In the beginning of the 34^th year of the Nephite calendar, a terrible destruction occurred. According to Mormon, on the fourth day of the first month of the year, the Nephite nation was visited with cataclysms on the scale of the Flood and Sodom and Gomorrah. To the survivors, the voice of the resurrected Christ pierced the strangling darkness with both a rebuke and an invitation. We are obligated to consider these canonized words, because Mormon handpicked them as a way for us to prepare for and receive the resurrected Christ and his Zion.

O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

How do we prepare to receive Christ and his Zion? Return, repent, and be converted. And what is the promise? Complete healing.

Mormon zeroed in on an exhortation that Jesus made when he later appeared to the Nephites. As we shall see, this exhortation helped to prepare the people for Zion:

And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away (3 Nephi 11:28-30).

In other words, stop arguing; stop fighting. Quit competing, gossiping, judging, and saying and doing hurtful things to each other. All of these things come of pride and selfishness. So stop thinking so much about yourself and start thinking more about others.

The Preparatory Year

We note with interest that Jesus’ voice was heard in the beginning of the thirty-fourth year. Then Mormon lets the record goes silent, as silent as the weighty silence that shrouded the earth after the Savior’s first pronouncements. When Mormon picks up the account again, he announces that we are “in the ending of the thirty and fourth year,” nearly one year later.

What happened in the lives of the surviving Nephites during those twelve months? Mormon gives us the answer in 4^th Nephi, and these verses provide us a key to likewise qualify to come into the presence of the Lord and become a Zion people.

And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.

And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift….

And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

Clearly, the people had done as Jesus had directed one year earlier. In the subsequent twelve months, they had managed to return to him with full purpose of heart; they had repented; they had become converted. Then, as promised, when the Lord came, he healed them. Moreover, after Jesus came, and perhaps most importantly, the people had purged themselves of disputations and contentions. Now they were ready to become a Zion people, among the happiest “people who had been created by the hand of God.”

Is Zion that close? Could we, too, qualify for the supernal blessings enjoyed by the Nephites by practicing the same principles and eliminating the same vices?

Brigham Young said, “[Zion] commences in the heart of each person.” “The length of time required ‘to accomplish all things pertaining to Zion’ is strictly up to us and how we live.”

The Problem with Contention

Contentions and disputations had always been the common denominators of Nephite decline, apostasy and war. Contentions had also brought down the Jaredite civilization, and later contention had nearly destroyed the Nephites after the birth of Christ. We are not exempt. Mormon seemed to take a prophetic view of our day and single out a significant barrier that would stand between us and Zion. Quoting Jesus, Mormon reminds and warns us about the dangers of contention and disputation, then commands us to abandon such behavior once and for all.

A cursing is pronounced upon those who contend, and prophets and great leaders have sought to teach unifying principles to avoid the possibility of contention. King Benjamin warned, “But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit…. For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.”

Later, Alma commanded the members of the Church “that there should be no contention one with another, but that…their hearts [should be] knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” Looking out across the generations of his children, Nephi prophesied that contention would define his people’s history and eventually cause their downfall: “For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people.”

When the resurrected Jesus appeared to the Nephites, he commanded them to never again contend or dispute with each other. If they would obey this command, they would also impede to a great degree envy, strife, tumult, sexual sins, lying, murder, lasciviousness, secret combinations and economic and social distinctions.

We might conjecture that if we would diligently strive to come unto Christ with full purpose of heart, repent, become converted, and rid our lives of contentions and disputations, we too might qualify in a short period of time, even in as little as one year, as the Nephite record and Brigham Young suggest, for the Lord to come to us and establish us as individual Zion people, Zion marriages, Zion families, Zion wards and stakes, and a Zion church.

“It is high time to establish Zion”

Could becoming Zion people be that simple? If we were to really believe what we have been taught and really live what we have been given, could we also become Zion people in as little as one year? Joseph Smith said, “So long as unrighteous acts are suffered in the Church, it cannot be sanctified, neither can Zion be redeemed.” Our responsibility is to act now and embrace the principles of Zion, “or else,” the Lord warns, our “faith is vain.”

An editorial written by Bishop Newel K. Whitney and his counselors in the Messenger and the Advocate sums up the urgency: “Whatever is glorious. Whatever is desirable-Whatever pertains to salvation, either temporal or spiritual. Our hopes, our expectations, our glory and our reward, all depend on our building up Zion according to the testimony of the prophets. For unless Zion is built: our hopes perish, our expectations fail, our prospects are blasted, our salvation withers, and God will come and smite the whole earth with a curse.”

