Where Two Or Three Are Gathered

The Savior told His apostles, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20).  In our dispensation He repeated this to the Prophet Joseph: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching one thing, behold, there will I be in the midst of them—even so am I in the midst of you” (D&C 6:32).  In general I believe this promise is fulfilled by the presence of His Spirit being among those who gather in His name, but the scriptures certainly show instances where the Savior literally fulfilled this by coming physically among disciples who were gathered together.  For example, Joseph and Oliver were gathered together in prayer on April 3, 1836 when the Lord came among them in person declaring, “I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:4). 

                Another account in the scriptures that shows the literal fulfillment of this promise is the visit of the Savior to the Americas.  The people had heard the voice of the Lord as recorded in 3 Nephi 9-10, and then some time later there were many who were gathered at the temple in Bountiful.  We read that “they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place.  And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death” (3 Nephi 11:1-2).  Clearly they were “gathered in his name” in the sense that they were speaking of Him and trying to understand what had happened among them because of His death.  It was then that a voice again came from heaven, and they ultimately “saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them” (3 Nephi 11:8).  So we have even the same phrase—that He came in their midst—as the promise from Matt. 18:20.  Jesus spent a day with them as recorded in 3 Nephi 11-18 before leaving to minister to others.  The next day the people were “gathered together” after having it “noised abroad concerning Jesus” so more people would come.  The Twelve “did teach the multitude” and the people “prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus.”  So again they were literally gathered in His name, and at some point during this “Jesus came and stood in the midst and ministered unto them” (3 Nephi 19:3-4, 8, 15).  The promise that He would come in their midst was once more literally fulfilled for them. 

It seems to me that at least part of the reason this group of Nephites was able to have such marvelous experiences with the Savior was that they came together in complete unity.  In contrast to their society that had essentially broke apart before the destruction came—“the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends”—now they came together in unity in search for an understanding of Christ (3 Nephi 7:2).  We see evidence of their new found unity in phrases such as “they did cry out with one accord” (3 Nephi 11:16).  They sought to bring everyone to the place where Jesus was and wanted all to partake of His goodness.  While we may not be blessed with this kind of physical visit from Jesus, surely as we seek the kind of unity they had and gather together in His name, we too can have an outpouring of the Spirit to be in our midst.