Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
Zion has been defined as a place, a cause, and being pure in heart. I would love to be a part of a place like that and be that type of person. These sections emphasize some of the priorities that Zion-like people should have that would promote happiness. The stakes of Zion have been established to help strengthen and encourage us to 'rejoice' as we become more like Christ.
A few references to Zion in the Doctrine and Covenants:
“Committed to move the work forward, a conference of high priests met in the translating room above the Whitney store on June 3, 1833 to discuss the construction of the temple. The conference appointed the First Presidency as the three-person committee charged with obtaining the further direction that the Lord had promised regarding the temple’s design.
“At some point Joseph and his counselors knelt before the Lord in humble prayer and received a marvelous answer to their queries. The heavens opened and they saw the temple, in vision, in its finished state. After they had viewed the exterior, the building moved over them and they saw the interior in great detail.” (History of the Church 1:354-355)
“When Joseph presented the full pattern for the temple, it delighted the brethren in general and Hyrum in particular. In fact, he could hardly contain his enthusiasm. After the meeting, Joseph took the brethren to a nearby field, where they removed the fence and began leveling the grain.
“Hyrum ran to his parents’ house grabbed a scythe, and was about to leave again when his mother stopped him and asked where he was going with the tool.
“We are preparing to build a house for the Lord,” he replied, “and I am determined to be the first at the work.” Perhaps Lucy followed her son to the field, later noting that when the grain was cleared, “Hyrum commenced digging a trench for the wall, he having declared that he would strike the first blow upon the house.” (Smith Biographical Sketches, 202-203)
Brigham Young: "…too few in numbers, too weak in faith, and too poor in purse, to attempt such a mighty enterprise. But by means of all these stimulants, a mere handful of men, living on air, and a little hominy and milk, and often salt or no salt when milk could not be had; the great Prophet Joseph, in the stone quarry, quarrying rock with his own hands;
“And the few then in the Church, following his example of obedience and diligence wherever most needed; with laborers on the walls, holding the sword in one hand to protect themselves from the mob, while they placed the stone and moved the trowel with the other.” (Journal of Discourses 2:31)
Parley P. Pratt: "In the latter part of the summer (1833) and in the autumn, I devoted almost my entire time in ministering among the churches, holding meetings, visiting the sick, comforting the afflicted and giving counsel. A school of elders was organized, over which I was called to preside. This class, to the number of about 60, met for instructions once a week. The place of meeting was in the open air, under some tall trees, in a retired place in the wilderness, where we prayed, preached and prophesied, and exercised ourselves in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
“Here great blessings were poured out, and many great and marvelous things were manifested and taught. The Lord gave me great wisdom, and enabled me to teach and edify the elders, and comfort and encourage them in their preparations for the great work which lay before us. I was also much edified and strengthened. To attend this school I had to travel on foot, and sometimes with bare feet at that, about six miles. This I did once a week besides visiting and preaching in five or six branches a week." (History of the Church, vol. 1, pp. 400-401 fn.)
Priorities for Zion in Section 97:
Some Blessings of a Temple in Section 97:
Some Promises for Building a Temple in Section 97:
Brigham Young: "It is so, to a great extent, with our newcomers. When they come here they look for perfection. They say this is Zion. And so it is; but if we go to the Scriptures we shall find that the Zion of God is composed of the pure in heart. Brethren and sisters, have you Zion within you? If Jesus Christ is not in you, the apostle says, `then are ye reprobates.' 2 Cor. 13:5.
“Be careful that no man takes advantage of you, leads you astray, and causes you to leave the Church and Kingdom of God, apostatize, and go down to hell. If you have Jesus and the Kingdom of God within you, then the Zion of God is here." (Journal of Discourses, 12:60, 18 June 1867.)
Teaching Thoughts:
President Ezra Taft Benson: “When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims of our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities” (Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 13; or Ensign, May 1988, 4).
President Henry B. Eyring: "Zion is where the pure in heart are gathered; that gathering creates a Zion. But in one person whose heart is cleansed by the Atonement and filled with the hope of eternal life there is a place of peace and refuge, too." (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/henry-b-eyring/faith-fathers/)
A few references to Zion in the Doctrine and Covenants:
- 6:6 – Establishing the cause of Zion
- 11:6 – Establishing the cause of Zion
- 14:6 – Establishing the cause of Zion
- 24:7 – Devote all thy service in Zion
- 28:9 – Geographical location of Zion
- 52 – Missionaries called to bring to Zion
- 57:3 – Center spot of Zion
- 63:36 – Call to assemble to Zion
- 82:13-14 – Kirtland/Zion will increase
- 88:119 – Establish a house in Zion
- 90:36-37 – Zion will not be moved
- 97:21 – Zion – THE PURE IN HEART
“Committed to move the work forward, a conference of high priests met in the translating room above the Whitney store on June 3, 1833 to discuss the construction of the temple. The conference appointed the First Presidency as the three-person committee charged with obtaining the further direction that the Lord had promised regarding the temple’s design.
