Week 33: Zion is the Pure in Heart

I heard this talk and just had to share it!

Have a loving and blessed week,

MP3 Link

Zion Is the Pure in Heart

Elaine S. Dalton

It is a privilege to stand before you this evening. I want to thank everyone in the choir for that beautiful music. Thank you so much for the spirit that you brought. And thank you for the beautiful prayer. I am happy and humbled to be here, and I pray that tonight each of you will know how much the Lord loves you. I want you to know how deeply I love you.



I am happy that my husband, Steve, and members of my family are also here. I love my husband. He and I attended Brigham Young University, and it is here where we made the decision to marry. I think it is interesting that I am standing before you on our wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary, dear! You know, we have been married as long as it took to build the Salt Lake Temple! Or for the children of Israel to wander in the wilderness! And everything we have to show for it is sitting right here on the front row. Our children are our treasures. I love them. I love being their mother. I have watched them grow in the gospel and be tutored from pulpits of the Church. And I am grateful that they have chosen to heed the counsel of prophets, seers, and revelators.



I have watched the youth of the Church grow in the gospel. I have a unique and special connection with the young women because of the years in which I have served as a member of the Young Women general presidency. We have essentially gone through the Young Women years together. We’ve earned our Young Women medallions together. We have stood every week and repeated the words of the Young Women theme together: “We are daughters. … We will ‘stand.’ … We believe … , we will be prepared.”1 I think of you as my young women. And I have seen many of you young men as you have received and advanced in the priesthood, honored your covenants and priesthood power, and prepared for and served missions throughout the world. I have met many of you in your mission fields. You are my heroes! You are amazing in your strength and courage and desire for righteousness. 
Read the rest HERE.

Volume III Week 1: Building Zion

Dear Friends,

As I ponder the coming of a New Year and where I may focus my time and
energy, my heart seeks the building up of Zion. It is my greatest
desire to enjoy this blessing. As I read the account of Enoch in the
Pearl of Great Price, I want so much to enjoy the blessings of the
Savior walking with us and dwelling with us as the people of Enoch did
(see Moses 7:69.) As I searched for a "how to build Zion" guide, I
found this wonderful compilation of the teachings of the Prophet Brigham
Young that felt very applicable to our day. As we start with ourselves,
seek to inspire and teach those in our homes, and let our circle of
influence include all within our reach, I believe Zion is attainable.
Each of us as individuals can do our best to begin, and as we build,
strengthen, and love each other, we can succeed.

Much love to you and best wishes for a wonderful year ahead,

 

No Mp3

Building Zion

Teachings of Brigham Young

President Brigham Young’s whole soul was dedicated to establishing Zion. He oversaw the gathering of nearly one hundred thousand Latter-day Saints to the valleys of the Rocky Mountains and colonized some four hundred cities and towns. He built temples and tabernacles, organized stakes and wards throughout the western United States, and sent missionaries to nearly every corner of the earth. No one understood better the sacrifice and effort required, but, as he said, “we are not going to wait for angels, … we are going to build [Zion ourselves]” (DBY, 443).

Teachings of Brigham Young

Zion is the pure in heart.

Let me say a few words with regard to Zion. We profess to be Zion. If we are the pure in heart we are so, for “Zion is the pure in heart” [see D&C 97:21] (DBY, 118). Where is Zion? Where the organization of the Church of God is. And may it dwell spiritually in every heart; and may we so live as to enjoy the spirit of Zion always! (DBY, 118).
This is the Gospel; this is the plan of salvation; this is the Kingdom of God; this is the Zion that has been spoken and written of by all the Prophets since the world began. This is the work of Zion which the Lord has promised to bring forth (DBY, 118).
Zion will extend, eventually, all over this earth. There will be no nook or corner upon the earth but what will be in Zion. It will all be Zion (DBY, 120).

Our purpose in life should be to sanctify ourselves and build the Zion of our God.

The purpose of our life should be to build up the Zion of our God, to gather the House of Israel, bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, restore and bless the earth with our ability and make it as the Garden of Eden, store up treasures of knowledge and wisdom in our own understandings, purify our own hearts and prepare a people to meet the Lord when he comes (DBY, 88).
We have no business here other than to build up and establish the Zion of God. It must be done according to the will and law of God [see D&C 105:5], after that pattern and order by which Enoch built up and perfected the former-day Zion, which was taken away to heaven, hence the saying went abroad that Zion had fled [see Moses 7:69]. By and by it will come back again, and as Enoch prepared his people to be worthy of translation, so we, through our faithfulness, must prepare ourselves to meet Zion from above when it shall return to earth, and to abide the brightness and glory of its coming (DBY, 443).
We look forward to the day when the Lord will prepare for the building of the New Jerusalem, preparatory to the City of Enoch’s going to be joined with it when it is built upon this earth [see Moses 7:62–64]. We are anticipating to enjoy that day, whether we sleep in death previous to that, or not. We look forward, with all the anticipation and confidence that children can possess in a parent, that we shall be there when Jesus comes; and if we are not there, we will come with him: in either case we shall be there when he comes (DBY, 120). Read the rest HERE.