Tenth Article of Faith

10 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. 

This Article of Faith is about missionary work, the second coming of our Savior, and the Millennium.

I always found the subject of the gathering of Israel and the restoration of the lost Ten Tribes somewhat confusing.  So I'm going to spend a little more time on this Article of Faith explaining it.

The prophet Abraham, was promised by the Lord that his seed (descendents) would exceed the number of the sands of the seas. Abraham had a son named Isaac.  You're probably familiar with the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac by the Lord.  A ram appeared in the thicket and Isaac was not sacrificed.  Isaac had a son named Jacob.  Jacob was also known as Israel.  Jacob had 12 sons who are the 12 tribes of Israel. You may recall the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors who was sold into Egypt by his brothers.  They are the sons of Jacob (Israel).

From LDS.org:

These are the twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun (the sons of Jacob and Leah); Dan and Naphtali (the sons of Jacob and Bilhah); Gad and Asher (the sons of Jacob and Zilpah); Joseph and Benjamin (the sons of Jacob and Rachel) (Gen. 29:32–30:24; 35:16–18).

"Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob’s first wife, Leah, lost his birthright blessing and double portion of inheritance because of immorality (Gen. 49:3–4). The birthright then went to Joseph, who was the firstborn son of Jacob’s second wife, Rachel (1 Chr. 5:1–2). Levi, whose tribe the Lord had chosen to serve as His priesthood ministers, did not receive an inheritance because of their special calling to minister among all the tribes. This allowed Joseph’s double portion to be shared by Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Chr. 5:1; Jer. 31:9), who were counted as separate tribes of Israel (JST, Gen. 48:5–6 [Appendix])."

"Members of the tribe of Judah were to be the rulers until the Messiah came (Gen. 49:10; JST, Gen. 50:24 [Appendix]). In the last days the tribe of Ephraim has the privilege of carrying the message of the Restoration of the gospel to the world and gathering scattered Israel (Deut. 33:13–17). The time will come when through the gospel of Jesus Christ, Ephraim will have a leadership role in uniting all the tribes of Israel (Isa. 11:12–13; D&C 133:26–34)."

To better explain the gathering of Israel, we should understand the scattering of Israel.  President Russell M. Nelson gave an excellent talk in October 2006 General Conference entitled "The Gathering of Scattered Israel" from which I will now quote: 

"As descendants of Abraham, the tribes of ancient Israel had access to priesthood authority and blessings of the gospel, but eventually the people rebelled. They killed the prophets and were punished by the Lord. Ten tribes were carried captive into Assyria. From there they became lost to the records of mankind. (Obviously, the ten tribes are not lost to the Lord.) Two remaining tribes continued a short time and then, because of their rebellion, were taken captive into Babylon. When they returned, they were favored of the Lord, but again they honored Him not. They rejected and vilified Him. A loving but grieving Father vowed, “I will scatter you among the heathen,” and that He did—into all nations." 

President Nelson continued and explained the gathering of Israel:

"As prophesied by Peter and Paul, all things were to be restored in this dispensation. Therefore, there must come, as part of that restoration, the long-awaited gathering of scattered Israel. It is a necessary prelude to the Second Coming of the Lord. 

"This doctrine of the gathering is one of the important teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lord has declared: “I give unto you a sign … that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion.” The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign to the entire world that the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill covenants He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We not only teach this doctrine, but we participate in it. We do so as we help to gather the elect of the Lord on both sides of the veil. 

"The Book of Mormon is central to this work. It declares the doctrine of the gathering. It causes people to learn about Jesus Christ, to believe His gospel, and to join His Church. In fact, if there were no Book of Mormon, the promised gathering of Israel would not occur."...

"Here on earth, missionary work is crucial to the gathering of Israel."...

"The choice to come unto Christ is not a matter of physical location; it is a matter of individual commitment. People can be “brought to the knowledge of the Lord” without leaving their homelands."...

"Zion is wherever righteous Saints are."... 

"Spiritual security will always depend upon how one lives, not where one lives. Saints in every land have equal claim upon the blessings of the Lord." -- Russell M. Nelson, "The Gathering of Scattered Israel", October 2006 General Conference

The gathering of Israel will be through missionary work.  It is more of a spiritual gathering than a physical gathering.  Members of the lost tribes are gathered by listening to the missionaries message and choosing to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ by being baptized into His Church, and then choosing to follow Him throughout their lives.

Those who accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are baptized into His Church have the opportunity to receive a patriarchal blessing.  In a patriarchal blessing an individual's lineage is revealed and we are told to which tribe of Israel we belong.

Zion (New Jerusalem) is a city that will be built in Independence Missouri (see Doctrine and Covenants 57 1-3) that will act as a capital city from whence the Savior will reign over the entire earth during the Millennium.

After the Savior comes to the earth again (The Second Coming) He will reign personally on the earth for 1000 years during the Millennium as the head of government.

When Adam fell so did the earth from its paradisiacal state.  The earth was cursed with thorns and thistles.  After the earth is burned and cleansed from the wicked, it will return to its paradisiacal state.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated:

"All things when first created - the earth and all forms of life -- were paradisiacal in nature and were pronounced by their Creator as "very good." (Moses 2:31.) There was no sin, no sorrow, and no death in that day. And the Great Creator blessed the earth and all things on its face. Then came the fall, and the earth which God had blessed was cursed. "Cursed shall be the ground for thy sake," he said to Adam; "in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also, and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field." (Moses 4:23-24.) To Cain the Lord said: "When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength." (Moses 5:37.) And later, with reference to all men, the divine account says: "And God cursed the earth with a sore curse, and was angry with the wicked, with all the sons of men whom he had made." (Moses 5:56.) That curse now prevails; it is in full operation, and it will continue so to be until the millennial day. Then the earth and all things that remain after the day of burning will return to a paradisiacal state, a state in which all things will be blessed and prospered as they were in the primeval day. A thing cannot be renewed unless it was new in the first instance. The earth was paradisiacal once, and it will become so again." -- Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah, pp.613-616, 1982