Zion and Missionary Work

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

 If you’re like me, the part of that verse that seems to be most repeated and emphasized is the “built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets” part. In Sunday school, and on my mission, I have presented these verses as biblical evidence of the foundational importance of apostles and prophets, and consequently of the Restoration. That is an important concept, but Paul’s main idea is not just the foundation, but what is built upon it: a living temple—a community of saints supporting each other in unity and love.

The Restoration of the foundation was not an end unto itself, but the means to an end, which I believe is the creation of that living temple Paul spoke of. Thus, the Gospel of Jesus of Christ was restored not simply to restitute correct doctrine, re-establish an ecclesiastical structure, or reinstate the Priesthood. Nor was it simply intended to provide the means for individual salvation. Rather, all of these elements converge to allow families, wards, communities, and ultimately, the whole world, to live in the same kind of loving unity that God enjoys. In the post-mortal world, this is called the Celestial Kingdom. When we have that kind of relationship and build that kind of community here, we call it Zion. This idea gives new meaning to these words from D&C 130:2: “And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory.” That makes me think that the extent to which I am establishing Zion is the extent to which I am prepared for the Celestial Kingdom. 

Our knowledge of the gospel and the covenants we have made invite us to establish Zion—and that is a high and holy calling, and one that must be tied to our missionary efforts. To explain the first connection I see between Zion and missionary work, I paraphrase a line from the movie Field of Dreams: “If we build it, they will come.” As we establish Zion, our efforts to share the gospel will come more naturally, and will be more effective. Clayton Christensen discusses this concept in his book The Power of Everyday Missionaries. In his studies of how to effectively share the gospel, he came to know three particular wards in which twenty to thirty new converts were routinely baptized each year, even while the work in the surrounding areas was tepid. He concluded that the only thing that made these three wards different from the surrounding wards was that God trusted those wards to welcome and care for newcomers. In an interview, a missionary at one of these wards said, “I don’t know what it is. But if you can just get your investigators into the chapel up there, the members just wrap them into their arms and make them feel so welcome. It’s funny. Even door-to-door finding works better in that ward than any other place in the mission” (138). When a ward creates Zion by welcoming and loving newcomers and investigators, God will guide His children there.

Another aspect of Zion that impacts missionary work is the lack of contention. Our bishop recently taught us about this, and encouraged us to be like the people described in 4 Nephi 1:15-18: “there was no contention…because of the love of God which did dwell in [their] hearts.” And in a society previously divided and segregated into Nephites, Lamanites, Zoramites, etc., there were no “-ites” among them, “but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.” If we will heed our Bishop’s counsel, our efforts to share the gospel will be blessed. This principle is evident throughout the Book of Mormon. Alma 4:5 tells of a time when 3500 souls joined the Nephite church in one year. Just a few verses earlier, we learn that there were no contentions in the land at that time (Alma 4:1). Similarly, in Helaman 3:24, 26, it says that tens of thousands joined the church. The preceding verse talks about how they had established “continual peace.” Again and again, I have found that pattern: As the people of the church establish Zion by eliminating contention and cultivating a loving, welcoming community, missionary work flourishes at a miraculous rate.

This is, I think, an intuitive idea. After all, Zion is a shelter, a place of safety and warmth, and people seek refuge in times of storm. Not always, but often, this means that they will come, still dampened by the rain of poverty or still shivering from cold winds of social rejection. We can and must provide the warm welcome and supportive community these people need. That is certainly what God would have us do for His children, especially when they are not easy to embrace. But let us not think ourselves heroic for doing it, because the help does not flow in one direction from us to them; it is bidirectional. And we need their help. As we learn from Nephi, all is not well in Zion (2 Nephi 28:24-25).  

If Zion is a living temple, it is still under construction, and even missing significant elements. This is not always an easy perspective to have because there are many wonderful things in the Church, and in this ward. As a newcomer myself, I have been the recipient of warm welcomes and fellowship, so I know Zion is being built, and I thank you for what you have done for my wife and me. However, we must be aware that Satan will try to pacify member of the Church, “and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus [he] cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell” (2 Nephi 28: 21). Even as we prosper and enjoy our community, we must not be complacent. The temple is not yet complete. As God leads individuals to the Church, through our invitations, or through other means, they will enrich our wards and stakes with diversity and strength. A new convert may be like stained glass in the temple, or like a wall beam, adding color or stability to our community, and bringing us one step closer to to temple God intends us to be.

I see this idea in the story of the stripling warriors. Alma 53:10 provides some background to this story: “The people of Ammon…were Lamanites; but…they had been converted unto the Lord; and they had been brought down into the land of Zarahemla, and had ever since been protected by the Nephites.” They were defenseless, and utterly dependent on the Nephites. However, one generation later, this people was instrumental in defending and saving many Nephite cities, proving themselves to be even stronger in some ways than veteran Nephites. During one battle, Helaman recounts, “My little band of two thousand and sixty fought most desperately; yea, they were firm before the Lamanites…and as the remainder of our army were about to give way…behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted” (Alma 57:19-20). Although the Nephites may not have known it at first, they needed the people of Ammon, and so it is with us.

