adam.

The Savior's teaching to the Nephites found in the this chapter explains to the people the their posterity will be able to know that the prophecies concerning them and the gathering of Israel are being fulfilled when the very things that are then being written (and will later be the Book of Mormon) will go forth on these same continents to the the remains of the Nephite and Lamanite people. When Joseph Smith was translating the plates, he thought this meant the American Indian. Later, when he had a global understanding of the gathering, he would teach that this promise of the Savior encompassed all of North and South American. But at the time he was translating, he would have not had any conception of how the people of Mexico, Central and South American would accept the gospel in such huge numbers and be a part of the gathering of Israel. The sign of the gathering that the Savior gives here has been and is being fulfilled just as he said it would. Ask anyone who has served a mission in South America about the members there and they will tell you there is a special spirit of gathering among this people. They know what their heritage is and understand the significance of their relationship to the Book of Mormon.

The principle of the gathering of Israel, even though it is found throughout all scripture, is not something that is understood in any other church. The only other religion that open espouses a gathering is the Jewish faith. Yet, these prophecies are being so obviously fulfilled that it is a testimony to me of the great breadth and depth of knowledge of Joseph Smith. His teachings concerning this principle are nothing less than profound and what he taught is right in line with history, both past and current.