President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “Zion can be built up only among those who are the pure in heart, not a people torn by covetousness or greed, but a pure and selfless people. Not a people who are pure in appearance, rather a people who are pure in heart. Zion is to be in the world and not of the world, not dulled by a sense of carnal security, nor paralyzed by materialism. No, Zion is not things of the lower, but of the higher order, things that exalt the mind and sanctify the heart.”

Finally, President Lorenzo Snow exhorted, “It is high time to establish Zion. Let us try to build up Zion. Zion is the pure in heart. Zion cannot be built up except on the principles of union required by the celestial law. It is high time for us to enter into these things.”

A Challenge for the New Year

Let us adopt a challenge to become more Zionlike during the coming year. Write this goal on paper and attach it to the refrigerator:

Zion in One Year!

Come unto Christ

Repent

Be converted

No more contention

As simple as this goal might appear, it is nevertheless scriptural and proven among a people very much like us.

Author’s Note

This article was adapted from my new book, The Three Pillars of Zion. Click here to receive a free sample.

See 3 Nephi 8:5.

3 Nephi 9:13.

3 Nephi 10:18.

4 Ne 1:2-3, 15-16.

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 9:284.

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 9:283.

See 1 Nephi 9:4; 12:3; 19:4; 2 Nephi 26:2, 32; 28:4; Omni 1:17; Words of Mormon 1:12; Mosiah 9:13; Alma 2:5; 4:9;50:25; 51:9; Helaman 16:22; 3 Nephi 2:11.

See Ether 11:7.

See 3 Nephi 2:11.

See Ether 4:8.

See Mosiah 29:7.

Mosiah 2:32-33.

Mosiah 18:21.

2 Nephi 26:2.

See 4 Nephi 1:24-25.

Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 2:146.

See D&C104:54-55.

N. K. Whitney & R. Cahoon. V. Knight, Messenger and Advocate, vol. 3 (October 1836-September 1837), Vol. 3 September, 1837 No. 36 p.563.

Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 363.

Lorenzo Snow, The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p.181.

a. D&C 97:21. (The pure in heart.)

b. D&C 82:14. (The Church and its stakes.)

c. Moses 7:19. (The city of Enoch.)

d. 2 Samuel 5:6-7; 1 Kings 8:1. (The ancient city of Jerusalem.)

e. D&C 45:66-67; 57:1-2; Articles of Faith 1:10. (The New Jerusalem, which will be built in Missouri.)

f. Hebrews 12:22-23. (The dwelling place of those who are exalted.)

First Things First

Which comes first: a Zion people or a Zion priesthood society? Read Moses 7:16-19. Notice that in the days of Enoch, the Lord called his people Zion before Enoch built the city of Zion. In fact, the city was named after the people. If we are waiting for an announcement from Salt Lake to become Zion, we will be sorely disappointed. Our pioneer forefathers discovered this sad fact: location does not make a Zion people; Zion people make a Zion location. Zion is a condition of the heart.

Pure in Heart

What does “pure in heart” mean? First, we must define terms:

1.     To “purify” something means to extract from it all contaminants and impurities;

2.     To “sanctify” something means to change its purpose or make it holy.

For example, on Sunday the priests take common bread and bless and sanctify it, whereupon the bread becomes holy. Its purpose has changed; now it is an emblem of the atonement. Likewise, when common people step into the waters of baptism and submit to that ordinance, all sin is extracted from them.

A common metaphor for this process is the making of steel. When raw ore is placed in a crucible and heated in a furnace, the substance becomes molten and the  properties separate. At that point, a skilled metallurgist can divide out the impurities from the pure, refined iron. An alloying process ensues, whereby the metallurgist carefully combines select elements in perfect proportion with the pure iron. The result is steel. But the process is not yet complete. For steel to become strong and not brittle, it must be subjected to reheating in the furnace, which is followed by pounding to align the molecules into their strongest position. The process of being thrust into the furnace and beaten is repeated multiple times until the steel is free from impurities and aligned so that it cannot be broken. At some point, the metallurgist pours the steel into a mold to change its purpose, and as a final step he polishes it. The finished product is incredibly strong and beautiful and it will remain so indefinitely.

In a similar manner, we are immersed in the crucibles attendant to the purifying experience, those fiery trials that heat, pound, mold, and polish us so that we might be purified, sanctified, and conformed to the image of God. The Lord has every right to do this. We agreed to it when we entered into the new and everlasting covenant. John Taylor wrote: “I heard the Prophet Joseph say, in speaking to the Twelve on one occasion: ‘You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and (said he) God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the kingdom of God.’”

