We are under covenant to establish Zion – to prepare the earth for the Lord’s second coming; not simply to talk about it or read about it, but to “establish” it. To establish Zion will require us to live the principles of the celestial kingdom here on earth. (D&C 105:5) It will require us to love God above all things and to place Him first in our lives and not be distracted by the world. It will require greater devotion, greater obedience, and greater service to each other. It will require greater attention to our relationship with the Holy Ghost and the spirit of revelation. It will require full commitment to our families and to making our homes a refuge from the storm. It will require that we reach out to strengthen and lift one another. This will not be easy, the adversary will employ all he has to distract and tempt us. To become a Zion people we must become of “one heart and one mind,” “dwell in righteousness,” have “no poor” among us (Moses 7:18), and become “pure in heart”. (D&C 97:21)
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object”(Teachings: Joseph Smith, 186). “The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society course of study, 2007], 186).