Raising the Bar: Building Zion

As I begin to write this, it is about 24 hours after the close of the April 2018 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon).

 

In my entire life, I have never experienced a more exciting and jaw-dropping General Conference! I’m just wowed! I’m still reeling and trying to process. I’ve heard a couple of people comment on how this 93-year-old prophet is going to keep us busy, and that they hope we can keep up. While that is true and we all laugh, the reality is that the Lord is raising the bar for His people.

 

The Lord is asking us to step it up. We were told several times during this conference that we will be serving in a more holy way. The main themes of the conference seemed to be 1) holier service, and 2) unity. My first thought is that this will further separate the wheat from the tares. (Matt. 13:24-30; D&C 86:1-7.) We will either get with the program or we will get left behind. Will I be able to hold tight to the rod, or will I veer off in the mist of darkness towards the great and spacious building? (1 Ne. 8; 11:25.)

 

Unity was mentioned a lot in this conference, and I began to realize that not only are we striving for Zion, but the Lord expects us to achieve it. At the bottom of this article, I have included unity quotes from the April 2018 General Conference. I usually look for common themes of our conferences, but I didn’t have to do much looking this time—I’d almost have to be blind not to see them.

 

The irony isn’t lost on me that at a time in history when there doesn’t seem to be unity anywhere, Latter-day Saints are being asked to completely turn the world’s discord on its ear. I felt like the prophets of God and Sisters in Church leadership basically told us to get moving and build Zion or we will be combustible material in the end burning of the earth.

 

Yet there was nothing scary about this at all. There was no fire and brimstone in this conference. There was such a feeling of peace coupled with great excitement.

 

I don’t ever remember being so motivated by a General Conference in my life. It goes way beyond committing to try harder in the next six months. My whole outlook has changed. I’m making an active plan with specific ways to improve.

 

Zion is the pure in heart, which in effect means living a Christlike life, having pure charity, sacrificing and serving others, loving our enemies, and being unified. We’ve talked about Zion, but now we have motivation from the Lord Himself through His living prophets to actually build it. The Lord has raised the bar on what He expects of us.

 

I have this mental picture of the Saints of Zion locking arms and protecting our families for what is to come. Our ancestors circled the wagons to protect each other. If we stand unified today, locking arms, we will withstand all of Satan’s attempts to destroy us. Our families are worth the effort. Our Heavenly Father expects it of us. Our Savior is counting on it.

 

Jesus Christ, who leads this Church, has raised the bar; now will we?

 

There will be an increase in mentoring and unity as a new elder and an experienced high priest share experiences, side by side, in quorum meetings and assignments (Elder Ronald A. Rasband, “Behold! A Royal Army,” Apr. 2018 General Conference).

 

… all because of Saints who worked together in unity, under the direction of a bishop, to serve out of charity in their hearts and with the power of the Holy Ghost (President Henry B. Eyring, “Inspired Ministering,” Apr. 2018 General Conference).

 

It was fascinating to see such an impressive sight and for us to reflect on the example of unity and obedience to divine laws that God’s creations demonstrate.… Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of unity with His Father.… How can we follow the Lord’s perfect example of unity with His Father and be more unified with Them and with each other? …

“With one accord” means in agreement, in unity, and all together.  Some of the things that the faithful Saints did in unity in both places were that they testified of Jesus Christ, studied the word of God, and ministered to each other with love.… The feeling of unity in that building is an inspiring example of people from diverse backgrounds serving with one accord.… Our path is not about what we have done or where we have been; it is about where we are going and what we are becoming, in unity.… As we work in unity, our purpose should be to look for and do the Lord’s will… (Sister Reyna I. Aburto, “With One Accord,” Apr. 2018 General Conference).

 

Our unity helps us to discern the Lord’s will for His Church. In our meetings, the majority never rules! We listen prayerfully to one another and talk with each other until we are united. Then when we have reached complete accord, the unifying influence of the Holy Ghost is spine-tingling! (President Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Apr. 2018 General Conference).

 

Dear brothers and sisters, we belong to each other. We can be “knit together in unity and in love” in all things and in all places (Elder Gerrit W. Gong, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” Apr. 2018 General Conference (citations omitted)).

 

In spite of what we all feel are our limitations and inadequacies—and we all have challenges—nevertheless, may we labor side by side with the Lord of the vineyard, giving the God and Father of us all a helping hand with His staggering task of answering prayers, providing comfort, drying tears, and strengthening feeble knees (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Be With and Strengthen Them’,” Apr. 2018 General Conference (citations omitted)).

 

Combining such Relief Society efforts with the now-restructured elders quorum will bring a unity that can yield astonishing results.… May we show our gratitude and love for God by ministering with love to our eternal sisters and brothers. The result will be a unity of feeling such as the people in ancient America enjoyed 100 years after the Savior’s appearance in their land (Sister Jean B. Bingham, “Ministering as the Savior Does,” Apr. 2018 General Conference (citation omitted)).

 

In regard to unity, the Savior declared, “If ye are not one ye are not mine.” We know that the spirit of contention is of the devil. In our day, the scriptural imperative for unity is largely ignored, and for many people the emphasis is on tribalism, often based on status, gender, race, and wealth. In many countries, if not most, people are deeply divided about how to live. In the Lord’s Church, the only culture we adhere to and teach is the culture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The unity we seek is to be unified with the Savior and His teachings.… The saving ordinances [of the temple] were my primary focus, but a significant part of those beautiful feelings was the equality and unity that permeate the temple. Everyone is dressed in white clothing. There is no evidence of wealth, rank, or educational attainment; we are all brothers and sisters humbling ourselves before God.… Fulfilling divinely appointed responsibilities, based on righteousness, unity, and equality before the Lord, brings personal happiness and peace in this world and prepares us for eternal life in the world to come. It prepares us to meet God (Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Prepare to Meet God,” Apr. 2018 General Conference (citations omitted)).