To become pure in heart, we agree to enter into the new and everlasting covenant by baptism, and then we agree to submit to the purifying efforts of the Holy Ghost. If we allow him to do his work, he will purify our hearts so that he can thereafter sanctify us and form us into the image of God.  The apostle Paul said it this way: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Zion people are covenant people, who submit to the purifying crucible and emerge sanctified as new creatures. King Benjamin’s people cried out what we might call the anthem of the pure in heart:

And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “Zion can be built up only among those who are the pure in heart, not a people torn by covetousness or greed, but a pure and selfless people. Not a people who are pure in appearance, rather a people who are pure in heart. Zion is to be in the world and not of the world, not dulled by a sense of carnal security, nor paralyzed by greed. No, Zion is not things of the lower, but of the higher order, things that exalt the mind and sanctify the heart.”

Burning Out Impurities

What impurities could we allow the Holy Ghost to burn from us so that we could become pure in heart? Let us mention a few:

• Disobedience (D&C 64:34-35;105:3, 5-6). InD&C 105, the Lord cited disobedience as one of the reasons the city of Zion was not to be established at that time.
• Persecution of the poor (D&C 105:3). The word poor broadly means those who are financially, emotionally, physically or spiritually in need. The Saints who were trying to establish Zion in Missouri were chastised by the Lord for failing to care for “the poor and afflicted among them.” The rich are continually condemned by the Lord: “But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.” The reasons for the condemnation should be clear: A rich man makes at least three fatal decisions so that he might become and remain wealthy: 1) He uses his time, talents and resources for the purpose of building his personal wealth; 2) He determines that the wealth belongs to him and is not a stewardship that is to be used to do the Lord’s work; 3) He decides to keep his most of his wealth instead of giving it to the poor. By assuming this attitude, he despises the poor, persecutes the meek, and chooses Babylon over Zion.
• Casual attitude toward the temple. (D&C 97:10-16; 105:9-12). Zion people are covenant people. They always gather for the purpose of building temples, where they can receive their eternal blessings and stand as proxy so others can receive the blessings of salvation. As proxies, they become saviors on Mount Zion in the similitude of the Savior, who is the king of Zion. They assume the work of their king, which is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” While Zion people cannot affect immortality, they can affect the potential quality of another person’s immortality, the highest manifestation of which is eternal life.
• Casual attitude toward missionary work. (D&C 133:8-9). Once a person has made the decision to come out from Babylon and the Lord has delivered him into Zion, the Lord sends that person back to call other people out from Babylon (the world) and into Zion. Jesus is our example. As the Father sent him into the world, so Jesus sends us into the world to bring people out. We cannot avoid this assignment without serious repercussions. A missionary attitude will become more critical as the world implodes under the weight of its own wickedness.
• Casual attitude toward the priesthood. (D&C 82:14). “For Zion must increase in beauty, and in holiness; her borders must be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments.” President Franklin D. Richards explained, “What are these beautiful garments? These beautiful garments are the clothing upon with the authority and power of the Holy Priesthood. It is that which makes people beautiful; it is that which makes people useful….” Today, many priesthood holders have authority but little power, which comes through valiance and righteousness. The days of casualness towards the priesthood are over. President Eyring prophesied, “The destiny of the rising generation of priesthood holders is far more than to be ready to bring God’s power down to heal the sick. The preparation is to be ready to go and do whatever the Lord wants done as the world is preparing for His coming.”
• Casual attitude toward gospel scholarship and duty. (D&C 105:10). Lehi plainly taught us that one-hundred percent of the people who did not hold fast to the iron rod (the word of God) were lost. Only those who “did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron” achieved the fruit of the tree.” But knowing the word of God is meaningless unless it is coupled with duty. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”
• Inequality. (D&C 82:17-19). “And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just–And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord’s storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church–Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.”

Nephi said, “Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God.” Equality governs God’s dealings with his children; and righteous Zion people, who also espouse equality, receive God’s greatest blessings. What are the “favored of God” supposed to do with their blessings? Clearly, they are supposed to do that which qualified them to be called “righteous” in the first place: use them to bless God’s children.

If we desire to become “righteous” Zionlike people and “the favored of God,” we cannot treat God’s children differently than he does. Rhetorically, Nephi asked, “Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness?” Then, answering his own question, he said, “Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden. . . . He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female.” Can we expect to become Zionlike if we adopt inequality?

The Lord treats his children equally, but the same is not always true of us. Nevertheless, the law of consecration stipulates that we shoulder the obligation of the covenant to lift others. It is anti-Zion to exalt ourselves while others languish in poverty. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s good.” What is the divine result of seeking equality? “And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” Pay particular attention to the word because in this scripture. Because pure-hearted people strive to lift their neighbors and esteem all of God’s children as themselves, Zion flourishes. Zion is established because we make a choice to become Zionlike. President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “If we are to build that Zion of which the prophets have spoken and of which the Lord has given mighty promise, we must set aside our consuming selfishness. We must rise above our love for comfort and ease, and in the very process of effort and struggle, even in our extremity, we shall become better acquainted with our God.”

