In section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord describes the galactic nature of his saving ministry by telling a parable of a man who owned a large field and visited each of his twelve workers in the field, the visits taking place in the appropriate time and order. “Therefore, unto this parable I will liken all these kingdoms [the ones over which our Savior exercises creative and thus redemptive authority],” the Master said, “and the inhabitants thereof- every kingdom in its hour, and in its time, and in its season, even according to the decree which God hath made.” (D&C 88:51-61.)
To accept the message of this parable- that Jesus Christ has visited or will visit at some time all of those planets for which he has a stewardship- does not require us to limit the number to twelve. (He has in fact created “worlds without number-see Moses 1:33.) Likewise, we may discover one day that numerous righteous individuals and groups- as with Lehi and his family- were led to other ”lands of promise“ by an omniscient and all-loving God. What does seem apparent from the allegory is that the gospel has been enjoyed among many nations on earth to a greater extent than is generally realized (see, for example, 2 Nephi 29:12; Joseph Smith Matthew 1:31); that righteousness flourished and many qualified for eternal life among some of the scattered branches: there was ,”much fruit“ brought forth, fruit which was stored up by the Master of the vineyard (verses 20, 22-23)”