To make it clear what is taking place here, we should explain that the branches of the mother tree are taken and grafted into the trees that the Lord had earlier planted in the nethermost parts of the vineyard. What does this mean? It does not refer to adopting the Gentiles into the house of Israel because neither the branches nor the tree that they are grafted into are producing good fruit. This is not a spiritual grafting but a geographic transplantation.
In order to understand what this means, let’s look at the relationship between the mother tree and the fourth of these transplanted natural branches—the Lamanite descendants. At the time of the end of the Apostasy, the Gentile nations of Europe were coming to America in great numbers. At first, they persecuted and afflicted the natives, but, at last, they established programs to give them land and preserve them, that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth good fruit unto me (v. 54). More importantly, the Gentiles established a free nation which would be the site of the Restoration. The Restoration would then bring to pass a marvelous work and a wonder to help scattered Israel return to the Lord. Therefore, the branches of the natural tree which had become wild represent the Gentile nations of Christianity. Their grafting in unto the natural trees represents the great immigration movement of these people into the United States, Central and South America, and other nations where the Lord has hid the natural branches. Their presence among those of scattered Israel helps to preserve them until the day when they are ready to bring forth good fruit.