BuildingZioniscrucial toGod’slastdaysplans

Notonly was building an Enoch-style Zion a core part of the mission of the early LDS Church as we saw last time, our leaders made it very clear in the mid-1800s that building Zion was a central element in God’s over-arching, big-picture this doctrine had not changed. He said, plan for the last days to prepare Earth for “... the time had come, in the councils of the Second Coming of Christ. Here are heaven, that it was necessary to start the four quotes, spread out over four decades, latter-day work, and to prepare a people, showing just that: gathering them together to build up Zion

In 1853, President Young said, “...we and establish the kingdom of God upon will round up our shoulders, and bear up the earth, that His will might be done upon the ponderous weight, carry the Gospel the earth as it is done in heaven.” to the uttermost parts of the earth, gather In 1889, nearly two years after John Israel, redeem Zion, and continue our operations Taylor’s death, President Wilford Woodruff until we bind Satan, and the kingdoms briefly summarized God’s over-arching of this world become the kingdom plan and Zion’s role in that plan when of our Lord and His Christ ....” he said “... Joseph Smith was reserved to

Seven years later, in 1860, Brigham lay the foundation of this great Kingdom further expounded: and dispensation of salvation to the whole

“The Latter-day Saints ... are here to human family in these last days, to build increase and multiply, to enlarge, to gather up Zion, to establish God’s Kingdom, and the house of Israel, redeem Zion, build to prepare it for the coming of the Son of up the Zion of our God, and to promote Man.” that eternal intelligence that dwells with Now the tough question: Is it logical to the Gods ... until every obnoxious principle assume that because the Church was unable in the hearts of men is destroyed, and to “give birth” to Zion due to social, the earth returns to its paradisaical state, political and economic pressures in the and the Lord comes and dwells with this 1880s, that the Lord has forgotten Zion or people .... That is our business, and not to changed His plans regarding her? Unlikely. suffer all our energies to be expended in It makes more sense that He is waiting merely preparing to die” (or, in our day, for His children to tire of living in Babylon “retire”). and determine in their hearts to build

In 1879, soon after Brigham passed, Zion. President John Taylor made it clear that Read more at BuildingZion.org.