• Disunity. (D&C 38:27). We are commanded to become one. The people in the city of Enoch were described as “being of one heart and one mind” (Moses 7:18). Lack of unity was one of the reasons the early Saints were not able to build the city of Zion (D&C 101:6;105:4). Why is unity emphasized so much in connection with Zion? President Gordon B. Hinckleymade this observation: “When you are united, your power is limitless. You can accomplish anything you wish to accomplish.” This remarkable promise speaks to the power of unity. President Daniel H. Wells, former counselor in the First Presidency, taught: “The principles of the Holy Gospel are calculated in their nature to unitethe hearts of the people one with another, and to promote faith, union and lovetowards our fellows.” Because we cannot expect the Lordto establish Zion in our hearts without consecrated unity, the Lord commanded us, “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” Prefacing this directive, he made a powerful statement regarding the importance of unity: “It is even as I am.”

Jesus taught us the power of unity anew in this dispensation: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as touching one thing, behold, there will I be in the midst of them-even so am I in the midst of you.” We see in this scripture the means by which President Hinckley’s promise is realized. Gathering into one in the name of Lord for a common purpose invites the Savior into our circle. Clearly, unity is a celestial law, and when we obey it, we enjoy its unmatched blessings.

• Contention and disputations.(Mosiah 2:32-33). After the crucifixion of the Savior, when the Nephites heard the Lord’s voice declaring the destruction of the wicked, lamenting the evils of his people, and inviting the remnant to come unto him with full purpose of heart. Later, when the Savior appeared to them, he singled out two sins that he could no longer abide if they were to come into his presence and become a Zion people. He said, “And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.” In other words, stop fighting, arguing, competing, taking offense, and becoming angry with each other.

Contentions and disputations had always been the common denominators of Nephite decline, apostasy and war. Contentions had also brought down the Jaredite civilization, and later contention had nearly destroyed the Nephites after the birth of Christ. Jesus seemed to be reminding and warning them about contentions and disputations with the commandment to abandon such behavior once and for all.

A cursing is pronounced upon those who contend, and prophets and great leaders have sought to teach unifying principles to avoid the possibility of contention. King Benjamin warned, “But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit…. For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.” Later, Alma commanded the members of the Church “that there should be no contention one with another, but that…their hearts [should be] knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” Looking out across the generations of his children, Nephi prophesied that contention would define his people’s history and eventually cause their downfall: “For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people.”

When the resurrected Jesus appeared to the Nephites, he commanded them to never again contend or dispute with each other. If they would obey this command, they would also impede to a great degree envy, strife, tumult, sexual sins, lying, murder, lasciviousness, secret combinations and economic and social distinctions. We know that the people obeyed the Lord, because the next time we read about them, we discover that “there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people…and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”

What are the promises for the pure in heart?

The scriptures speak of the glorious promises of Zion and its people. Read D&C 97:18-25. What are some of the blessings?

• Zion will spread and become glorious and great (D&C 97:18).
• Zion will be honored by the nations of the earth (D&C 97:19).
• The Lord will be Zion’s salvation (D&C 97:20).
• Zion will rejoice (D&C 97:21).
• Zion will escape the Lord’s vengeance (D&C 97:22-25).

What must we do to enjoy these blessings? (See D&C 97:25.)

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; … we are the favored people that God has [chosen] to bring about the Latter-day glory.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “I see a wonderful future in a very uncertain world. If we will cling to our values, if we will build on our inheritance, if we will walk in obedience before the Lord, if we will simply live the gospel, we will be blessed in a magnificent and wonderful way. We will be looked upon as a peculiar people who have found the key to a peculiar happiness. ‘And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord … : for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem’ (Isaiah 2:3). Great has been our past, wonderful is our present, glorious can be our future.”

Author’s Note:

Much of this material was extracted from The Three Pillars of Zion. You may receive a free sampling at www.PillarsOfZion.com.

Romans 8:29.

Taylor, Journal of Discourses, 24:197.

2 Corinthians 5:17.

Mosiah 5:2.

Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 363.

2 Nephi 9:30.

Moses 1:39.

John 17:18.

Journal of Discourses, 21:195.

Eyring, “Be Ready,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 59

1 Nephi 8:30.

James 1:22.

1 Nephi 17:35.

2 Nephi 26:28, 33.

JST 1 Corinthians 10:24.

Moses 7:18; emphasis added.

