2 Nephi 1:21 -- On Becoming United

"And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;"
2 Nephi 1:21


I like Lehi's advice to his sons here, specifically the phrase "...be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things...."  I think that this last conference had a theme going on about preparation for the Second Coming, and one of the most important parts of that is working towards unity rather than divisiveness.

In Alma we read about a time in Nephite history where they were politically divided, which caused a lot of problems, and it mentions that all of these things could have been avoided "if we had united our strength as we hitherto have done" rather than "contending among ourselves" (Alma 60:16).  And it strikes me that we all fall into that trap at one time or another... both as individuals and as societies.

D&C 38:27 reminds us that we need to be one.  God wants us to solve problems in this world together, learning how to be a part of something great and recognizing that everyone has something to offer, and that we are all needed.  We can't build Zion by uplifting some and dismissing others... we have to find a place for everyone.  Psalms 84:10 also reminds us that being a doorkeeper in the house of God is better than a luxurious life elsewhere.  It doesn't matter where God asks us to serve--the idea is to serve well wherever we are, helping the whole intricate mess of all of us work together well, and improving the lives that we touch... and when we all do that, then we become unified, all working for the good of each other rather than trying to "win."

Today, let's think about unity and becoming a Zion society, and how that overall goal might turn us towards God a little bit more and provide different ways for us to contribute and find happiness.  I don't think that it means we can't have some personal goals as well--God will help us know how to fit those things together where it is possible--but maybe the idea of unity, with God and with the people around us, will help us learn more about how to be Zion people. :)