A blessing, not a burden.


President Thomas S. Monson once declared, "Church membership should be a blessing, not a burden."

So it is with establishing Zion. It takes work, but we do the work with joy.

"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." (Isaiah 12:3; 2 Nephi 22:3)

The water doesn't spring forth spontaneously; we have to dig the well and draw it out. But the fruit of our labor, as well as the labor itself, is joyful.

17 The fear of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. And the Lord blessed the land, and they were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish.

18 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

(Moses 7:17–18)


1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord’s release.

3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;

4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:

5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.

(Deuteronomy 15:1–5)