It’s hard to be united without spending time together.
Many Agile software development frameworks include a daily meeting, sometimes called a daily scrum or a daily stand-up. The purpose of this brief meeting, which is ideally held in person, is to share information among team members, coordinate work efforts, and create an actionable plan for the next 24 hours of work. Experience has shown that this frequent touchpoint helps the team stay focused, resolve issues quickly, and collaborate more effectively.
No wonder the Lord instructed the church in 1830 to gather regularly:
The several elders composing this church of Christ are to meet in conference once in three months, or from time to time as said conferences shall direct or appoint;
And said conferences are to do whatever church business is necessary to be done at the time.
Doctrine and Covenants 20:61-62
In September 1830, a few days before the second conference of the church, Joseph Smith received a revelation in which the Lord repeatedly spoke about gathering and unity.
- He introduced Himself as “Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, … who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:1-2).
- He reminded them of His promise: “Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, being united in prayer according to my command, ye shall receive” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:6).
- He said, “Ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:7).
- He promised, “The righteous shall be gathered on my right hand” at the resurrection, “to be with me, that we may be one” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:27, 13).
- He told them that they were receiving this revelation “because ye have asked it of me and are agreed” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:33).
During the Savior’s ministry in the Americas, He instructed the people to “meet together oft” (3 Nephi 18:22). Moroni reports that church members followed those instructions:
The church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.
And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.
Moroni 6:5-6
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we meet with our local congregations each Sunday. Additionally, twice each year, the entire church meets in a global general conference. The official website for the April 2025 conference lists six things that we gain by participating in the conference. Here is one of them:
Connection with a Global Church Community
General conference brings members of the Church together from all around the world, fostering a sense of unity and connection with the global Church community.
Today, I will be grateful for the unity provided by gathering. I will look forward to connecting with the global church this weekend during general conference.
I’m learning, it’s important to broaden our understanding each time we ponder favorite scriptures. Frequently we’ve heard “on both sides of the veil”. Also, if our hearts are not turned (we’re not sealed) to our “fathers” the plan of salvation and purpose of the earth will be frustrated / destroyed… As the dispensation of the fullest of time, We must also gather “in a book” to be presented to our Savior, the names of forefathers -all. FamilySearch family tree makes small input from short contributions of time add up to this success. See: D&C 128:24b “Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.” In the last conference (October 2024) the prophet said “…Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why? Because the Lord has instructed us to do so. The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord!”
Thanks for sharing that insight. It is true that the scope of the gathering is much larger than the people who are currently in mortal bodies (although that’s a pretty big scope). It includes all of God’s children on both sides of the veil.
Thank you, Paul! Inarguably, Moroni’s incorporation of what we can associate as the Church’s Handbook 1.0 prophetically extends our local roles as ward ministering members, as Moroni and you point out and reiterate here in closing the verse.
Moroni 6:5
The church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.
We are all responsible to minister to one another and build unity. Thanks for the comment!