The above infographic represents two illustrations.
Story #1– In 2008, I attended a conference where I listened to a business coach talk about how he had worked with professionals over many years and discovered that there were 4 classes of people: poverty, middle, upper, and world class. He discovered that poverty, middle, and upper class all worked for money, while world class individuals worked for a cause. I then spent the next decade of my life trying to figure out what my cause in life was in order for me to be considered a world class individual.
I had three failed attempts at creating my own cause. I wrote a book, created a joint curriculum for personal & professional development, and thought my time had finally arrived. With the 3rd and final attempt, we were preparing to launch when the Spirit very distinctly told me that we weren’t to move forward with this cause anymore. I had spent hundreds of hours in the creation of all of this just to be told no? I called my business partner to tell him everything that we’d worked on was no longer going to move forward. This was December of 2019. What I couldn’t yet understand was that 3 months later, a little virus called COVID-19 would break out and our go-to market strategy of gathering large audiences in person each month would soon become illegal. My heart was shattered.
A couple of years went by and my family & I followed the counsel of the prophet in conference to read The Book of Mormon by the end of the year. We had heard from various sources that if we really wanted to understand what the last days would be like, that we should study the 100 years leading up to Christ’s visit to the Americas. The Book of Mormon covers approximately 1,000 years, plus the Book of Ether (from the Tower of Babel). The 100-year time span leading up to Christ’s visit is roughly 44% of the entire Book of Mormon, which is astonishing. The Book of Mormon truly is written for our days. As we studied these 100 years, we recognized parallel after parallel to our day. We realized that we needed to have a change of heart and better prepare ourselves both temporally and spiritually for the future. We renovated our basement, sold our house, paid off our debts, rented another house in the city, and saved for a rainy day.
Within the first month of moving, my father invited us to a fireside at his house to learn from a family whose father had passed away and had written several books, including multiple books on the topic of Zion (author- Lance Richardson). As I started learning more on the topic of Zion, my soul yearned for more. It was as if I had unlocked a door that had always been there that I didn’t know existed.
I was working in sales at a company that had gone public after I began working there. I was set to get a large sum of money through shares of the company after my 1-year mark. Even though I was at 108% of my actual attainment number, I was let go two weeks before I was to get paid out. Driving home from work that day, I felt as though I was being accompanied by hundreds of spirits all jam-packed into my truck confirming to me that everything was going to be okay.
We had some savings and investments and were debating on what I should do next. As we fasted and prayed, the Spirit instructed me that there was more to learn on Zion- quite a bit more. I found myself getting my hands on as much information on Zion as I possibly could. I spent the next 10 months trying to learn and discern as much as I could on what it meant to be a Zion individual; what it means to truly become pure in heart. I experienced a sanctification that I cannot describe in words. My heart was changing before my eyes but I wasn’t sure what it meant.
It was at this time that the Spirit of the Lord revealed that although the cause I had been pursuing those previous years was a good cause, He had a higher cause in mind for me. A cause that He greatly desires for all of His children to enlist into. Poverty, middle, and upper class individuals still work for money. World class individuals still work for a cause; however, I learned that there’s another cause and the blessings are out of this world. That cause is ‘The Cause of Zion.’
Story #2– A friend of mine who teaches seminary once took a picture of his class’s white board and posted it online with explanations of his drawing. One of the things that stood out to me most surrounded the concept of our hearts in the plan of salvation. In the three degrees of glory, a simple yet profound explanation of where people will go after this life could be summarized in part by our levels of love: Love of self (Telestial glory); Love of others (Terrestrial glory), and Love of God (Celestial glory).
The depiction of the three degrees of glory typically shows vertically the Telestial glory below that of the Terrestrial, and the Terrestrial below that of the Celestial. When I outlined the above concept to a designer friend, he came back with the concept of the moon and stars’ brightness being off to the sides with the sun being centered in the middle. This seems so much more accurate in the grand scheme of things as it pertains to where our greatest love should be centered. Each of us consists of love for ourselves, love for others, and love for God. The question we must ask ourselves is if we were to break it down into a percentage, what percentage of our love is geared towards ourselves, others, and of God? If the largest percentage of our love isn’t pointed towards God, then maybe that’s a sign that something needs to change in order for us to prevent the downfall and destructive pride that the Nephites & Lamanites faced throughout the Book of Mormon.
The Cause of Zion shows up four times in the Doctrine & Covenants (D&C 6:6; D&C 11:6; D&C 12:6, and D&C 21:7). The verses found in sections 6, 11, and 12 are the same words verbatim, but given through Joseph Smith separately to Oliver Cowdery, Hyrum Smith, and Joseph Knight Sr. in each section. All three read as follows:
“Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.”
