Letter # 13

Dear Enoch,

(First of all, those who are reading this, other than Enoch, sorry to infringe on your privacy, but I must write more to my Brother Enoch to keep this fresh in my mind, solely a personal thing. Just hit the delete button is you so desire.) (By the way, I have begun writing in a blogspot: becomingazionpeople.blogspot.com


I have a dear friend of mine who quoted Hugh Nibley saying

""Zion is a constant in time and place. It belongs to the order of the eternities. We're not making Zion here, but we're preparing the ground to receive it. We must be prepared to receive this glory; we don't produce it ourselves. We must be ready, so that we won't die of shock when we get it." Hugh Nibley
I understand his thought process. He is only thinking of me and my rantings and ravings. The brethren continually tell us that we do have a Zion here. Every pocket of Saints, every congregation is indeed a Zion. The brethren continually talk about the stakes of Zion. I am sure Brother Nibley was referring to the Zion that will come from the Heavens embodied in the City of Enoch which will return. We must be ready for this return, or we will be shocked, we will not be ready to live in that city.

Prophet Joseph said, "We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object..." If we are not of one heart, of one mind, when that times come, we will not be prepared to participate in that glorious day. Perhaps that is where I stand.
I have much to do to become of one heart and one mind. Again, the Prophet says to be purified.

Brother, if that is my quest, how do I start? What did you counsel your people to do to start to purify themselves? I know they needed to become a Zion People for you to take them with you, but what was the first step?

Your inspiration drew me to Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk of October Conference. He directs three steps. 1. Become unified in one heart and one mind. 2. To become individually and collectively a unifed people. 3. To care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate the poor among us.

He also quoted in the D and C "Zion cannot be build unless it is by the principles of the law of the Celestial Kingdom."

He again counsels that each of us should prayfully consider whether we are donig what we should and all that we should with respect to the poor and needy.

I guess the bottom line to what my dear friend is telling me is that the quest for Zion, becoming a Zion people, first must start with the individual. Me. I must do what I can do to be prepared to receive Zion when it returns to earth. I know I am not prepared yet. I know there is much to do. And I know that I cannot speak for anyone else. I know I must evaluate where I am and with your direction or inspiration, I must do what I can do to live the principles of the Celestial Kingdom.

I shall continue to write these letters, for they are for me to improve. I am sending these letters to others to read, enjoy or not. But until I am told not to send them, I shall continue.

I do appreciate you listening to this man trying to follow in your footsteps, trying to find insights and ideas so I can purify myself, become better and work, at least in my own mind to become Zion-like.

Zerin