I have noticed something very interesting the last little while that I feel I need to write about.  We have a lot of false doctrines flying around in the world that are mixed in with a little truth that “by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts”.  (Romans 16:18).

In the Book of Mormon, there are two main Anti-Christ’s.  Korihor and Sherem.  Both of them taught that there was no Christ.  Both of them went about convincing the people that their beliefs were wrong for following the prophet.  They went about it in different ways, but their message was the same.  Their methods are things that we need to understand today to protect ourselves, our family, and most importantly, our testimonies.

Korihor – Alma 30

Korihor was a very direct, blunt Anti-Christ.  He “preached against the prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the coming of Christ”.  (V 6).  He called their beliefs “foolish traditions of your fathers”.  (V 14).  He said that “no man can know of anything which is to come”.  (V 13).  He also went as far to teach them that “whatsoever a man did was no crime”.  (V 17).  (Does this sound familiar?)  He was “leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness…telling them that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof.”  (V 18).

When I read this story of Korihor, I can’t help but think of our own day.  We have these exact same things occurring around us.  Very blatant and direct attacks on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Anti-Christ and Anti-God pouring out all over the place.  Teaching people that it is okay to commit sin and that there is nothing more after this life.  Saying that religion is trying to “usurp power and authority over [us], to keep [us] in ignorance”.  (V 23).

In the end, after Korihor was confronted by Alma, he confesses that he was teaching false things.  He said the Devil “said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say, And I have taught his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind”.  (V 53 – emphasis added).

In the world we live in, the idea of God not existing is prevalent.  There are vehement attacks on religion, on God and even on our rights to choose.  Much like Korihor, there are those out to teaching us the things that are “pleasing unto the carnal mind” and have us follow them.  For the most part, those of us that already have a strong faith in God and Christ tend to ignore these voices.

Sherem – Jacob 7

Sherem is a little bit different.  He is described as being “learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore he could use much flattery, and much power of speech”.  (V 4).  Jacob tells us that Sherem “declared unto them [the Nephites] that there should be no Christ” and “many things which were flattering unto the people”.  (V 2).  He also “labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people”.  (V 3).

Sherem uses his learning and understanding of the language to convince the people that they are in the wrong.  He flatters them.  I would say that he also “confuses” them with his learning, in that they cannot tell what is right and what is wrong from what he is teaching.  Twisting words and phrases to make them sound correct, when in reality they are not.  He teaches them that no man can know of things that are to come (V 7), that there is no Christ (V 2), and things “which were flattering unto the people” (V 2). 

The funny thing about Sherem though, is that he was using the scriptures to say this.  He talks about how the people are using the Law of Moses to worship an unknown being, Christ, and then says there isn’t going to be a Christ.  (V 7).  Jacob even confronts him and asks: “Believest though the scriptures?”  To which he replies: “Yea”.  (V 10).  He used the scriptures to try and prove the scriptures and the prophets wrong.

After he was confronted by Jacob and “the power of the Lord came upon him” (V 15), Sherem gathers the people around him and speaks to them “plainly”.  (V 17).  No longer is he using flowery or flattering words.  No longer is he commanding the language to convince and confuse people.  Now, he is speaking simple and plain words.  It says that he “denied the things which he had taught them and confessed the Christ, and the power of the Holy Ghost, and the ministering of angels.  And he spake plainly unto them that he had been deceived by the power of the devil.”  (V 17-18).

Conclusion

It is those like Sherem that I am the most concerned with.  I have personally read many posts and articles where people are carefully twisting the truths of the gospel to fit their personal beliefs or agendas.  I’ve read about people that don’t believe the Melchizedek Priesthood is on the earth anymore; that President Monson is a fallen prophet; that the keys of the kingdom left with Joseph Smith’s death.  As I have read some of these, I started wondering if I was on the right path or not.  Wondering if I had been led astray all these years and if what I knew was really wrong.

It was through the sweet promptings of my wife that I came to realize what the feelings I had really were, and to recognize the difference between Satan’s half-truths and the whisperings of the Spirit.  Satan is very real and very much wants to stop us in our progress toward Zion.  He will tell us a truth to get us to believe a lie.  He will twist and contort a statement or action by a prophet to get us to see only part of the truth and believe the lie that he tells us.  Just because someone can take a few passages of scriptures and logically prove why the church is in error, does not mean that this person is right.  You MUST take into consideration ALL scriptures related to a subject to get a FULL understanding of what a principle really is and seek for personal revelation from the Spirit to guide you.
 