McMullin, “Come to Zion! Come to Zion!” 94.

Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 725.

Hinckley, “Your Greatest Challenge, Mother,” 97-100.

Wells, Journal of Discourses, 24:314.

D&C 38:27.

D&C 6:32; emphasis added; see also Matthew 18:20.

3 Nephi 11:28-30

See 1 Nephi 9:4; 12:3; 19:4; 2 Nephi 26:2, 32; 28:4; Omni 1:17; Words of Mormon 1:12; Mosiah 9:13; Alma 2:5; 4:9;50:25; 51:9; Helaman 16:22; 3 Nephi 2:11

See Ether 11:7

See 3 Nephi 2:11

See Ether 4:8

See Mosiah 29:7

Mosiah 2:32-33

Mosiah 18:21

2 Nephi 26:2

See 4 Nephi 1:24-25

4 Nephi 1:15-18, emphasis added

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 231.

Ensign, Nov. 1997, 69.

Then the record goes silent. Mormon picks up the account “in the ending of the thirty and fourth year,” nearly twelve months later. What happened in the lives of the surviving Nephites during that year? Mormon only hints at what the people did with Jesus’ message; but when we piece together the account, we discover one of the great sermons of the Book of Mormon-a sermon that is of utmost importance to those of us who would become Zionlike.

Parallels between the 3rd Nephi Saints and the Latter-day Saints

We should keep in mind that these people were not unlike many of us: either they were new members or they were good people who were trying to live the gospel as best they could. Perhaps some were lukewarm; maybe others were sitting atop spiritual plateaus and lacking the motivation to keep climbing. Whatever their condition, we do know this: The Lord declared that they had escaped the destructions only because they were “more righteous” than the ones who had perished. That was not saying much. He was also quick to point out that they needed to change. Therefore, he called them to repentance and bade them strive to become truly converted so he could heal them.

Why is this account important to us? To answer that question, we must first remember that from the outset of the Book of Mormon, Moroni testifies that the book was written for us. Then, within the first pages of the Book of Mormon, Nephi instructs us to read the book by likening the scriptures unto ourselves. Armed with those two pieces of information, we might envision ourselves as members of that small group of Nephite survivors. Somehow these people, whom the Savior had deemed barely righteous enough to escape annihilation, had taken to heart his commandment and invitation and changed their lives so that within twelve months they achieved Zion.

In One Year

Brigham Young said, “[Zion] commences in the heart of each person.” “The length of time required ‘to accomplish all things pertaining to Zion’ is strictly up to us and how we live.” Like Joseph Smith, President Young was obviously frustrated with the Saints’ slow pace. At another time, he suggested an intriguing timeframe, which, if we were to apply, we might also become ready for the establishment of Zion: “…which we might have received in one year.”

If it were not for the account in 3rd Nephi, we might discount President Young’s preparatory “year” as optimistically short. Nevertheless, the Nephites, who were not unlike us, qualified in about a year to become pure in heart so they could come into the presence of the Lord. Of course, the Nephites were highly motivated because of the recent destruction and the Lord’s strict commandment to change. We would hope that we could change without such motivation. Nevertheless, the account in 3rd Nephi is our latter-day model for how we might prepare to become Zion people in a relatively short period of time.

Immediate Commandments

How did the Nephites do it? How can we do it?

Mormon seems to have wanted us to dig for the answer, as one would mine for a pearl of great price. A careful reading of the books of 3rd and 4th Nephi, which include the Savior’s directives and Mormon’s description of the achievement of Zion by the Nephite people, fill in the twelve-month gap and show us what we must do to rise to such a lofty ideal.

When we talk of establishing Zion in our lives, we often look beyond the mark for the announcement of a program or an exodus. While any number of possibilities might lie in our future, the one thing we can do personally is to become Zionlike, as the Nephites were commanded to do. The Lord required of them immediate changes, among which were true repentance that leads to conversion, coming to him with full purpose of heart, and ceasing pettiness, disputations and contentions.

A Mighty Change of Heart

We suspect that the Nephites took to heart Jesus’ admonition to repent-really repent–and come to him with full-not partial–purpose of heart. Alma describes this process as called being “born of the spirit.” King Benjamin’s people called it the “mighty change” in which they had “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” In examining various scriptural accounts of those who described the transformation of their hearts-often within a short period of time–Blaine Yorgason lists ten significant aspects of this mighty change.

