"Let us be just, merciful, faithful and true, and let us live our religion, and we shall be taught all things pertaining to the building up of Zion. Let us train our minds until we delight in that which is good, lovely and holy, seeking continually after that intelligence which will enable us effectually to […]
Posts by John Taylor Wilford Woodruff:
94. What Building Zion Requires of Us, Brigham Young, 1863
“Let us look at our neighbors as they are, and not as we want them to be; let us learn enough to know what we are ourselves and what our brethren and sisters are, and learn the true designs of their hearts, and then judge them as God judges them and not according to outward […]
Thoughts on Zion #38 – John Taylor Picks Up the Zion Building Torch
The general failure of the United Orders coincided roughly with the passing of Church President Brigham Young in 1877. One might wonder if at the end, Brother Brigham was discouraged about building Zion, and whether, after he passed, his successor John Taylor would move on and focus elsewhere. This was definitely not the case. To […]
88. Economic Unity, Brigham Young, 1867
The title of Brigham Young’s discourse dated 2/3/1867 shows how he valued economic unity: “How Saints Should Order Their Vocation of Life. How Employ Their Wealth. To Build Up Zion, and not Babylon. Counsel of the Prophet Joseph. Prophet Brigham Young’s Experience Therein. Importance of Union in Things Temporal and Spiritual, Religious and Political.”
84. What Building Zion Requires of Us, Brigham Young, 1860
We are all sinners, and it is our duty to cast sin from us when we learn what it is. If we are a little good, become a little better; if we have a little light, get a little more; if we have a little faith, add to it; and by-and-by we shall be prepared […]
Thoughts on Zion #37 – More Lessons From the United Orders’ Failure
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” – George Santayana. Since we LDS may some day be building Zion communities, we might do well to learn from our Utah ancestors’ mistakes. Last time we suggested one such misstep was that the Saints moved too quickly from cooperatives to the United Order, […]
83. Zion Prophesied, Brigham Young, 1860
…this is the time the Lord has fixed for building up his Zion—that this is the time spoken of by the Prophets in which the Saints are commanded to gather out from the wicked. – Brigham Young, 6/7/1860
79. Economic Unity, Brigham Young, 1863
If any of the Twelve are not capable of supporting themselves, we shall help them; and it is our duty to do so, and it is the duty of the people to have it on hand to be applied in this and in every other way suggested in the law of God for the building […]
77. What Building Zion Requires of Us, Brigham Young, 1862
I do not wish you to carry away a wrong impression of our true situation before the heavens relative to perfection. For you to be perfect, in one sense of the word, is to be prepared to inherit eternal glory in the presence of the Father and the Son. Should any mortal attain to this […]
Thoughts on Zion #36 – Lessons from the United Order Failures
With hindsight, it looks like Brigham Young may have jumped the gun by introducing the United Order to the Saints in 1873. That year there was a nation-wide banking panic and he apparently introduced the United Order to better insulate the Saints from the roller-coaster American economy. He was looking to help the Saints become […]
75. Babylon and it’s Traditions, George A. Smith, 1861
It is well understood that the human race have been traditioned to the utmost extreme that tradition could possibly be impressed in the human breast, in the practice of covetousness, the worship of money, the love of earthly goods, the desire to possess property, to control wealth, has been planted in the breast, soul, and […]
Zion’s Redemption Will Come When WE Prepare Ourselves
I was encouraged to keep reading “The Triumph of Zion” by a friend after being turned off by an idea that the author, John Pontius, repeats several times in the first chapter. GLAD I KEPT READING! He has some great quotes by authoritative sources like this one by Elder McConkie: “…the redemption of Zion… will […]
59. What Building Zion Requires of Us, Brigham Young, 1861
The Lord is building up Zion, and is emptying the earth of wickedness, gathering his people, bringing again Zion, redeeming his Israel, sending forth his work, withdrawing his Spirit from the wicked world, and commencing to build up his kingdom. Can this be done without revelation? No. You will not make a move, or do […]
58. What Building Zion Requires of Us, Brigham Young, 1861
You can read in the writings of the ancient Prophets that the Lord is going to bring again Zion. The Prophet said that very quickly: it took him not more than half a minute. Let me ask the Latter-day Saints, How long will it take this people to fulfil that short sentence? How can they, […]
How to Become a World-Class Zion Builder
Throughout the scriptures, both ancient and modern, prophets have foreseen our day and rejoiced that we, of all people in the history of the Earth, are blessed. We are the people God has entrusted with the task of becoming and building a Zion society, prepared to receive the Savior of the world when He returns […]
We Have Everything We Need to Build Zion Now
Prophets and Apostles, past and present, tell us that building Zion is up to us – no waiting required. We are Called to Build Zion “The kingdom of God is before us; we have it to build up, and to establish the Zion of our God upon this land. And if I am right in […]