Current Lessons
Principles of Good Government No. Eight
Immigration
Introduction – Recently, some of my family and I walked around the Statute of Liberty in New York harbor and visited Ellis Island where millions of immigrants entered the United States. This experience touched me, and I was reminded that most immigrants who come to our country are looking for freedom and opportunity. They are mostly religious, usually Latino and Christian. They are family oriented and have a great love for their own families. And they have been and are willing to work. Immigrants always have been a great blessing to the United States.
Our country needs secure borders and an orderly immigration process, however, this lesson is focused on the overall positive aspects of immigration starting with the belief, as our living prophets and apostles have taught, that we should be compassionate. It is in the nature of truly strong people to be constructively compassionate. Our country will be strengthened if we follow the basic truths of The Proclamation on the Family. Our national policy on immigration, and everything else, should be to strengthen families which will in turn strengthen our nation.
In our day Book of Mormon prophesies concerning immigration are being fulfilled:
“[Nephi] beheld many multitudes of the gentiles upon the land of promise” (1 Nephi 13:14) As the Book of Mormon prophesied there have been multitudes from all nations come to the United States. The United States has assimilated more immigrants than any other nation in the history of the world. The United States has always been a melting pot. At this time a majority of Americans are three generations or less from immigrant ancestors, and mostly they have become part of American culture. There has never been a nation comparable to the United States in these ways.
The Founders of our nation adopted a national seal which shows an eagle with a banner in his beak. Written on the banner are the words E Pluribus Unum which means “out of many one.” Our Founders recognized the importance of national unity in a nation of immigrants.
While the United States is not perfect in this respect and despite what makes news, overall the United States is one of the least racially prejudiced nations in the world. This is particularly true of the rising generation. The previous generation was more prejudiced than my generation, and my children’s generation is less prejudiced than mine, and my grandchildren’s will be less still.
While it didn’t happen all at once, our military set the example and was the first national institution to integrate. Most of our national institutions have since successfully integrated.
Not only is the United States very diverse, it is one of the most populous nations on the earth. Our birth rate is the highest of any developed nation. Therefore, there will be even more multitudes of gentiles on the land of promise. Our demographics will allow the Lord to continue to use the United States as a source for good throughout the earth.
“For it is wisdom in the Father that [the gentiles] should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father…that the covenant of the Father might be fulfilled…” (3 Nephi 21:4) – This Book of Mormon prophesy has been fulfilled as the Lord has brought people from every nation on earth to the United States. He has blessed us and given us power to do much good in exporting fundamental principles of freedom throughout the earth. Significantly, his Church is headquartered in the United States from which the gospel is taken and administered to the world.
Because there is much dissension in the United States on political issues there is a tendency to forget what has united most of our people in the past. Religious and political freedom have been part of our national fabric. In the past most of our people have believed in God, and have also believed they should earn what they receive. Unity of purpose is one reason the United States has had great power and influence in the world.
All of this is changing under the relentless attack of the adversary. Therefore, we must redouble our efforts, as our living apostles and prophets have asked, to advocate for freedom and unity both at home and in the public square.
“[The Lord] hath reserved their blessings, which [the Nephites] might have received in the land, for the gentiles who shall possess the land” (Mormon 5:19) – In the Book of Mormon the Lord promised time and again, “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence” (2 Nephi 1:20). Both the positive and the negative applications of this promise were fulfilled time after time with the Jaredites and the Nephites.
Who can doubt the multitude of spiritual and temporal blessings the Lord has showered on the people of the United States from our founding to the present day? Our challenge, individually and as a nation, is to be worthy of these blessings.
Testimony – In the latter days there will not be another general apostasy whereby the gospel will be taken from the earth. On the contrary, the Church will grow stronger and stronger throughout the earth. The apostasy that is taking place in our dispensation is with individuals and even families who renounce their faith and fall into unrighteousness. These cut themselves off, and they will not have the blessings they otherwise might have enjoyed.
Good people, who live according to the light and knowledge they have received, are loved by the Lord, and we can be sure that he will bless them in ways that he knows best.