1. “The birth of the Spirit, being born again, most often occurs after we have been stirred up to complete repentance of all our sins, usually through uncomfortable circumstances of some sort.
2. We must be taught of Christ’s atonement prior to the experience and have a sincere desire to believe in it.
3. We must show godly sorrow for our sins, manifested as a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
4. The birth of the spirit occurs only after crying out to God for mercy in mighty prayer, which is exercising faith in Christ unto repentance.
5. As the experience concludes, we feel our guilt swept away as we receive a remission of sins through the power of the Holy Ghost. This is the baptism of fire, which some in modern times have described as a sensation of warmth that sweeps over their body in a cleansing action that is otherwise indescribable. Others describe it as being filled with an overwhelming feeling of love, which lingers for an indeterminate period of time and is absolutely indescribable. This is certainly a manifestation of Christ’s charity or Christ’s pure love.
6. Knowing that our sins have been remitted, we feel complete peace of conscience for all our past sins. This feeling is so wonderful that all sin becomes abhorrent to us, we have no more disposition to do evil, and we resolve to never sin intentionally again. However, this does not mean that we will never sin again-only that we will do everything in our power to avoid sinning intentionally. Nor does it mean that we will forget our sins; it seems that memory is left until the resurrection so that learning will occur…. However, with guilt swept away through the atonement of Christ, the memory is no longer painful, and it will ever after be useful for instruction of self and others. That is why Benjamin said to ‘remember and perish not’ (Mosiah 4:30).
7. Once the experience is over, we are filled with an amazing heightened sense of love for our fellow beings, which is a further manifestation of charity, or the pure love of Christ. This love will be manifested by long-suffering, kindness, lack of envy, loss of pride, selflessness, being not easily provoked to anger, thinking only good rather than evil, rejoicing not in iniquity but only in the truth, and being perfectly willing to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things (Moroni 7:45).
8. Consumed with this love, we are also filled with the burning desire to acquaint all others with what we have discovered concerning Christ and His power to deliver from sin-this that they might enjoy the same peace and happiness we have found.
9. From this time forward, we will strive for a closer relationship with God and His Son. We will do this through intense study, humble living, constant repentance, earnest keeping of the commandments, and diligent service to those around us. With the light of heaven resting upon us, the course we are to pursue is now lighted plainly. In exactly following this course, we will be manifesting the image of Christ in our countenances.
10. Through this process, we have received a witness from the Father that Christ’s suffering and dying have been gifts of God and that those gifts have wrought an at-one-ment in our lives, making us one with, or bringing us into the family of, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

No More Contention and Disputations

Another thing that the Nephites must have overcome during their year of preparation was to rid themselves of contention and disputations. When the Savior appeared to them, he said, “And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.”

Contentions and disputations had always been the common denominators of Nephite decline, apostasy and war. Contentions had also brought down the Jaredite civilization, and later contention had nearly destroyed the Nephites after the birth of Christ. Jesus seemed to be reminding and warning them about contentions and disputations with the commandment to abandon such behavior once and for all.

A cursing is pronounced upon those who contend, and prophets and great leaders have sought to teach unifying principles to avoid the possibility of contention. King Benjamin warned, “But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit…. For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.” Later, Alma commanded the members of the Church “that there should be no contention one with another, but that…their hearts [should be] knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” Looking out across the generations of his children, Nephi prophesied that contention would define his people’s history and eventually cause their downfall: “For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people.”

When the resurrected Jesus appeared to the Nephites, he commanded them to never again contend or dispute with each other. If they would obey this command, they would also impede to a great degree envy, strife, tumult, sexual sins, lying, murder, lasciviousness, secret combinations and economic and social distinctions. We know that the people obeyed the Lord, because the next time we read about them, we discover that “there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people…and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.” What a difference a year can make!

We might conjecture that if we would diligently strive to come unto Christ with full purpose of heart and rid our lives of contentions and disputations, we too might qualify in a short period of time, even in as little as one year, as the Nephite record and Brigham Young suggest, for the Lord to come to us and establish us as individual Zion people.

An Important Key to Establishing Zion

In the latter days, a key to establishing Zion in our lives is found in D&C 42, the revelation called, “the Law of the Church,” which comprises the law of Zion. In one sentence, the Lord prophecies of three significant events that will make us Zion individuals: “And ye shall hereafter receive church covenants, such as shall be sufficient to establish you, both here and in the New Jerusalem.” The references in this scripture lead to what I call The Three Pillars of Zion:

1. The New and Everlasting Covenant (D&C 132:4-7)
2. The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood (D&C 84:33-44)
3. The Law of Consecration (D&C 82:11-15)

These three covenants (pillars) are sufficient to establish Zionlike qualities in our individual lives, in our marriages, families or among a group of people under the direction of the priesthood. Understanding that this is the Lord’s way of establishing Zion, we are left without excuse. Clearly, we have been given all that we need. To become the pure in heart, which is the definition of Zion people, we simply must better understand our covenants then live up to our privileges.

