AN EYE SINGLE . . . 

I have written about 

WHAT IS ZION?    

Zion is a place, a people, a condition of the heart. 

Zion is a place:   Zion is the hill in Jerusalem where Solomon built his temple.  Zion can be a designated ‘promised land’; like the American Continents for the Jaredites and Lehi and his family, like Utah was for the early pioneers.  There have been special lands prepared and promised to the people of God in every age.

The Zion of the ‘Fullness of times’ will be the New Jerusalem to be built in Jackson County, Missouri.  It will be built exclusively by those who are already “pure in heart.”  This will include living, translated, and resurrected Saints and the citizens of the

Zion (City) of Enoch, which The Lord will bring down from above and the Zion created by the lost tribes of Israel, whom The Lord will bring up from the bowels of the earth.  (D&C 84:100-101)  

Zion is any place in which people of ‘one heart’ can live together according to the Law of Consecration, where all things are had in common.

Zion is a people:  (Moses 7;8, 17-18) “The Lord called His

people Zion because they were of “one heart.” 

The Jews have called themselves Zion and think it is weird that

the Mormons have used the term in various ways to describe 

themselves.

The Restored Church has called itself Zion in the expectation

that we would behave accordingly, but the church as a whole

hasn’t lived up to that.

Zion is the City of Enoch which was, because of the unity and

exceeding righteousness of its people, raised up into

Heaven.  There are other examples of Zion communities, such

as that mentioned in the book of  Fourth Nephi in the Book of

Mormon.  Zion is anywhere that people of ‘one heart’ can live

together according to the Law of Consecration, where all things are

had in common.  D&C 97:21)

CONSECRATION

The Lord would have me pledge

to Him, with willing heart,

my talents and my time, my life,

and all my means impart;

should all of this--or any part--

be called for to support His Plan

for the rescue and redemption

of the race of fallen man.

He seldom asks more than a tenth

of what we covenant to Him

to build his Kingdom here on earth;

yet He reserves his title to my life and limb.

And though I render all of this,

And more, ‘tis but a start.

For these are merely stepping stones

toward the throne where I will offer up

... my broken heart!

                    (c) Robert Lynn Brown

“This is zion, the pure in heart.” 
Zion can exist within the individual person who has a broken 
heart and a contrite spirit; whose heart is surrendered to the Savior.

What does it mean to be of one heart?  It means the giving up of all ego and selfishness and being willing and able to live The Law of Consecration in which all things are had in common and all hearts are broken and all eyes are single to the Glory of God.

         DRAWSTRINGS

We all know the story of how  “. . . the veil was taken off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord . . .”  And we know that this happened because of his “exceeding faith.”  (Ether 3:6): but did you know that  “. . . there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong . . . they could not be kept from within the veil”? (Ether 12:19) 

We also know that Nephi, because of his great faith and great desire, was able to see the vision of the Tree of Life that his father Lehi had seen  (I N 10:17); but we may have forgotten that, as he sat pondering on this great desire, the Spirit of the Lord appeared and quizzed him about his belief and his desires.  (I N 11:1-5)  Then the Spirit said  . . . “blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest on the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.”  (I N 11:6)

I had forgotten that Nephi saw much more than the Tree of Life vision.  He also saw the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child after His birth (I N 11:20), the Savior’s baptism (11:27, His ministry (11:28, 31), His death on the cross (11:33).  He saw the last days and Christ’s appearance in the Americas (I N 12:5-6; 3 N 11:8-10)

Nephi reminds us that Christ  . . . “is the same yesterday, today, and forever . . . “  and  that  “. . . he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, as well in these times as in the times of old as in times to come . . .” (I N 18-19).

So, this seems to tell me that the drawstrings on the veil are within the reach of every one who has the belief (faith) and the desire, and the courage to pull the veil aside and behold the Lord and His mysteries.  What does it suggest to you?

What are these additional scriptures trying to tell us:  D&C 88:67-68?

                                                                                                  D&C 84:54-57?