What is Church

Doctrine and Covenants 18:5 reads

Wherefore, if you shall build up my church, upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.

And 10:67-68 reads

This is my doctrine--whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.

This idea has been rummaging around in my brain for a few months. What is church? And why do people point fingers at it, or rely on it, or give concretion to its abstraction?

Meaning, lots of people think thoughts that begin with, "if only the church would," or "why did the church do" and so forth.

Lots of people suppose that the church will raise their children or give them money or help them with something

And lots of people consider that 'the church' is a thing.

I think it's an idea. I think that 'the church' is more just a group of people with a unified idea or principle. And really, when you think about the church in action, it often comes down to just one person. The Bishop decides if somebody gets the welfare check or not. The EQP authorizes the moving assistance. So and so gets counsel from some leader. A youth gets inspiration and motivation from somebody else.

The church is just you and me. Which puts a different thought on those scenarios listed above. The church doing something is really just you or me doing something. The church helping our children is really just you and me teaching our children.

I think I'm getting tired of thinking about this, so i'm done.