10th Article of Faith

[pam]

There have been many investigators using this website to get some basic doctrinal information about the Church. Each week I will post an Article of Faith so that the discussion of each can be done. Keep in mind..this is based on LDS doctrine and debating of that will not be tolerated. Let's try and make this more personal. Copy and paste is wonderful but reading personal testimony and understanding of this doctrinal subject is far more meaningful.

We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

[pam]

I'm kind of breaking my own rule I made in my first paragraph. But I was researching some things about the gathering of Israel on lds.org. Love that site. There was an interesting article by Paul K. Browning in July 1998 Ensign that explains so much so well.

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Gathering Scattered Israel: Then and Now

[jean-morley]

i am new to the morman faith. i suppose like a lot of ignorant people i had the wrong idea about mormans. if you had asked me 5 years ago if i would join the mormans, my answer would have been never, never.i have had some very stressfull past years. when i came close to retiring i decided i wanted to change my life. i wanted a home of my own. i,ve never had a home of my own. i wanted to move from where i was living to move back to my home town. so when i retired i did. it was the best descision i have ever made.i was going round the corner one day and i bumped into two lovely young men, missionaries.i spoke to them and invited them to my home to discuss the mormon faith. they were wonderfull young men .any mother would be proud to call them their son.they explained all about the mormon faith and joseph smith. after a few weeks of asking many questions, and praying with them and on my own.and talking to them i decided to be baptised in the church.unfortunately one elder muller had to go home to germany,so he never saw me baptised.in his place came elder elmer and he along with elder white have helped me to be baptised and come to know the church and it,s members better. i was baptised on friday night and elder white did it.it was a wonderfull expierience and would have done it again if i could have .today i have been blessed by the holy spirit in church by the elders laying their hands on my head and praying for me.i feel wonderfull. i can,t wait to see what god has in store for me.i beleive joeseph smith is the true prophet chosen by god. i believe in the book of mormon, that it was created by joseph smith at gods instructions. i believe in the modern day prophet thomas monson ,that he is the chosen one by god and his prophets to be president of the morman church. i believe these things through jesus christ. amen god bless you all

[Maya]

Interesting link thank you Pam. Lost tribes has always interested me. In finland many are taken to Efraim, while I was of Efraim... I know one person who is from Benjamin. I tought that was very interesting.

(2 Ne. 29:12). This passage indicates that at some point in their history these lost tribes understood their identity and had prophets among them. The Savior gives evidence of this when he tells the Nephites, “But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for he knoweth whither he hath taken them”

In the Finnish culture there are traces or was traces from knowledge of Jesus even before Finland was "converted" by svord. There is a man who claims that even the old texts have some kind of secret messages, if you know how to look for them. These messages were written with secret systems, as if they had said it aloud they wouldhave lost their lives very fast! they were about Jesus Christ. I am not quite sure about that though...

Anyway I would not be suprised, if they would find old writtings around Finland-west Rusia.

An other thing is about the naes... like when ever a tribe believed in Jeus Christ they become Nephitise and when ever they lost their belief they become Laamanities... I suppose it is the same with Efraimities.... believers become Efraimities.

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

I read the Ensign article. Thanks for the link, Pam.

Great contrast with what people believed when I was a kid.

My paternal grandmother was much taken with the ice-flowing and rock-smiting and highway-building. She thought the lost tribes were pretty much still together, if "lost", and would show up in the gathering, marching from the arctic regions along that highway. When I think about it, I think about the word "literal" in the Article.

Heard a long talk somewhere (Sacrament meeting? fireside? BYU?) by someone who was convinced that the Ten Lost Tribes were in Russia. Proof? "Roosh" in Hebrew means "hat." And Russia is north of the middle east.

And a close friend told me that the Ten Lost Tribes were on the moon and North meant "up."

[Spacemecha]

I just read the chapter in a Marvelous work and a Wonder about the Gathering of Israel yesterday at church during sacrament meeting. I learned that Israel was dedicated for the return of the Jews or the tribe of Judah by one of the apostles. I had no idea that this was even done till I read about it. The whole prayer was recorded and I thought it was one of the more beautifully spoken prayers by inspiration that there ever was. Sorry I don't remember who did the dedication. I have that kind of memory when it comes to reading.

[MorningStar]

I learned about that a couple years ago and was so touched! I think it was Orson Hyde? I heard he went by himself and it took him a year to get there and back.