While it’s true that we should share the gospel because others need it, it’s also true that we should share the gospel because we need others. As we do our best to establish Zion, we will need to embrace those that come into the community, and reach out to those outside. That is how we will “grow unto an holy temple in the Lord.” 

How Firm a Foundation

I had never particularly loved the hymn "How Firm a Foundation". It was fine but nothing special to me. I didn't really like the music and never paid much attention to the lyrics. Recently, however, I have heard a lot of people talk about how much they love this hymn. We even had a whole lesson dedicated to it in Relief Society a couple weeks ago. Members of the ward, including the current and former bishops, shared experiences of when the words of this hymn strengthened them and "caused them to stand". We sang the words to the tune of "Away in a Manger" because some feel that the current tune sounds too much like a march. It was beautiful, and I was able to focus more on the words. I have typed up my favorite verses below. As a sidenote: I always thought we were the ones speaking in the last verse - "I will not, I cannot desert to his foes" and that we will never forsake God. But God is speaking in the rest of the hymn. Why not in the last verse? To the soul that has sought rest and peace in Jesus Christ, God says, "I will not, I cannot desert to his foes". And even though all hell will shake, God will never forsake that soul. I believe that.


Fear not, I am with thee; oh be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and they gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake!

Peaceful Tones

The colored leaves,

That spill the sun,

The waters clear,

That flow as one.

We see Him there,

And vanish groans,

In silent songs,

And peaceful tones.

So close to earth!

So bare the sight!

And not in words,

But through the light.

But more to my view,

As the great vision grew,

Were the faces so bright,

Of the children of light.

And in the great waters,

We hear His soft voice,

Speaking great things,

And our spirits rejoice.

The Hope of God's Light

The Mormon Channel sent me this video, a true story of a man seeking to understand God.  It touched me.  Each of us has a unique experience on this earth finding our way.  Through the struggle, God is there working with us and giving us "line upon line...here a little, there a little" according to our needs and our ability to accept and act upon His will.  He is active even when we may or may not recognize His workings for what they are.

Blogger Dude

This is my first attempt to blog. Is it working?? Am I now an official blogger?? What do I write, how do I contribute, what is this all about?  These are just a few of my questions that I have with regards to this new and ever changing world of computer communication, sharing and living. The world is a more complex place than I knew growing up. I try to keep current and thus relevant in an ever forward moving computer based world. My daughter texted me yesterday to get advice about which new computer to buy. It must mean that my opinion about the computer world still carries some weight to her. My son asked me how to show a slide show he made on a screen at the scout Court of Honor. It must mean that my opinion on computer related matters is still relevant. I guess that counts for something at my age.

With regard to families and the merging of families as witnessed with the Sabey Messina marriage we are all a fusion of many different families. All of us are a fusion of God's children. We are all a part of one  another, all a part of His plan to teach us to be like Him, all working together to return to where we came from, all a part of each other's growth, happiness and success. A wise friend  told me years ago "We are all a lot more alike than we are different." So true. We each live to love another who is not from our immediately family. My wife Deanna grew up totally different from me on a rural farm but similar in everything that's important to this city boy. We have had a great life together and with our children. Our children are now repeating our life's experience. I still learn everyday even at my age. An example of strength that came to me from our merging families through marriage were  some inspired words  my new son-in-law's father taught me about life. Things I have heard all my life but never put together like this. The  3 principles he learned through trials in his life are the following. 

1.) Believe in gospel promises. 

2.) Embrace the curriculum.  

3.) Allow agency to work. 

So true. So simple. 

So marriage is great in so many ways. From Son- in-laws and their families to pomp and ceremony to moving forward to embracing the curriculum of life. It's all good. I can learn to blog and share my thoughts and feelings and maybe even help someone or get help and support  from someone else. 

I guess now I'll push the button that says "done" and see if it works. I guess that's how life is when you are on the launch pad of learning. Push the start button, dive into the learning, see what happens. If it works great! If not try again or try something new. Just don't ever stop trying, don't ever stop getting up when you fall, don't ever stop testing the limits of your ability for you may just succeed after you try long enough and when you do succeed you can help pull the others up who follow you. 

Done. 

Mike Messina. 

The Dawn will Break Brightly

I put together this quote and picture – the picture being of the pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley after months of toiling westward, and the quote being from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk, “Like a Broken Vessel”, about Major Depressive Disorder. (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/like-a-broken-vessel?lang=eng).

When the darkness around me seems impenetrable and never-ending, I feel that God is distant – that he has forsaken me.

This quote assures me that we can trust in the Lord, knowing that he has not forsaken us, though he may feel distant. He loves us and plans to lead us out of our sorrows into the breaking dawn, eventually.

And who knows but that those dark times were and are for our good. As the scripture says, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11).

The child of righteous desire may receive for reward most bitter trial.

The Salvation of Pain

Hi all, I’m James Messina, brother of Danielle Sabey. We have all been invited to contribute to the posts on this blog so here I go with my first blog post. Wish me luck!

