Brad Wilcox - Born to Change the World: Your Part in Gathering Israel

World illustration on chapter opening pages foxaon1987/Shutterstock.com

2019 Bradley Ray Wilcox and Deborah G. Gunnel Wilcox Family Trust

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, Deseret Book Company, at permissions@deseretbook.com or PO Box 30178, Salt Lake City, Utah 84130. This work is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The views expressed herein are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church or of Deseret Book Company.

Deseret Book is a registered trademark of Deseret Book Company.

Visit us at deseretbook.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

(CIP data on file)

ISBN 978-1-62972-589-5

Printed in the United States of America

PubLitho, Draper, Utah

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To President Russell M. Nelson, whose BYU devotional Thanks for the Covenant, given in 1988, lit a fire under me to study and teach about the house of Israel, which I have done ever since.

Also to his wife, Wendy Watson Nelson, who was surely raised up for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Acknowledgments

Thanks to my wife, Debi, and my daughters, Wendee Rosborough and Whitney Laycock. They are always my first and most patient editors. Thanks also to Russell, Trish, Gian, Landon, David, and all my wonderful grandchildren. The support and love I feel from my family fills me with great purpose and joy.

I appreciate Lisa Roper, who never gave up on the idea of this book. It would not have happened without her. Thanks also to Sheri Dew and Laurel Day for supporting this project and seeing its potential and to Tracy Keck and Shauna Gibby for helping complete it. Im grateful for friends and colleagues whose contributions were essential: Elder Jorge Becerra, Avram R. Shannon, Jeffrey R. Chadwick, M. Steven Andersen, Doug Rich, Brett Sanders, and Ryan Sharp. Thanks to Brian Quinlan, who created the original graphics, and Gerrit Van Dyk, who helped with references. Lori Soza, Jeanine Ehat, Cody Sanders, and Evita Chatterley help me stay on top of this crazy life of mine. Their support is appreciated, as is the support of my great teaching assistants: Jake Robins, Braden Goimarac, Marisa Maxwell, and Makayla Lake.

It was forty years ago that a man named George Bickerstaff challenged me to write a book and a teacher named Chloe Vroman mentored me through that process. They are both gone now, but I hope they know I am forever grateful for their influence.

Introduction

• So Im from Ephraim or Manasseh? So what?
• What does it mean if Im from another tribe?
• I know the twelve oxen under temple baptismal fonts represent the tribes, but why?
• What does it mean to gather Israel?

• We are told we are children of God, but isnt everyone?
• So weve been saved for the last days. Hasnt everyone on earth right now been saved just as long? How does that set us apart?

• Why do you have to go on missions and do family history and temple work when other people dont?
• Why does your church have so many different rules and commandments than other churches?

At first, the three groups of questions may seem unrelated, but they are not. Answers to the first questions about gathering Israel can help us answer the other questions about who we are and why God can and does expect so much of us.

In a worldwide youth devotional in June 2018, President Russell M. Nelson proclaimed, The Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty.... I testify that the gathering is now, and it is real.

The purpose of this book is to help you better understand the scriptures about gathering Israel as well as the writings of Church leaders and teacherspast and presenton this topic. Most important, my hope is that this book can help you prepare to team up with God and play your vital part.