Now is the time for us to take a stand for truth.  Now is the time for us to trust in what we know and not let the world twist us into believing otherwise.  For us to build Zion, we MUST become a Zion people.  We must clear our minds and our hearts of Babylon and we must hold strong to the iron rod.  We must become close to the Spirit and listen to the warning voice of the Prophets of God.  I give you my witness that Thomas Spencer Monson is the Prophet of God, and that he is inspired and lead by Jesus Christ, who is the head of His (Christ’s) church on the earth.  Heed his words and trust his voice and you WILL find safety and peace.  Elder Jeffery R. Holland summed it up best: “hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”  ("Lord, I Believe", April 2013 General Conference).

I’m sitting here thinking about what to write and the word Love comes to my mind.  Love is a very fascinating word.  In English, there is really only one form of the word, but in a lot of other languages, there are many forms.  The thing with English is that the English language has other words that are the same as the words in other languages, but in English, we don’t always consider them forms of love.

Greek is probably the most well known language for having different words for love.

• Agápe – This is the highest form of love and is what we call in English as Charity, or the Pure Love of Christ.
• Éros – This is the form of love that involves sexual passion.
• Philia – This is the form of brotherly love between individuals.
• Storge – This is the form of love between parents and children.
  Wikipeida: Greek words for Love

As I was writing this information, I realized that as we go through life, we tend to ascend through the types.  First, we have Storge for our parents and our siblings.  This is the first type of love that we come to accept and appreciate.  Next, we meet good friends or extended family members and we develop Philia.  We have a love and concern for them, but it isn’t the same that we would have for our parents and siblings.  Then, we will start to “fall in love” with someone.  Once the relationship has gone in the proper course and we are married, then we will have Éros for them.  This would be the one type that we don’t develop for most people.  (For a great discussion about sexual intimacy, check out the Family Home Evening Lesson Sexual Intimacy is Sacred and Beautiful.)

Agápe is the highest form or love that we can develop.  This is the Pure Love of Christ.  What does this mean?  To me, it means that we love someone the way that Christ loves them.  Seeing through their human traits and finding out what is really inside them and making them tick.  As humans, we tend to live in our “flaws” and judge each other by our “flaws”.  It is quite a challenge to see beyond what someone does, to who they really are, but when we can do that, we have Charity for that person.  We love them with the love that Christ has for them.

So what does this Pure Love of Christ look like?  Moroni gives us one of the greatest explanations of this:

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

— Moroni 7:45-47

When we talk about being patient, loving, caring, uplifting and helping of others, we are talking about the Pure Love of Christ.  We are seeing and treating and caring about others in the way that Christ would.  Looking beyond their “flaws” and actions and seeing their true inner self and who they really are.  My fabulous wife has done this many times with me.  I’ve had many times where I have been completely down and our relationship was on the rocks because of my actions.  Many times in these situations, she has told me that she knows who I really am and it is not the things that I have done.

The question now, is how do we develop Agápe?  Where do we get it?  We can’t just buy it from the grocery store.  Moroni comes to our rescue!

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ….

— Moroni 7:48 (emphasis added)

I love this verse!  Moroni explains that it isn’t just praying for Charity that allows us to have it, but praying “with all the energy of heart”.  It is wanting this love so deeply that you are willing to express your whole soul to our Father for it.

The sons of Mosiah are great examples of this.  They went forth to the Lamanites with Charity, seeking for their salvation.

3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

— Mosiah 28:3 (emphasis added)

They loved the human race with so much love that they couldn’t even bear the thought that someone wouldn’t return to our Heavenly Father.  They then went to the Lamanites and prepared themselves with “much prayer, and fasting” (Alma 17:3).  They sought through prayer and fasting and with “all the energy of heart” to have love for the Lamanites that they might bring their souls unto salvation.

