To download past handouts, go to: highlandvalleysundayschoolnotes2012.blogspot.

com

#1 President Ezra Taft Benson: From the revelations, we can see that a stake has at least four purposes: 1. Each stake, presided over by three high priests and supported by twelve men known as a high council, becomes a miniature Church to the Saints in a specific geographic area. The purpose is to unify and perfect the members who live in those boundaries by extending to them the Church programs, the ordinances, and gospel instruction. 2. Members of stakes are to be models, or standards, of righteousness. 3. Stakes are to be a defense. They do this as stake members unify under their local priesthood officers and consecrate themselves to do their duty and keep their covenants. Those covenants, if kept, become a protection from error, evil, or calamity. We only build temples in stakes. The blessings and ordinances of the temple prepare one for exaltation. Of course, it is not possible for every stake to have a temple, but we are presently witnessing some remarkableyes, miraculous developments in the building of temples in different parts of the world. Such a program permits members of the Church to receive the full blessings of the Lord. 4. Stakes are a refuge from the storm to be poured out over the earth.

#3 The Prophet Joseph Smith: What is the object of the gathering of the Jews, or the people of God in any age of the world? . . . . The main object was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of his house and the glories of his kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation; for there are certain ordinances and principles that, when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose. . . . It is for the same purpose that God gathers together His people in the last days, to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and anointings, etc. . . . (History of the Church, V, p. 423,424) #4 Newel Knight: Having returned home from conference, in obedience to the commandment which had been given, I, together with the Colesville Branch, began to make preparations to go to Ohio As might be expected, we were obliged to make great sacrifices of our property. The most of my time was occupied in visiting the brethren, and helping to arrange their affairs, so that we might travel together in one company. (see: http://www.boap.org/LDS/EarlySaints/NKnight.html )

Joseph Knight Sr. put a note in the newspaper: The farm lately occupied by Joseph Knight, situated in the town of Colesville, neart (Ensign, Jan 1991, p. 4-5.) the Colesville Bridgebounded on one side by #2 The Prophet Joseph Smith: All the Susquehanna River, and containing about one hundred and forty two acres. On said Farm the prophets that have written, from the days of righteous Abel down to the are two Dwelling Houses, a good Barn, and a last man that has left any testimony on fine Orchard. The terms of sale will be liberal. record for our consideration, in speak- (see: Joseph Knight Autobiographical Sketch, 1862; in LDS Church Archives ) ing of the salvation of Israel in the last days, goes directly to show that it consists in the work of the gathering.
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, [1972], p. 83)

#5 In early May 1831, Lucy Mack Smith was asked to take charge of the exodus of 130 members from Fayette. When they arrived at Buffalo, New York, the harbor on Lake Erie was clogged with an ice field, and the steamboat was unable to leave port. Lucy Mack said: Now, brethren and sisters, if you will all of you raise your desires to heaven, that the ice may be broken up, and we be set at liberty, as sure as the Lord lives, it will be done. At that very moment a noise was heard like bursting thunder. The ice parted and the boat was able to move through when the avenue again closed. Following this miraculous escape, the company offered up their thanks to God for his mercy on their behalf. (see History of Joseph Smith by His Mother,
Lucy Mack Smith, chapter 38)

#8 In 1972, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: [The] revealed words speak of there being congregations of the covenant people of the Lord in every nation, speaking every tongue, and among every people when the Lord comes again The place of gathering for the Mexican Saints is in Mexico; the place of gathering for the Guatemalan Saints is in Guatemala, the place of gathering for the Brazilian Saints is in Brazil, and so it goes throughout the length and breadth of the whole earth every nation is the gathering place for its own people. (Mexico and Central America
Area Conference Report, 1972, 45)

