Come to Zion

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

Come to Zion, by Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles


Our ward (church group) has an email listserv that many use often. We use it to share information, request help, or offer free items or services. This means of communicating and sharing has been the means for answering many, many prayers.

Having a concern about pediatric dentistry, I sent an email to the listserv asking for recommendations. I followed this email with another email to a friend who just happens to be a pediatric dentist (and a great one, too, I'm sure). By the time I had finished the second email, I had a handful of replies from ward members in my inbox.

By the way, their recommendations, coupled with my dentist friend's advice helped me find answers and make resolutions for what to do.

With this experience fresh on my mind, I reviewed Elder Christofferson's talk on Zion, remembering that "Zion is Zion because of the character, attributes, and faithfulness of her citizens." I was particularly interested in the story of the young single adults from Moldova (which I just learned is between Romania and Ukraine in Eastern Europe) who traveled more than thirty hours by bus to attend a conference. Putting their personal interests aside, they divided and conquered, ensuring that at least one of their group was at each workshop taking copious notes from which they could teach each other and others in Moldova when they returned home.

Of this, Elder Christofferson said:

In its simplest form, this exemplifies the unity and love for one another that, multiplied thousands of times in different ways, will "bring again Zion" (Isaiah 52:8).

If ever I'm tempted to bemoan society as not being Zionesque enough, I hope I'll remember the small example of dental concern and the corresponding solution I found "because of the character, attributes, and faithfulness" of my friends who are trying to be "of one heart and one mind, and [dwell together] in righteousness" (see Moses 7:18).

And this is just one small example of many that could be shared.