Developing Charity, the Pure Love of Christ, is one of our lifelong pursuits.  It doesn’t just happen overnight.  It doesn’t just happen with one prayer.  It is a constant pouring of our hearts to our Father, seeking, asking and knocking to love others the way that He loves them.  We then start seeing through their shell and to their beautiful soul.  My desire is that we all seek for this love.  Having Charity is a requirement of Zion.  We don’t need to be “perfect” with it, but that we need to develop it and keep growing it in our hearts.

Today during Priesthood meeting, the person giving the lesson brought up the song Ye Elders of Israel (hymn #319).  This is one of my favorite songs!  I love the tune!  I love the words!  I love it all together!  Just reading the words of the song today gave me chills.  Let’s take a look at the words shall we:

Verse 1

Ye elders of Israel, come join now with me
And seek out the righteous, where’er they may be–
In desert, on mountain, on land, or on sea–
And bring them to Zion, the pure and the free.

Verse 1 kicks off the song with a bang.  Seeking for the righteous.  There are so many ways this verse applies to us.  Missionary work.  Home / visiting teaching.  Teaching.  Blogging.  Social Media.  Etc.  Sharing the gospel and sharing out testimony.  Seeking those that want something more from their lives then what they have.  I love how it says “seek out the righteous”.  We aren’t just out seeking for the wicked to repent, but taking those who are righteous and helping them become more righteous.  Pure.  Free.  Zion.  Remember, Zion are those that are free from any worldly bondage and are the pure in heart.

Verse 2

The harvest is great, and the lab’rers are few;
But if we’re united, we all things can do.
We’ll gather the wheat from the midst of the tares
And bring them from bondage, from sorrows and snares.

This reminds me of D&C 121:34: “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen.”  There are many times that we are called as laborers in the kingdom and sometimes, only few people respond.  Verse 35 adds a little more insight: “Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men.”  To be a Zion person, we have to be willing to leave beind the things of the week and seek for the things of a higher world.  Gathering the wheat.  Releasing them from “bondage, … sorrows and snares.”  The only way we can help them release these though, is if we are free from them ourselves.  Remember in verse 1, being in Zion we are “the pure and the free.”

Verse 3

We’ll go to the poor, like our Captain of old,
And visit the weary, the hungry, and cold;
We’ll cheer up their hearts with the news that he bore
And point them to Zion and life evermore.

This is another excellent verse and a great way to end off the song.  This verse can be viewed very literal just like the rest of the song and be related to the poor without money, the hungry without food and the cold without warmth.  This is for sure one of its meanings.  If we look at it just a little bit deeper though, our Captain, Christ, went and worked with people like this, but He also with with those that were poor in spirit, weary in well doing, hungry for the truth, and cold in their hearts.  The thing that we do for them is cheer up their hearts and point them to Zion.  And why do we do this?  For life evermore.  Most people are seeking for the truth and the highest good.  As Elders of Israel, we have the good news and we get the blessed privilege of sharing it with others.

Chorus

The last part of each of these wonderful verses is the chorus:

O Babylon, O Babylon, we bid thee farewell;
We’re going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell.

As a seeker of Zion, it is time for us to bid Babylon goodbye.  Elder D. Todd Christofferson said this in his talk Come to Zion: “Recalling Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s phrase, let us once and for all establish our residence in Zion and give up the summer cottage in Babylon (see Neal A. Maxwell, A Wonderful Flood of Light [1990], 47).”

Friends.  I know that it is a challenge to live in the world, but not of the world.  To seek for Zion and still need to pay the bills of Babylon.  Right now we may not be able to leave Babylon physically, but we sure can spiritually.  We can clean ourselves from all the garbage of hate, envy, jealousy, anger, rage, hurt, sorrow, disappointment and anything else negative and become clean and pure.  A vessel of the light of Christ.  A person guided continually by the Spirit and one that is found doing good in all things.  We can do this and leave our “summer cottage” and live in Zion.

The second step in Seeking Zion is obedience.  Obedience we learn is the first law of heaven.  Without being obedient, we can not obtain anything, including Zion.  I think Doctrine and Covenants says it best:

20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
– D&C 130:20-21

In order to receive any blessing, we must obey the law that is associated with that blessing.  With every law and every commandment, there are certain blessing.  Depending on what kind of obedience you want to put into it, will also depend on what kind of blessing you receive.