#6 President Brigham Young: When we arrived in Kirtland (in September 1833), if any man that ever did gather with the Saints was any poorer than I wasit was because he had nothing I had two children to take care of that was all. I was a widower. Brother Brigham, had you any shoes? No, not a shoe to my foot, except a pair of borrowed boots. I had no winter clothing, except a homemade coat that I had had three or four years. Any pantaloons? No, What did you do? Did you go without? No, I borrowed a pair to wear till I could get another pair. I had traveled and preached and given away every dollar of my property. I was worth a little property when I started to preach I had traveled and preached until I had nothing left to gather with, but Joseph said: come up, and I went up the best I could. (JD 11:295) #7 The great movement to gather to a central location had been an important phase in our churchs history, the First Presidency said, but we must realize that times and conditions change and that therefore the application of the principles and teachings must change. (Arnold K.
Garr, Growing with a Living Church, Ensign, Oct. 1996)

President Boyd K. Packer: In April 1973, President Harold B. Lee..quoted [the above] in general conference. In doing so, he in effect, announced that the pioneering phase of gathering was now over. The gathering is now to be out of the world into the Church in every nation (CR, Oct. 1992) #9 President Spencer W. .Kimball emphasized this in 1978: Now the gathering of Israel consists of joining the true church and coming to the knowledge of the true God Any person, therefore, who has accepted the restored gospel, and who now seeks to worship the Lord in his own tongue and with the Saints in the nations where he lives, had complied with the law of the gathering of Israel and is heir to all of the blessings promised the Saints in these last days. (The
Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 438-9)(The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 438-9)

#10 President Brigham Young: When Joseph first revealed the land where the Saints should gather, a woman in Canada asked if we thought that Jackson County would be large enough to gather all the people. ...I will answer the question. ...Zion will extend, eventually, all over this earth. There will be no nook or corner upon the earth but what will be in Zion. It will all be Zion. ...We are going to gather as many as we can, bless them, give them their endowments, etc., preach to them the truth, lay the principles of eternal life before them, inform their minds all we have power to do, and lead them into the path of truth and righteousness. (JD 14:138)

1. Fayette The Prophet Joseph Smith left Fayette for Kirtland, Ohio, in January 1831. The three New York branches (Fayette, Colesville, and Manchester) followed in April and May 1831 under the Lords command to gather (see D&C 3738). 2. Kirtland The headquarters of the Church was primarily in Kirtland from 1831 to 1838. 3. Independence The Lord identified Independence (in Jackson County, Missouri) as the center place of Zion in July 1831 (seeD&C 57:3). Mobs forced the Saints out of Jackson County in November 1833. 4. Liberty The Saints from Jackson County gathered in Clay County from 1833 to 1836, when they were again required to leave. The Prophet Joseph Smith and five others were unjustly imprisoned here from December 1838 to April 1839. 5. Far West A refuge was established here for the Saints 183638. It was the headquarters of the Church in 1838. In 183839 the Saints were forced to flee to Illinois. 6. Nauvoo The headquarters of the Church 1839 46. After the martyrdom of the Prophet and his brother Hyrum, the Saints moved west. 7. Council Bluffs The pioneers arrived here June 1846. Members of the Mormon Battalion departed on July 21, 1846, under James Allens leadership.

8. Winter Quarters Important temporary settlement, 184648. The vanguard company under the direction of President Brigham Young departed for the West April 1847. 9. Fort Leavenworth The Mormon Battalion was outfitted here before starting the march west in August 1846. 10. Santa Fe Philip Cooke commanded the Mormon Battalion as it marched from here October 19, 1846. 11. Pueblo Three sick detachments of the Mormon Battalion were ordered to Pueblo to recuperate, where they spent the winter of 184647 with Saints from Mississippi. These parties entered the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847. 12. San Diego The Mormon Battalion completed its 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) march here on January 29, 1847. 13. Los Angeles The Mormon Battalion was discharged here July 16, 1847. 14. Sacramento Some discharged battalion members worked here and at Sutters Mill farther east on the American River. They were present when gold was discovered in January 1848. 15.Salt Lake City Headquarters of the Church from 1847 to the present. Brigham Young arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. (see: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/history-maps/map-6?lang=eng )

D&C LESSON 12 OUTLINE Hold up a tent stake. ~Anyone know what this is used for?