Enoch’s Dispensation is a Pattern

The scriptures that describe Enoch’s Zion provide us a model for establishing Zion in our lives. For example, both Enoch and Joseph Smith were commanded to:

• Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. (See Moses 6:37; 7:19; D&C 19:21, 31; D&C 38:41.)
• Gather the Saints to places of safety. (See Moses 7:17-19; D&C 33:6; 45:69, 71; 115:6.)
• Attain unity and righteousness. (See Moses 7:18; D&C 21:4-7; 38:27.)
• Become “pure in heart.” (See Moses 7:18; D&C 97:21.)
• Care for the poor and needy. (Moses 7:18; D&C 38:35; 42:30)
• Build a City of Holiness. (See Moses 7:19; D&C 45:66-70.)

“It is high time to establish Zion”

Could becoming Zion people be that simple? Does establishing Zion come down to repenting and becoming truly converted, coming to Christ with full purpose of heart, ceasing pettiness, contentions and disputations, and keeping our covenants? If we were to really believe what we have been taught and really live what we have been given, could we also become Zion people in as little as one year? If the answer is yes, have we any excuse for waiting?

Joseph Smith clearly stated: “So long as unrighteous acts are suffered in the Church, it cannot be sanctified, neither can Zion be redeemed.” Our responsibility is to act now and embrace the principles of Zion, “or else,” the Lord warns, our “faith is vain.”

An editorial written by Bishop Newel K. Whitney and his counselors in the Messenger and the Advocate sums up the urgency: “Whatever is glorious. Whatever is desirable-Whatever pertains to salvation, either temporal or spiritual. Our hopes, our expectations, our glory and our reward, all depend on our building up Zion according to the testimony of the prophets. For unless Zion is built: our hopes perish, our expectations fail, our prospects are blasted, our salvation withers, and God will come and smite the whole earth with a curse.”

Finally, President Lorenzo Snow exhorted, “It is high time to establish Zion. Let us try to build up Zion. Zion is the pure in heart. Zion cannot be built up except on the principles of union required by the celestial law. It is high time for us to enter into these things.”

To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed an astonishing doctrine that speaks to the far-reaching effects of the Atonement. It also hints that our wayward children’s premortal righteousness will be taken into account when judgments are pronounced. This doctrine seems to make allowance for those who have been deceived by the doctrines of man or who have been offended by hypocritical members of the Church. “Behold, verily I say unto you, there are hypocrites among you, who have deceived some, which has given the adversary power; but behold such shall be reclaimed.”

We learn an important truth here: Eternal judgments are not issued on the basis of deception. Not one of Satan’s followers was cast out because they were deceived. Judgments are based on full light, knowledge and choice. Without making excuses for our children’s present behavior, we nevertheless might ask ourselves, Have our children gone wayward because they have been deceived or offended? Do they have full light and knowledge so that they can accurately choose between God and Satan? According to the Lord’s promise, if they are laboring under any degree of deception or offense, he will reach out to them and reclaim them.

Wo unto the Deceivers and Hypocrites

But to the self-righteous and mean-spirited, the Lord pronounces a wo: “But wo unto them that are deceivers and hypocrites, for, thus saith the Lord, I will bring them to judgment…But the hypocrites shall be detected and shall be cut off, either in life or in death, even as I will; and wo unto them who are cut off from my church, for the same are overcome of the world.” Then the Lord cautions us against such behavior: “Wherefore, let every man beware lest he do that which is not in truth and righteousness before me.”

Judgment based on the Sum of Existence

Regarding our children’s premortal righteousness, which we have learned was very great, eternal judgment seems to take into account the sum of their existence. In this same revelation, the Lord says, “Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; and none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.”

Imagine! None that the Father has given the Savior shall be lost! But we ask ourselves, Is our child one of those whom the Father has given to the Son? An answer might lie in the fact that this revelation was given to weak members of the Church, whom the Lord was calling to repentance and yet was offering mercy. He knew them better than they knew themselves, and therefore he was offering to take pity on them and methodically work with them until he had brought them home.

No one can take our Children from the Savior

For further evidence, we turn to Jesus’ words to his apostles concerning his sheep: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

No one can take our children from Jesus, and our children simply cannot break free from the Savior’s embrace. The Father gave them to him, and Jesus holds them in his hands as pearls of great price. Despite their present choices, they have a past that will be taken into account at the time of judgment. In the meantime, Jesus will carefully draw them to him until the deceptions are stripped away, the offenses are healed, and until our children finally have enough light and knowledge to choose between God and Satan. If their premortal choices are any indication, we have every hope that they will choose right, which is more in their character than their present actions.