Even though all three verses repeat the same words, D&C 6:6 in particular provides us with super helpful clues through the two footnotes that I feel compelled to expound upon. Footnote ‘6b’ refers to Zion. When you click on the footnote, it states, “Mission of Latter-day Saints; Objectives; Zion.” This speaks directly to us, our mission and objective in the latter days in the cause of Zion.
Footnote ‘6a’ directs us to two of my all-time favorite verses in the New Testament. (Joseph Smith Translation- JST Matthew 6:38 (Matt. 6:33 note a); and JST Luke 12:34 (Luke 12:31 note a).
JST Luke 12:34 states: “Therefore seek ye to bring forth the kingdom of God …” and all these things shall be added unto you. Joseph Smith added three words to this verse… ‘to bring forth.’ Just as it states in D&C 6, 11 and 12… seek ye to bring forth! This is much more than simply seeking or looking for the kingdom of God. To bring forth the kingdom of God requires faith to action on our part. I’d encourage you to read Luke 12:22-31 for several other gems, but I’m going to pivot to the other scripture in the footnote ‘6a’ in Matthew 6 as there’s a few things, particularly in the JST version of these verses that have changed my discipleship in regards to The Cause of Zion.
24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
- (The footnote ‘24e’ for the word ‘mammon’ says: “Idolatry, Treasure; Worldliness.” The definition of mammon is- “wealth regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship and devotion. It is not possible for us to serve God and mammon.)
25 And, again, I say unto you, Go ye into the world, and care not for the world; for the world will hate you, and will persecute you, and will turn you out of their synagogues.
26 Nevertheless, ye shall go forth from house to house, teaching the people; and I will go before you.
27 And your heavenly Father will provide for you, whatsoever things ye need for food, what ye shall eat; and for raiment, what ye shall wear or put on.
- (In verse 25 the Savior instructs us to be in the world, but to not care for it. The world will be harsh to His saints, but in verse 26 he instructs us still to “Minister” to each other. As we do these things, Jesus Christ promises us that our Heavenly Father will provide us with whatever we need. I love that in the regular verse for 25, it states “take no thought for your life. In the footnote ‘25b’ for ‘thought,’ it says “anxious concern.” How many of us experience anxiety over our families’ basic needs? The Savior is attempting to teach us a higher law and to Hear Him.)
(30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven,) JST Matt. 6:34 … how much more will he not provide for you, if ye are not of little faith?
- (We see the evidence of God providing for mother nature everywhere we go. Wouldn’t it make sense that men and women are provided for that much more? It then becomes a question of our faith.)
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
- (Take no thought. I love how in the footnote for Luke 12:22a for “Take no thought,” it says- “Don’t worry.” The Savior tells us that not only do the Gentiles (the rest of the world) seek after these things first as a priority, but that our Father in Heaven understands that we can’t live without these things. So how then do we not worry about our needs, be in the world, but not of the world like everybody else?)
38 Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
- (We’re not to prioritize our needs in the manner that the rest of the world does. Here the Savior provides the key, and how grateful I am for Joseph Smith’s translation! What are we to do first, before we seek after our own needs? To build up the kingdom of God and to establish his righteousness…and the things we stand in need of that our Father in Heaven knows we depend on, shall be added. The word ‘shall’ means ‘an obtained promise.’ It will happen. Joseph Smith had the Webster’s 1828 dictionary available to him when he translated this verse. The first 3 words for the definition of ‘righteousness’ in Webster’s dictionary are: “Purity of Heart…” D&C 97:21 says, “… for this is Zion- THE PURE IN HEART.” To establish his righteousness is to establish Zion!)
I end with the last scripture reference to The Cause of Zion- D&C 21:7:
7 For thus saith the Lord God: Him have I inspired to move the cause of Zion in mighty power for good, and his diligence I know, and his prayers I have heard.
Since discovering in 2008 that there’s such a thing as a ‘cause’ that can help us to become world class, I’ve prayed countless times to understand my life’s purpose and my cause in this life. If you’ve ever pondered a similar question, may I introduce you to the greatest cause both in and out of this world!
The section heading for D&C 21 for verses 4-8 states that “His word (Joseph Smith) will guide the cause of Zion.” Through these scriptures above and many others, I know that Joseph has and continues to accomplish his stewardship for the cause of Zion. I have prayed consistently to be able to hear and obey His Son’s voice; to do His will and His work. I know that He wants His cause to be prioritized as our own cause and as a result, He’ll provide for our needs. As I was discerning the cause of Zion in this verse (D&C 21:7) I knew that through Joseph, God was speaking directly to me. I have been inspired by Him to move The Cause of Zion in mighty power for good. I pray that you’ll find it in your heart to do the same.
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