On July 20, 1831, Joseph Smith revealed Jackson County Missouri as the place that God had designated for the gathering of the Saints and for the building of Zion.  (D&C 57)  Later that same year, the Saints began to gather to Zion, but it did not last.  Just two years later, the Mormons were driven from their homes near Independence.

On December 16, 1833 as the Saints were being driven from Jackson County, God again spoke saying that the reason that He had allowed them to be driven from the lands of their inheritance was because of sin.   (D&C 101) 

 

In more recent times it was revealed that Zion for the Japanese is in Japan, for the Germans it is in Germany and so forth.

 

Does this mean that we should no longer be looking for the literal gathering to Missouri?  Will there still be the temple built on the ground where Joseph laid the corner stone and prophesied that it would be in this temple that the Saviour would return and rule the Earth during the Millennium?

 

The year of 2000 is now come and gone.  Does the Lord delay His coming?  Are the revelations in D&C not to be trusted?

 

What can we expect and look for in the days and years ahead?

 

In December of 1833, the Lord promised that if the Saints were to repent, they would begin to prevail against their enemies from that very moment, and would be re-established in the land of Zion.  (D&C 101). 

Just two months later, the Lord judged that the Saints had not repented, and because of that, they would now be required to "wait" a little season for the redemption of Zion.   The promise was affirmed that Zion would not be moved out its place (Missouri), and though His children were scattered, he would one day re-establish them upon the land of Zion.  The continuing revelation teaches that no other place will be given for the gathering of the Saints.  (D&C 103)  

 

Brigham Young used to stand before the Saints in General Conference with the warning that unless we repented and became more diligent in the way we were going about our preparation for Zion, we would be still waiting out in the Utah desert 100 years later.

 

Now, over 100 years later, we can see that brother Brigham was obviously right, but are we now any closer to the day we will be sent back to Zion to build that holy temple?

 

It was recently announced that a new temple will soon be built in Liberty Missouri at a sight just a few miles away from the site designated by Joseph Smith as the location for the "King" of Temples to be built.  If the membership of the Church were ready and sufficiently worthy, I wonder if Independence would have been chosen for the new temple.

 

I sincerely believe that the prophecy of the Lord will be fulfilled, and that the "dwelling house" of the Lord will yet be built on the very spot that God revealed to Joseph Smith.  I believe that it is our duty to watch for that day, with our lamps filled.

 

These are strange times...I pray that we are ready.