A Letter from the Mother of a Former Noble Son

Here is a letter from a mother, who sees in her son a noble soul, although his present behavior is lacking:

I have hesitated several times to respond to your column, but something has moved me today, to take the time to share our experience.

We have a son, who is now twenty, who has made some serious mistakes. We have prayed, fasted, and prayed some more, that he would be ”brought to a knowledge of the truth,” and understand the importance of obedience.  He has had several “awakenings,” but up until now, those experiences have not changed his attraction to the “world.”

A little while ago, he was working in another country, and we received a phone call that he had been arrested on some very serious charges.  As we came to understand what he had done, we realized he had not intentionally broken the laws of the land, but had broken our Father in Heaven’s commandments. We tried to pull together bail money for him, but in the meantime, we prayed to have the wisdom regarding whether or not to get him out before the Lord had time to work on his heart and mind. We did not want to circumvent a potential blessing by rushing in.

During the waiting time, we were in deep despair because of the potentially severe consequences that he could face if he were found guilty. We were hardly able to function, even mundane tasks. We researched the possible penalties in that country, and the more we researched, the more fearful we became. We became physically sick with worry.  Worse, we were only able to communicate with our son when he phoned us collect from the jail. We were devastated when we heard him plead for help. A Stake President in the area put us in touch with an attorney, which was all we were able to do.

Then we began to experience the Lord’s tender mercies. A very loving bishop in that area began to visit our son. The bishop took our son a set of scriptures, and gave him several priesthood blessings, which our son requested. We felt from the Spirit that we should not to travel to see him “until the time was right,” which was very difficult for us.  I was beginning to realize that much of our anguish was because of the fear that “man” put into our hearts and minds. My husband and I turned to the scriptures, and our prayers became more focused, as we sought direction and comfort through the Atonement. 

One day I was reading in 1 Nephi chapter 7 about the experience Nephi had with his brothers when they bound him with strong cords, and he prayed that he could have the strength to “burst these bands with which I am bound.” Suddenly, there was the answer to the bondage that I felt we were in.  My husband and I began to pray that we would be able to burst the bands of fear and discouragement that had bound. Now, rather than spending our time researching penalties and “man’s” ways, we searched for stories from prophets and apostles that were similar to ours.  The fear and discouragement began to lift.  The next step was to sanctify ourselves. We committed to go to the temple weekly. That was difficult, because my husband serves as bishop, but we found a way. After our first trip to the temple, we both felt the power of peace, especially in being reminded that our Father is over all, created all, and could assist us in handling whatever was required. 

As I sat and tried to focus on the Spirit, a whisper came into my mind, saying, “You asked me to bring your son to a knowledge of the truth, now let me finish.”  I understood very clearly what the Spirit was telling me, and the comfort that I felt was overwhelming.  In the temple, my husband took time to ponder, and found a scripture–D&C 101:16–which reads: “…for all flesh is in mind hands; be still and know that I am God.”  That was a great lesson. Instead of running to and fro, looking for solutions and answers to this tragic occurrence, we needed to completely trust our Father in Heaven and BE STILL.  We do not interpret this as meaning that we just sitting around; rather, we do all that we can and leave the Lord to accomplish the best result.

Our son spent two weeks in jail until we felt the promptings that it was the right time to bail him out.  In speaking with him when he was released, and asking him when he finally began to “wake up” to his mistakes, he told us that it was a little over a week.  We were so very grateful that we had listened to the promptings of the Spirit and did not interfere with the Lord’s timetable.

Our son is now home with us, but the charges are still pending. Our son’s spiritual awakening is a work in progress.  We don’t know whether he will be required to serve time or pay a fine or both. We don’t know if this is his real “awakening” experience and if this time he will change. We have our good days and our not so good days. We do not believe our loving Father caused this tragedy, but we do believe that he is using the experience to work with our boy. Our son’s Patriarchal Blessing is filled with references about who this child really is. Our continuing prayer is that one day he will realize his true identity, to see himself as Heavenly Father sees him, and to do what he needs to do return to God.

Thank you for letting me to express these thoughts through your column.  If you feel it could be useful, our prayer is that what we have learned will help someone else, as we are constantly searching for support and help from others who have gone through similar trials.

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And, of course, I am honored to share this tender story with my readers. Every wayward child is known and loved beyond our imagination. Some have been deceived or offended, “but behold such shall be reclaimed.”  Because of their premortal greatness, they were given to the Savior by the Father as a trust, “and none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.”

Every great sinner has an infinitely greater Savior.

D&C 50:6, 8-9

D&C 50:40-42, emphasis added

John 10:28-29