For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
As a young man I served two years as a French speaking missionary in Quebec, Canada for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Serving a mission was a life changing experience. Talking to perfect strangers every day for two years gave me experience in understanding of how people really think. I learned to love the people and also overcome my natural shyness – to some extent.
There sometimes exists among the Latter-day Saints the idea that our mission as a people is to convert the whole world. Not so.Continue reading "Missionary Tales"
Oh yes, absolutely1. I am always sorry to hear an LDS person criticizing church members in Utah. It’s painful to hear a faithful member of the church lay out “holier than thou”, “we are superior” attitudes. Oh my! Not ready for Zion. Great need to repent.2
I don’t live in Utah although I attended and graduated from BYU Provo and have visited Utah many times. If I could choose to live anywhere I wanted for my own selfish reasons, it would be in the center stakes of Zion, in Utah. My observation is that the Utah Saints are generally more dedicated, more active, and more effective in living the Gospel of Jesus Christ than their brothers and sisters outside of Utah. They are the core strength of the Church, providing more missionaries, more general authorities, and more material means per capita than the rest of us. We should strive to be more like them.
The Lord has blessed the saints in Utah. Anyone just driving through can see prosperity everywhere and a Stake Center on every corner. One doesn’t see the blighted neighborhoods that are so common in predominately “gentile” cities. Downtown Salt Lake City is vibrant and safe – and I have walked it late at night. I am amazed anew every time I visit.
1 BUT in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
2DC 105:4-5
4 And [they] are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom; 5 And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.
3Section 78:14-15
14 … that the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world; 15 That you may come up unto the crown prepared for you, and be made rulers over many kingdoms, …
4DC 105:4-5
5 And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me. 6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land; 7 And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil. 8 I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.
5Section 45:67-68
67 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion. 68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.
I am a Latter-day Saint or LDS, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I prefer not to be called a “Mormon”. That name, invented by the enemies of the church, is not accurate or scriptural, and shows a lack of sensitivity. For the original pronunciation of “Mormon”, one has to heavily accent the first syllable and for just the right tone inflection, I think a slight facial sneer is required.
Most Latter-day Saints don’t mind the name and yet those who use it continue to be disrespectful in their usage. To my feelings, saying “Mormon” is the same as saying “Negro” when referring to African Americans – hateful, and bigoted at worst or just ignorantly out of touch at best. Not all Latter-day Saints feel the same way explicitly but yet amongst ourselves, it is not the default term. Let’s do away with it totally! It doesn’t promote the cause of Zion.
