On August 2,
1831, a small group of Latter-day Saints met on the American
frontier, just west of Independence, Jackson County,
Missouri, and symbolically laid the foundation for the
gathering of the Saints to Zion. Joseph Smith had
identified the setting by revelation and envisioned a
complex of sacred temples, a city of refuge, and a
gathering place for the kingdom of God in preparation
for the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Their
success would require unity of purpose, what Joseph called
"a long pull, a strong pull and a pull all
together."
Though the dream
of Zion in Missouri was not realized in the early days,
the Saints did gather and establish communities. "He who
scattered Israel has promised to gather
them," the
Prophet explained, to build up the kingdom of God, "a
work that is destined to bring about the destruction
of the powers of darkness, the renovation of the earth, the
glory of God, and the salvation of the human
family."
Today, the place of gathering for Latter-day Saints is
to their respective stakes all over the world.
Saints
A faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ (The Guide to the Scriptures, "Saint," 215–16).
Zion
The pure in heart (D&C 97: 21). Zion also means a place where the pure in heart live. In the latter-days a city named Zion will be built near Jackson County, Missouri (United States of America), to which the tribes of Israel will gather (D&C 103: 11–22; 133: 18). The Saints are counseled to build up Zion wherever they are living in the world (Guide to the Scriptures, Zion).
gather
The power and authority to direct the work of gathering the house of Israel was given to Joseph Smith by the prophet Moses, who appeared in 1836 in the Kirtland Temple. The Israelites are gathered spiritually when they join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This spiritual gathering began during the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith and continues today all over the world. Converts to the Church are Israelites either by blood or adoption (Gospel Principles, 273).
