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What happens when a 19th century Mormon meets a 21st century Mormon? Find out in the first installment of the new series: “Old Mormon vs New Mormon.”

And when we get into Jackson county to walk in the courts of that house, we can say we built this temple; for as the Lord lives we will build up Jackson county in this generation.

Brigham Young

Times & Seasons

Volume 6 Page 956

April 06, 1845

To be in readiness to move into Jackson county in two years from the eleventh of September next, which is the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.

Joseph Smith

History of the Church

Volume 2 Page 145

August 16, 1834

The day is near when a Temple shall be reared in the Center Stake of Zion, and the Lord has said his glory shall rest on that House in this generation, that is in the generation in which the revelation was given, which is upwards of thirty years ago.

George Q. Cannon

Journal of Discourses

Volume 10 Page 344

October 23, 1864

God promised in the year 1832 that we should, before the generation then living had passed away, return and build up the City of Zion in Jackson County; that we should return and build up the temple of the Most High where we formerly laid the corner stone.  He promised us that He would manifest Himself on that temple, that the glory of God should be upon it; and not only upon the temple, but within it, even a cloud by day and a flaming fire by night.  We believe in these promises as much as we believe in any promise ever uttered by the mouth of Jehovah.  The Latter-day Saints just as much expect to receive a fulfillment of that promise during the generation that was in existence in 1832 as they expect that the sun will rise and set to-morrow. [sic]  Why?  Because God cannot lie.  He will fulfill all His promises.  He has spoken, it must come to pass.

Journal of Discourses

Volume 13 Page 362

May 05, 1870

 

Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city of New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.  For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 84:4-5

September 22-23, 1832

[The sons of Moses and Aaron] shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed.

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 84:31

September 22-23, 1832

 

And the nations of the earth shall honor her, and shall say: Surely Zion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there; And he hath sworn by the power of his might to be her salvation and her high tower.

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 97:19-20

August 02, 1833

 

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know I am God.  Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.  They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion—  And all these things that the prophets might be fulfilled.  And, behold, there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed; neither shall there be any other place appointed than that which I have appointed, for the work of the gathering of my saints.

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 101:16-20

December 16, 1833

 

And it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city [Zion] into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours.

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 111:4

August 06, 1836

 

Therefore I command you to build a house unto me, for the gathering together of my saints, that they may worship me.  And let there be a beginning of this work, and a foundation, and a preparatory work, this following summer; And let the beginning be made on the fourth day of July next; and from that time forth let my people labor diligently to build a house unto my name; And in one year from this day let them re-commence laying the foundation of my house.  Thus let them from that time forth labor diligently until it shall be finished, from the corner stone thereof unto the top thereof, until there shall not anything remain that is not finished.

Doctrine and Covenants

Section 115:8-12

April 26, 1838

 

As sure as the sun shines forth in yonder heavens, so sure will the Lord fulfill one thing with regard to this people.  What is that?  He will return them to Jackson County, and in the western part of the state of Missouri they will build up a city which shall be called Zion, which will be the head-quarters of this Latter-day Saint Church; and that will be the place where the prophets, apostles and inspired men of God will have their head-quarters.  It will be the place where the Lord God will manifest Himself to his people . . . .  The Latter-day Saints believe in prophecies before they take place.  We have just as much confidence in returning to Jackson county and the building of a great central city that will remain there a thousand years before the earth passes away, as the Jews have in returning to Jerusalem and re-building the waste places of Palestine.  In fact we have more faith than they have.

Journal of Discourses

Volume 13 Page 138

April 10, 1870

God said, in the year 1832, before we were driven out of Jackson County, in a revelation which you will find here in this book, that before that generation should pass away, a house of the Lord should be built in that county, (Jackson County), “upon the consecrated spot, as I have appointed; and the glory of God, even a cloud by day and a pillar of flaming fire by night shall rest upon the same.” . . .  This was given forty-two years ago.  The generation then living was not only to commence a house of God in Jackson County, Missouri, but was actually to complete the same, and when it is completed the glory of God should rest upon it. . . .  We Latter-day Saints expect to return to Jackson County and to build a Temple there before the generation that was living forty-two years ago has all passed away.  Well, then, the time must be pretty near when we shall begin that work.

Journal of Discourses

Volume 17 Page 111

June 14, 1874

 

The word “Zion” not only means to Church members that one particular city which they are to be instrumental in establishing; but they also believe that in its largest geographical bounds, Zion is the whole American Continent. . . .  At the present time, however, we speak of the principal concentrations of the Saints as being Zion, but our main emphasis in this chapter shall be the Zion or New Jerusalem which is to be established at Independence, Missouri, and the Mormons’ concept of the Millennium.

The Gospel Through The Ages

Page 277

1945

But the Prophet Joseph and his followers received from the Book of Mormon prophets an added stimulus to the millennial concept and new information that members of other Christian churches did not have.  They learned from the Jaredite and Nephite teachers that the American continent was held in favor by the Almighty.  It was, indeed, a “land of promise, a land of choice above all other lands” upon the face of the earth!  They also learned that the ancient American prophets had proclaimed that the Lord had blessed this land and dedicated it as the gathering place of Israel in the last days.

The Gospel Through The Ages

Page 278

1945

Note: Israel became a nation again in 1948, 3 years after Hunter penned the preceding.

 

The missionaries arrived at Independence in the latter part of July.  They had traveled 1,000 miles.  Shortly thereafter the Prophet received a revelation which announced Missouri to be Zion, the gathering place for the Saints.  Independence was designated as the center—the site for the New Jerusalem, and a holy temple to the Lord was to be erected on a knoll west of the courthouse.

Milton R. Hunter

The Gospel Through The Ages

Page 280

1945

 

Building of the New Jerusalem

Near the time of the coming of Jesus, the faithful Saints will build a righteous city, a city of God, called the New Jerusalem.  Jesus Christ himself will rule there.  (See 3 Nephi 21:23-25.)  The Lord said the city will be built in the state of Missouri in the United States (see D&C 84:3-4).

Gospel Principles

Page 268

1997

 

We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent . . .

Gospel Principles (Articles of Faith #10)

Page 307

1997

2.  Yea, the word of the Lord concerning his church, established in the last days for

the restoration of his people, as he has spoken by the mouth of his prophets, and for

the gathering of his saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem.

3.  Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the

finger of the Lord, in the western boundaries of the State of Missouri, and dedicated

by the hand of Joseph Smith, Jun., and others with whom the Lord was well pleased.

4.  Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.

5.  For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto

the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the

Lord, which shall fill the house.

History of the Church

Volume 1 Page 288

September 22-23, 1832

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