Hastening of the Work of Zion

Several years ago the Lord put the cause of Zion in my heart. 

"Thou art called to labor in my vineyard, and to build up my church, and to bring forth Zion, that it may rejoice upon the hills and flourish." (DC 39:13)  

The Lord helped me realize that instead of waiting for Zion, I needed to be working for Zion.  The desire was planted in my heart to help bring it forth but at the same I really didn't know how.  I served in my callings to the best of my ability, served others, had weekly Family Home Evening, attended the temple regularly, studied my scriptures, and had daily family scripture and prayers but the Lord was telling me that there was something missing. 

I did a lot of study about Zion and I learned about some of the requirements like living the Law of Consecration but I still felt like there was more.  It was a process of time, studying, and prayer that finally brought me to understand that the change He wanted from me was my heart. 

This change doesn't come by just "doing" what I should do but by "becoming" what I should be.   This change I needed and still work towards is something that comes only as a gift for those who seek it.  When our hearts are changed, we will know because we long for the return of our Savior to be in our day.  The things of the world lose their savor.  We are no longer enticed by big homes, cars, boats, fancy clothes, vacations, or other distractions.  Our hearts desire is to serve others and we want to use our means to build His kingdom.  The law of consecration and sacrifice comes naturally and easy to those who have had this change.  The building of the kingdom literally becomes the first and foremost in our thoughts and minds and the things of the world become very unimportant and temporary to us.  The Lord does this by changing our perspectives from an earthly to a heavenly one.  It is through the enabling power of the atonement that we can have this change.

There is a hastening of the work.  "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.  And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean." (DC 88:73-74)

While we usually think of the hastening as a hastening of missionary work or even of family history work, it is this and more.  There is a hastening of purifying and sanctifying a people.  The time of this hastening has come and many are feeling the tuggings of Zion at their heart strings. 

Why?  In order for Christ to come, Zion must be built.  Christ will literally walk the streets of Zion so doesn't it make sense that all who reside must be worthy to be in his presence?  In order for Christ to come he needs a whole society of people who have had this change of heart and have become purified and sanctified.

"A mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God.. And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"  (Alma 5:13-14)

I believe this is the cause of Zion - to have this mighty change, to receive his image in our countenance, and to be spiritually born of God so that when "he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."  (1 John 3:2)