Today in stake conference (a large church meeting) I was reminded of a favorite talk of mine and so I thought that I would just share some of the reasons why I enjoy it so much.

The talk is one by Loren C. Dunn

(found on lds.org at https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1974/04/hanging-on?lang=eng&query=shallow+roots)

He starts with an analogy of two trees in his backyard. One was planted close to a rich and frequent water source and so became a beautiful tree in that protected environment. The other tree was far from a consistent water source. It was exposed to the elements in a harsher way. It was forced to send its roots deep into the ground to obtain sufficient nutrients to survive. It was a large tree, though gnarly and tough. Here's my mental image of the situation:

One day, a great storm passed through, full of intense wind. The storm uprooted the tree that was close to the water source. Its roots were shallow, never having had to seek too far for water and nutrients. The second tree withstood the storm. It’s deep roots and firm constitution caused it to remain strong through the storm.

In reference to the tree that was planted in a more challenging environment, and therefore survived the storm, he says, “In the lives of each of us come these trials—trials of all kinds which shake us to the very core and cause us to explore to the very depths our ability to hang on…I see in many people this same kind of beauty. Adversity and trial have driven the roots of faith and testimony deep in order to tap the reservoir of spiritual strength that comes from such experiences. By nature they know how to stand and fight and hang on.”

I find this very meaningful. Especially since the trials in my life have caused me such pain and anguish, that I’ve often been lead to the mindset that I was better off before and that somehow I was being punished for no reason to suffer. Like a tree, I felt that I was growing better before I was moved to the harsh environment. I have been bitter and angry.

Actually, though, the trials in our lives are fantastic blessings! They are a blessing of sublime love from our Father in Heaven. For it is ONLY through difficulty and adversity that we obtain firm spirituality and conversion, thus being able to experience deeper and lasting joy. We don’t typically bring trials upon ourselves but God ordains and sends certain trials to us. All we have to do is remain faithful amidst the trial. Then, when the storm comes, we will be prepared. God prepares us.

I know that we all experience great trials in our lives that “shake us to the very core,” and for that I have great empathy. I only hope that we can find some peace as we realize that it is ONLY through those very trials that we deepen what we know and who we are. Every trial we receive is necessary for our salvation.

Sigurd Cemetery/Welcome to the Blog

The cemetery in Sigurd, Utah is only about 100 square yards. Its biggest claim to fame is that it is the resting place of some Mormon pioneers, though none of them is well-known. Had I driven by Sigurd a few weeks earlier, I probably wouldn’t even have noticed the town, let alone stopped at its cemetery. Yet, in that moment, I stood by the Dastrup family plot, and felt the stirrings of something eternal. My wife, Danielle, is a Dastrup. Through marriage, the people buried in this quaint country graveyard were now my people. Their blood would flow in my children’s veins. This sense of intimate connection stood starkly in contrast with my previous ignorance and disregard for all things Sigurd.

I think this experience demonstrates something fundamental about the Gospel of Jesus Christ: We are invited to view others (and ultimately everyone) as family—intimately connected to us, and tied to our history and future. I see this in a simple way every Sunday when I attend a Mormon church in Belmont, MA and hear the members refer to each other as “Brother” or “Sister.” And it is not simply nominal. When Danielle and I first moved here from the West, we were happily surprised at how welcoming everyone was. Within the first few weeks, we had been invited to dinner, game nights, clam bakes, etc. Although we had never met before, these people welcomed us into their homes and into their lives as if we were visiting relatives. And we began to respond in kind. This last week, we received an email explaining that, after a period of remission, the leukemia had returned in the son of a couple in our ward. They asked for us to fast and pray in his behalf. We had never met this person, but we found ourselves fasting and praying for healing, comfort, and peace for this family. Our association with the ward connected us to the suffering of these people we hardly knew. But we sensed, at some level, that we were family, so we joined with them in fasting and prayer.

This intimate interconnectedness is intended not only for the “ward family.” Ultimately, we are invited to view everyone—classmates, colleagues, co-commuters, and counter clerks—as siblings: children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. I fall miserably short most of time, instead viewing these people like I used to view the Sigurd graveyard—quaint fixtures in the side roads of life, minor characters in the grand narrative of me. But there are moments that poke through my egotistical paradigm, and I stand once again in Sigurd cemetery and think, “These are my people.”

My marriage has already begun to urge me along this path in many ways. And that is, I think, the dynamic that made us want to create this blog. In some small way, we wanted to capture how the covenants we made when we were married have helped us look beyond ourselves and see others as intimately connected and related to us. One simple way we see this is in the new fellowship between Sabeys and Messinas. These two families that, before our wedding, would have passed each other in the road with nothing more than a polite wave, now know and love each other. Matt and James are roommates, Daniel and Emily might take a class together at BYU, and there is even talk about a Sabey-Messina ski trip one of these days. We feel like we are witnessing on a small scale the unity God intends for all His children: no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens in the household of God (Ephesians 2:19).