Building Up Zion

Right now in our Church History reading, we're currently around August 1831. The Saints have already left New York, have been settling Kirtland, Ohio, and then Joseph Smith goes with a contingent to check out Jackson County, Missouri, which is designated as Zion -- their "promised land."

But when they arrived in "Zion," they found a small frontier establishment. The land didn't look very exciting. The people already living there were hostile and very "uncouth." So, the guys turned to Joseph Smith and asked, "Are you sure about this? It's a big hole in the ground. How can this be Zion?"

When Joseph Smith inquired of the Lord, he received confirmation that Jackson County was indeed Zion. It just needed some love and attention. The Saints were to buy land, develop it, and turn it into something.

I'm reminded of the "twelve spies" in Numbers 13 that Moses sent to scope out the promised land. When these spies returned from Canaan, 10 of them reported: "The land is great, but the people there are strong and they will destroy us. Their cities go up to heaven. Etc. etc." These reports caused the people (in Numbers 14) to again wail and ask to return back to Egypt, and this is even after all the traveling they had done so far.

But two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua (Oshea), gave good reports. They saw the potential, and knew the children of Israel could take the land. God, in his anger, proclaimed that none of the adults except for Caleb and Joshua would enter into the promised land. After all -- Canaan was the one goal -- the one reason for bring the people of Moses out of Egypt, and across the desert for so many years. How could the people lose sight? Could they not trust in the Lord? Sure enough, many died of a plague shortly afterward.

Joshua and Caleb ultimately led the remaining Israelites -- the rising generation -- into the promised land and then the Jews flourished and built up a strong nation.

Likewise, the Saints who built up Independence in Jackson County also flourished for a short time -- until fierce opposition would drive them out only two years later -- but we haven't gotten that far, yet.

Later, as you probably know, the Saints would ultimately journey to Salt Lake City, Utah, and build up a new Zion in the mountains. Though, we still consider Jackson County to be the site of the New Jerusalem that is yet to be built -- and it will yet become the promised Zion.

But I think the biggest takeaway from all of this is that Zion is what we make of it. If we see it in its undeveloped state and toss it aside, then we miss a wonderful opportunity. If we instead see the existent potential, and choose to develop it, then Zion arises.

So, we can all build our own Zions. If we see something we don't like, we can still take it and turn it into something wonderful, and grow, and learn things in the process.

So -- go out there and build your own Zions! And then you can look back to see everything you've accomplished.