Finding Zion

In the early days of the Church, Joseph Smith received a revelation concerning Zion and where it would be built. He told the brethren about the place in Independence, Missouri and the brethren with Joseph eagerly prepared and went. But when they arrived there was great disappointment. Instead of a beautiful Promised Land, they found a rough and tumble frontier settlement. Each of the brethren reacted in different ways. Some began to murmur and complain, but others with Joseph’s encouragement trusted that the Lord knew what he was doing and consecrated their money and time to establishing Zion.

Doctrine and Covenants 58 is a revelation given to the people at this time urging them to be positive and optimistic and implying that the enjoyment of a Promised Land at this place would come but also telling them that it would not come until after much tribulation. I love this section in the way it urges all of us to help bring about Zion by introducing a metaphor of a feast and giving us who know of the culinary delights of Zion a charge to gather others to the feast.

Zion will someday be a physical place, but in the meantime Zion is being established in the hearts of the people; Zion is the pure in heart (D&C 97:21). And as we Live in Truth and help others to do the same, we are establishing Zion. Like the early brethren, we will encounter disappointment and it may be difficult to understand how we can possibly establish Zion in this world, but if we trust in the vision of the Lord instead of our own vision, and do as He directs, Zion will be established in our own hearts. He knows how to change us. He has the power to change us. We can become pure in heart by Living in Truth and letting Him lead us.