“At some point Joseph and his counselors knelt before the Lord in humble prayer and received a marvelous answer to their queries. The heavens opened and they saw the temple, in vision, in its finished state. After they had viewed the exterior, the building moved over them and they saw the interior in great detail.” (History of the Church 1:354-355)
“When Joseph presented the full pattern for the temple, it delighted the brethren in general and Hyrum in particular. In fact, he could hardly contain his enthusiasm. After the meeting, Joseph took the brethren to a nearby field, where they removed the fence and began leveling the grain.
“Hyrum ran to his parents’ house grabbed a scythe, and was about to leave again when his mother stopped him and asked where he was going with the tool.
“We are preparing to build a house for the Lord,” he replied, “and I am determined to be the first at the work.” Perhaps Lucy followed her son to the field, later noting that when the grain was cleared, “Hyrum commenced digging a trench for the wall, he having declared that he would strike the first blow upon the house.” (Smith Biographical Sketches, 202-203)
Brigham Young: "…too few in numbers, too weak in faith, and too poor in purse, to attempt such a mighty enterprise. But by means of all these stimulants, a mere handful of men, living on air, and a little hominy and milk, and often salt or no salt when milk could not be had; the great Prophet Joseph, in the stone quarry, quarrying rock with his own hands;
“And the few then in the Church, following his example of obedience and diligence wherever most needed; with laborers on the walls, holding the sword in one hand to protect themselves from the mob, while they placed the stone and moved the trowel with the other.” (Journal of Discourses 2:31)
Parley P. Pratt: "In the latter part of the summer (1833) and in the autumn, I devoted almost my entire time in ministering among the churches, holding meetings, visiting the sick, comforting the afflicted and giving counsel. A school of elders was organized, over which I was called to preside. This class, to the number of about 60, met for instructions once a week. The place of meeting was in the open air, under some tall trees, in a retired place in the wilderness, where we prayed, preached and prophesied, and exercised ourselves in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
“Here great blessings were poured out, and many great and marvelous things were manifested and taught. The Lord gave me great wisdom, and enabled me to teach and edify the elders, and comfort and encourage them in their preparations for the great work which lay before us. I was also much edified and strengthened. To attend this school I had to travel on foot, and sometimes with bare feet at that, about six miles. This I did once a week besides visiting and preaching in five or six branches a week." (History of the Church, vol. 1, pp. 400-401 fn.)
Priorities for Zion in Section 97:
- A school (97:3).
- “Continue to abide in me” (97:4).
- Blessed “with a multiplicity of blessings” (97:5).
- Expound scripture (97:5).
- Edification (97:5).
- “Be chastened” (97:6).
- Hearts are to be ‘honest’ and ‘broken’ (97:8).
- Contrite in spirit (97:8).
- “Willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice” (97:8).
- Build temple (97:10).
Some Blessings of a Temple in Section 97:
- “my glory shall rest upon it;” (97:15)
- "my presence shall be there,
- “for I will come into it,
- “and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God” (97:16)”
Some Promises for Building a Temple in Section 97:
- “Zion shall prosper,
- and spread herself
- and become very glorious,
- very great,
- and very terrible.” (97:18)
- And the nations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say: “Surely Zion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there; (97:19) “And he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvation and her high tower.” (97:20).
Brigham Young: "It is so, to a great extent, with our newcomers. When they come here they look for perfection. They say this is Zion. And so it is; but if we go to the Scriptures we shall find that the Zion of God is composed of the pure in heart. Brethren and sisters, have you Zion within you? If Jesus Christ is not in you, the apostle says, `then are ye reprobates.' 2 Cor. 13:5.
“Be careful that no man takes advantage of you, leads you astray, and causes you to leave the Church and Kingdom of God, apostatize, and go down to hell. If you have Jesus and the Kingdom of God within you, then the Zion of God is here." (Journal of Discourses, 12:60, 18 June 1867.)
Teaching Thoughts:
- Is Zion in our heart?
- “Therefore, let Zion rejoice.” How will you rejoice today?
- Discuss how to keep priorities straight.
President Ezra Taft Benson: “When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims of our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities” (Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 13; or Ensign, May 1988, 4).
President Henry B. Eyring: "Zion is where the pure in heart are gathered; that gathering creates a Zion. But in one person whose heart is cleansed by the Atonement and filled with the hope of eternal life there is a place of peace and refuge, too." (https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/henry-b-eyring/faith-fathers/)