What I mean by this is that if you only put in half your effort, you will only receive the portion of the blessing that you deserve.  For example, we have been command to read our scriptures.  If a person chooses to read a couple of verses a day of the scriptures, then the blessing they will receive will be based on that.  They will still be blessed and even have an increase in the Spirit for obeying, but, they won’t receive the complete blessing they could receive.

Then if you take the person who chooses to study for 30 minutes a day.  This person will not only understand the stories of the scriptures, but will come to a deeper understanding of the gospel and the principles taught in them.  They will also gain a greater remembrance of what they study and where to find topics and verses that will help them in other situations.  They will receive greater blessing because of their willingness to obey the law the greater law.

Not every law has an exact set of steps to obey either.  Baptism for example has a specific set of steps.  A person needs to have faith in Jesus Christ and repent.  Then, they can be baptized.  The steps are laid out and unchangeable.  Other laws don’t have exact steps like studying the scriptures.  We haven’t been told that we need to do at least 5 minutes a day or 30 minutes a day.  For us to determine how we need to obey this law, we need to rely on the Spirit to guide us.

One of the best examples of perfect obedience is the Strippling Warriors.  Not only did they know that the gospel was correct and true, but they were willing to do whatever was asked of them that was right.  Helaman says this about them:

20 And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted.
21 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness.
– Alma 57:20-21 (emphasis added)

Notice that Helaman specifically says that they were firm and undaunted and that they obeyed with exactness.  Not just half heartedly.  This exact obedience is what spared their lives and protected them during their times in battle.  They received an extra increase of the Spirit because they choose to obey.

My two bits with this is that not only did they obey Helaman and his commands, but that they were continuously guided by the Spirit and obeyed Him as well.  As I mentioned above, sometimes we have the path set before us and other times, we have to decided what the path is like for us.  The Spirit is the key in figuring this out.  Obedience to the promptings of the Spirit is the ultimate thing that we can do.  Remember Nephi killing Laban.

To be able to complete our next step toward Zion, we must be willing to obey the laws associated with Zion.  Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin has said:

To open the windows of heaven, we must conform our will to God’s will.  Diligent, enduring obedience to God’s laws is the key that opens the windows of heaven. Obedience enables us to be receptive to the mind and will of the Lord. “The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient” are those who receive the blessings of revelation through the open windows of heaven.
– Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, General Conference, October 1995

It is my hope and prayer that as you desire to be a Zion person and be in Zion, that you will also seek for obedience with exactness.  Following the promptings of the Spirit with exactness and with speed.  That is my challenge to you for the week.  Exactness with Speed.

In starting out our journey to Zion, to me, the first step on this path is having a desire for Zion.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks has said: “Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming.” (General Conference, April 2011).

As mentioned in What Is Zion, there are two parts to Zion.  First, is the people and second is the city.  In order to achieve either one, we must have a desire for them.  We must be willing to make the choice that will bring us to them.  Alma, in talking with the poor Zoramites, discussed how faith works and how they must have a desire to gain faith before they can have it.

But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
— Alma 32:27

Seeking Zion and seeking to become a person that is a Zion person starts with our desire to achieve them.  As Elder Oaks said, desires lead to priorities, which leads to choices which leads to actions.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell has put it this way: “Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity.”  (General Conference, October 1996).  As we see, the first thing that we need to become a Zion person and in return to enter the City of Zion is to have a desire for it.  A desire that will burn within our hearts and eventually lead us to act upon that desire and become what we seek.

Welcome to Seeking Zion!

The purpose of this site is to help myself and others who are striving to become a Zion person and to be able to live in the City of Zion find their way.  This path has been very interesting for me and has lead me in multiple directions.  Each one has been rewarding and beautiful, even if it wasn’t that way in the beginning.  Each of these paths has culminated in the person that I am today and will continue to be a part of the person that I am striving to become.  Seeking Zion is meant to be a place where I will share my feelings, thoughts, and experiences of my path and the things that I am learning while I am seeking Zion.  If you haven’t do so yet, please read the What is Zion page.  This has a basic description of what Zion is.  I hope to add more to it as times goes on and as I learn more.  I wish each of you success in your journey and encourage you all to listen to the still small voice of truth inside of you that is guiding each of your lives.