{"chapter_no":"1","chapter_title":"A New Era in the Church","book_id":"4","book_name":"Beauty the World Has Never Seen","subchapter_no":"0","page_no":"657","page_number":"1","verses_count":0,"total_pages":2,"page_content":"

 <\/p>

Chapter 1<\/p>

A New Era in the Church<\/h1><\/p>

 <\/p>

Members of <\/i>the Church<\/i> rise up to do the work of Zion in their homes<\/i> and wards<\/i>—Charity goes
beyond the routine callings and assignments often given to us in <\/i>the Church<\/i>—Zion is pure religion.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

Another full year in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had
passed away. Momentum was building; the Church was on the move towards greater things in
the gospel than had ever been seen before. Vibrations from the North Ogden 2nd and the
Springville East stakes were creating powerful waves all across the Wasatch Front, hitting with
force from both sides upon the stakes of Salt Lake County.<\/span><\/p>

 <\/p>

Lay members of the Church all over the world were rising up in great numbers, having
desire for Zion in their hearts. Like the change that occurred among the people of King Mosiah
during Book of Mormon times, no longer were members expecting the Lord or Church leaders to
do everything for them. The work needing to be done was theirs to do; the motivation to act was
coming from inside themselves, nurtured by the Spirit<\/span>. <\/p>

 <\/p>

In the years to come, we will see many great and important press releases coming out of
general conference like we've seen in the past. New general authorities will be called, and many
who have served faithfully will be released to serve again in their local communities. Seeing the
work move forward, the fast growth of the Church, and the exciting changes taking place
throughout the world are things all of us enjoy and look forward to every six months. But once
conference is over, then it's time to get to work again; we are not called to be spectators only in
the gospel. What we do in our homes and in our neighborhoods, this is where the TV cameras of
our minds need to be focused, and become a year-long broadcast. <\/p>

 <\/p>

As we have seen in the story of President Chandler, the calling of light on a hill is for
fifty years, expanding upon the roles and duties typically associated with a stake president. But
to be successful in something this grand, a stake president needs all of the help he can get, with
all members of the stake pursuing similarly great lifetime callings of their own. We do need
Ensign<\/i> magazine subscription managers, activities chairmen, and assistant Sunday School
presidents in wards; for surely, all callings and assignments in the Church are important and
helpful to the cause. But routine duties like these do not begin to fulfill our great responsibility to
God and to our friends and neighbors living around us. Charity in the gospel encompasses much
more than that. <\/p>

All inhabitants of the earth, every man, woman, and child born into this world, are
candidates for salvation; that is the scope of our calling as members of the Church. The
principles of Zion are the greatest tools we have in the gospel handbook to reach out with love to
the masses. People are attracted to and love to experience beautiful things. Outward
manifestations of Zion in our lives, including the possibility at some point of Zion-class temples
and Zion-class stake conference centers, are just that––beautiful––even if they are still works in
progress and only artist renditions are available to see at the construction sites of wards<\/span>.<\/p>

 <\/p>

We do not consider ourselves better or worse than anyone who has yet to join our
Church, who has become inactive, or who may have completely fallen away from the faith we
hold so dear. And our hope is that we as Church members have not on occasion acted clumsily or
improperly towards others in our zeal to share with them the great knowledge and testimony we
have been given. If so, we should (happily and willingly) make adjustments where needed and
become better in our roles as member and full-time missionaries. Our teaching techniques in the
Church are world-class, but part of that success has come by constantly striving to do better and
to learn from others. We should learn to listen for the Spirit first and to teach second, and not the
other way around. Love means respecting the agency and wishes of others; although it must be
understood that enemies of the Church will never be completely satisfied with everything we do.
Yet even among those who strongly oppose us today, there may be some rare and priceless
jewels to be found. We should not be surprised to see some Pauls, Zeezroms, Alma the
Youngers, Alma the Elders, Amuleks, and Ammons come out from among them and join with us
one day. We want all persons of the world to succeed in life. Every soul is of equal value to the
Lord.<\/p>

 <\/p>

It may seem to some that what we are being asked to do here in this book is some new
part of the gospel that we have never received before. But is it really? This is the same gospel,
the same Church, the same Lord, the same challenge to excel in the gospel that was given to
those of olden times. The only difference is that now, in these latter days, we have everything—a
fulness of gospel principles and saving ordinances that will never be taken away again from the
earth. <\/p>

 <\/p>

The pursuit of Zion is an important part of that fulness. The word \"Zion\" has been largely
misused in common dialogue around the world, some at times even making a mockery of it and
casting it into a negative light. That is unfortunate because Zion at its core, as explained in the
Bible, is simply this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world<\/i>.<\/p>"}