The scriptures use a tent analogy to describe the Church in our day: Isaiah 54:1-3 RememberIsaiah wrote mostly in poetry: not easy to understand, especially in its translated state! 1: ~Who is the barren? (Israelites gathered under the tent) ~And what makes an Israelite gathered? (baptismso he's talking to members of the Church in the last days.) Start verse over! ~Who are the desolate? (children of Israel who arent members of the Church) ~And who are the children of the married wife? (members of the Church) So the gist of this verse is that the church starts out small, and there is much work to be done to gather Israel! 2: ~What does the tent symbolize? (the Church) ~And what is happening to this tent? (its growing) ~What does it mean to strengthen thy stakes? If you have a tent already staked in the ground, but you find out its going to be a very windy, stormy night, what would you do, (if going home wasnt an option)? (hammer the stakes deeper into the ground, and more of them) 3: For this verse Im going to suggest some alternate wording that really helped me understand better: ~Who is thou? (the Church) -break forth= spread abroad -seed= offspring -inherit = dispossess -gentiles= nations -make= resettle ~When will the cities be desolate? (due to the plagues, destruction and war just prior to the Second Coming) One more thought on stake and their purpose: Quotation #1 Back to gathering: Quotation #2

In the early days of the Church, this gathering was different than it is today. Lets 2 go through the history of gathering in our dispensation: D&C 37:3 ~So to where were the Saints to gather? (Ohiojust 8 months after the Church was organized!) The Lord revealed why in section 38: D&C 38:32-33 ~What does it mean that God will Give unto you my law ? (Joseph received 77 revelations in Kirtland, 65 of which are in our Doctrine and Covenants) ~Where are members of the Church endowed with power from on high? (the temple, at least in large part) D&C 39:15 95:8 Quotation #3 And so they gathered. Between January & May 1831, most Church members in New York sold, rented, or left their farms and made the 300-mile journey to Ohio. (See handout) Many made great sacrifices. Well touch on just three: Quotation #s 4, 5, &6 ~Are we asked to make sacrifices as well? (Not to leave our homes, yet, but to strengthen our stake. Thats something to ponder: how to be a better ward and stake memberhow to strengthen our stake!) ~Did the Saints from New York know that Ohio was not the final gathering place for the Church? (They knew at least one more move lay ahead, to a land they would call Zion) Human nature being what it is, they wondered how much effort they should expend on temporary lands and homes. The Lord responded with counsel that can bless each of us as well: D&C 1:16-17 The phrase Bloom where you are planted comes to mind. ~Does anyone see how this counsel can be likened unto us? (wherever we are, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we will be blessed if we act like we will be there a long time) ~Where was the next gathering place after Kirtland? (Missouri) ~What happened there? (persecutionhad to leave. But while there Joseph dedicated a few temple sites) ~Where did they go next? (IllinoisNauvoo) ~Did they build a temple there? (Yes! But only after Josephs death)

~And from Nauvoo? (Salt Lake in 1846. Just 4 days after they arrived, 3 Brigham Young placed the tip of his cane on the ground and identified the spot for the construction of a temple. That same day the 10 acres of Temple Square were marked off!) For many years after the Saints settled in Utah, the call continued for Church members all over the world to gather to Utah. ~Do we still gather to Utah? ~What changed? (stakes and temples could now be built elsewhere) In 1898, President George Q. Cannon made the first formal statement discouraging European converts from immigrating to Utah. They were admonished to remain quiet for a while; to not be anxious to break up their homes to gather to Zion. By the 1920s, the First Presidency specifically admonished missionaries to stop preaching emigration; the converts in foreign countries could do more to build the kingdom if they would remain in their own lands. Quotation #7 In 1972 Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: Quotation #8 And in 1978 President Spencer W. Kimball also talked about gathering: Quotation #9 ~So what conditions in the Church brought about this change of members gathering in their own nations? (we now had enough members and resources to establish stakes and build temples in many areas of the world) D&C 115:6 Lets conclude with this quotation by Brigham Young: Quotation #10 That we may see the importance of thrusting in our sickle with our might here in the Poway, California stake is my prayer...