God taught that Zion can only be built by the principles of the celestial law. Some of these principles are: obedience to His instructions, purity, sharing with the poor and needy, and unity. We will not achieve obedience to this law all at once, only incrementally and only with His grace.
The Poor (and the Rich) Shall Be Exalted
God has distributed resources unevenly on purpose: so that we learn to share with one another. His purpose is for the poor to be "exalted, in that the rich are made low." But Elder Uchtdorf has pointed out that giving blesses both the giver and the receiver, leading both toward exaltation.
“Ye Are My Stewards”
We treat things differently when we are caretakers instead of owners. Everything we have been blessed with belongs to God, including our families and our own bodies, and we are accountable to Him for the way we use the resources He had entrusted to us.
Don’t Pollute Your Inheritance
Church members in Missouri lost their homes because "they polluted their inheritances." So many of the blessings we enjoy are unearned — bequeathed to us by other people or by God. We "pollute" those gifts when we neglect them or use them in a way that is contrary to the intent of the giver.
Principles of Effective Councils in Doctrine and Covenants 102
The charter of the original high council in Doctrine and Covenants 102 teaches principles we can apply to family, church, work, and community councils: start with clear purpose, ensure all voices are heard, support the final decision, seek revelation, and respect boundaries of authority.
Doctrine and Covenants 102-105: “After Much Tribulation … Cometh the Blessing” (September 15-21)
Lessons from Doctrine and Covenants 102-105: 1. We make wiser decisions in councils. 2. Christ's disciples are beacons of light. 3. Adversity is essential for growth. 4. God walks with us. 5. He will give us tremendous blessings. We should share them. 6. We need not fight life's battles alone.
Convinced of Our Ungodly Deeds
The Greek word "elegcho" has no exact English equivalent. It means to bring a fault to light, awakening an internal desire to correct it. When the Savior told John Murdock that He comes to "convince" us of our ungodly deeds, He meant that He will show us our faults so that we want to repent.
Possessing Our Souls in Patience
We often hear, "Be your authentic self." The Savior teaches us that only through patient discipline can we come into full "possession" of our souls. Like Alma with his son Shiblon, we can appreciate one another's accomplishments while still encouraging each another to "bridle [our] passions" as we progress along the transformative path of discipleship.
The Enmity of All Flesh Shall Cease
When the Savior returns to the earth, "the enmity of all flesh shall cease." After His ministry in the Americas, "there was no contention" for many years. We can look forward to that blessing, and we can prepare for it by reducing contention and building bridges of understanding.
“I Will Remember Mercy”
In 1833, church members in Missouri were struggling. The Lord explained that some of the adversity they were experiencing was self-inflicted, but He added "notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion." As President Holland has promised, "It is not possible for [us] to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines."