As the Gospel message goes forth, the “land of thy destruction” will become repopulated with believing Saints again. In Nephi’s case, that land is the Americas. This land will eventually become crowded with Saints, as the message rolls forth. We are a long way from that day at present. However, Joseph spoke of this same thing when he taught: You know there has been great discussion in relation to Zion-where it is, and where the gathering of the dispensation is, and which I am now going to tell you. The prophets have spoken and written upon it; but I will make a proclamation that will cover a broader ground. The whole of America is Zion itself from north to south, and is described by the Prophets, who declare that it is the Zion where the mountain of the Lord should be, and that it should be in the center of the land. When Elders shall take up and examine the old prophecies in the Bible, they will see it. (DHC 6: 318–19, emphasis added.)
President Wilford Woodruff commented on Joseph’s teachings on this issue when he reported: …the Prophet said:
“Brethren I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of the Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother’s lap. You don’t comprehend it.” I was rather surprised. He said: “It is only a little handful of priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church will fill North and South America-it will fill the world.” Among other things he said; “It will fill the Rocky Mountains. There will be tens of thousands of Latter-day Saints who will be gathered in the Rocky Mountains, and there they will open the door for the establishing of the gospel among the Lamanites, who will receive the gospel and their endowments and the blessings of God. This people will go into the Rocky Mountains; they will there build temples to the Most High. They will raise up a posterity there, and the Latter-day Saints who dwell in these mountains will stand in the flesh until the coming of the Son of Man. The Son of Man will come to them while in the Rocky Mountains.” (Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Latter-day Prophets Speak: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Church Presidents, p.255; quoting Wilford Woodruff, Conference Reports, p. 57, April 8, 1898.)
Nephi saw the same destiny. Though the work is still comparatively small, it will eventually fill the whole of North and South America as a great City of Zion. It will eventually fill the whole earth. This is the Restored Church’s destiny. Nephi saw it, and used these words to testify of it. Today, however, worldwide birth rates outstrip conversion rates. As a result, fewer of the world’s people are Latter-day Saints each year as a percentage.