For Church members in the 1830s, gathering in Ohio and building the city of Zion were spiritual as well as temporal labors. In the revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 51–57, the Lord appointed and instructed people to handle the tasks required for building a new place. He also taught the people about becoming a Zion people, which may have been more difficult than building, printing, or running a store.
Segment 1
Scriptures:
D&C 51:16 (For a little season)
Rewards for the Just Scripture Chain:
D&C 51:19 (Enter the joy of the Lord)
D&C 52:34 (Blessed with much fruit)
D&C 54:6 (Mercy)
D&C 54:10 (Rest to the soul)
Segment 2
Scriptures:
D&C 51:3 (Appoint equally)
D&C 51:19 (Faithful, wise, and just steward)
D&C 104:12-13 (Accountability)
Study Helps:
A person who takes care of the affairs or property of another. That which a steward cares for is called a stewardship. All things on earth belong to the Lord; we are His stewards. We are accountable to the Lord, but we may report on our stewardship to God’s authorized representatives. (Steward, Guide to the Scriptures)
Segment 3
Scriptures:
D&C 52:14-19 (Know the spirit by the pattern)
Words of the General Authorities:
[The saints] are either unable to see things as they truly are or are unsatisfied with truth. Moreover, there are forces at play today designed to deliberately lead us away from absolute truth. These deceptions and lies go far beyond innocent mistaken identity and often have dire, not minor, consequences. Satan, the father of lies and the great deceiver, would have us question things as they really are and either ignore eternal truths or replace them with something that appears more pleasing. “He maketh war with the saints of God” and has spent millennia calculating and practicing the ability to persuade God’s children to believe that good is evil and evil is good. (Gary E. Stevenson, “Deceive Me Not”, October 2019 General Conference)
Segment 4
Scriptures:
D&C 53:4 (Sidney Gilbert’s worldly calling)
D&C 53:2,7 (Forsake the world, endure to the end)
Segment 5
Scriptures:
D&C 54:6 (Obtaining mercy)
D&C 54 (Be patient in tribulation)
Segment 6
Scriptures:
D&C 56:8,14-15 (Repent of pride)
D&C 56:16-18 (Rich men and poor men)
D&C 56:19 (Reward to every man)
CR: D&C 1:10
CR: Alma 41:14-15
View transcript here.