Priesthood Work Then, Now and Forever
In the premortal world, were we ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood? If so, what was our work then, and what should be our work now and in the future?
By Larry Barkdull

Is Your Life Really Without Purpose?
Each of us experiences times when we feel that God is distant. Regardless of our best efforts to serve him, we imagine that our prayers and righteous efforts are vain.
By Larry Barkdull

Identifying Babylon
We are so entrenched in Babylon that we sometimes step into her camp.
By Larry Barkdull

No Poor Among Them
To achieve a poverty-free world, we must first recognize that all things belong to the Lord and that, by covenant, we are stewards of his (not our) property.
By Larry Barkdull

To Fully Take upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ
What does it mean to fully take upon ourselves the name of Christ?
By Larry Barkdull

One Year to Zion
Frustrated with the Saints’ apathy towards becoming Zion people, Brigham Young said, [We] have been praying to the Lord for…years for that which we might have received in one year.”[i] Was the prophet exaggerating, throwing out a figure on a whim?
By Larry Barkdull

Gifts of God
Gifts, by definition, are pure, voluntary offerings of love, indisputable evidence of the Giver’s affection.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion—A Condition of Abundance, Safety and Security
In a day when treasures are slippery, foundationless nations collapse under the weight of their pride, enemies combine against righteousness, and men’s hearts begin to fail them, we should “come to ourselves,” as did the awakening Prodigal, come out from Babylon[i] and “flee unto Zion for safety.”
By Larry Barkdull

The Journey to Zion Follows a Pattern
The journey to Zion is like what Elder Maxwell called “the trek of treks.”[1] The scriptures are filled with accounts of spiritual journeys. If we were to outline them, we would see that they follow a prescribed sequence that will lead us safely to our promised land.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion and the Plan of Happiness
The Plan of Happiness is central to becoming a Zion person. Happiness is always associated with Zion: “and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”
By Larry Barkdull

Zion and Greater Commandments
Greater commandments accompany greater revelations. Zion is a greater revelation. The pure in heart seek and receive greater commandments that are calculated to align our lives with that of God and those who live in the celestial kingdom.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion and How to Receive More Doctrine
We are required to travel the path to the presence of the Lord by conviction and trust, and by allowing him “from time to time . . . to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom.”
By Larry Barkdull

It is High Time to Establish Zion
Over one hundred years ago, President Lorenzo Snow issued a mandate to the Church: “It is high time to establish Zion.” What has been holding us back all these years?
By Larry Barkdull

Charity—The Lifeblood of Zion
When chaos abounds, men’s hearts fail them, and Babylon collapses under the weight of its own depravity. In contrast, charity, “the greatest of all” other virtues stands firm and “never faileth.”
By Larry Barkdull

Zion and the Hundredfold Law
In a world destined for collapse, where is ultimate safety and security? Could it be that a gospel irony found in the Hundredfold Law could be the answer to our temporal and spiritual salvation?
By Larry Barkdull

What Do We Know of Zion?
We speak of Zion, sing of Zion, covenant to promote the establishment of Zion, and long for Zion — but what is Zion? More than any other people, Latter-day Saints ought to know.
By Larry Barkdull

Flee Babylon and Come to Zion, Come to Zion!
The philosophies of Zion and Babylon are exact opposites. We can trace their origins back to the premortal world. Celestial law and Godlike characteristics defined Zion; and telestial counterparts defined Babylon. How do you recognize Babylon and flee from it?
By Larry Barkdull

Becoming a Profitable Servant: The Law of Stewardship—Part 2
In this second part of a two-part series, we learn the criteria the Lord sets down for us to be considered profitable servants.
By Larry Barkdull

Too Little Understood: The Law of Stewardship
Few laws distinguish Latter-day Saints as much as consecration and stewardship. And perhaps few laws are less understood.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion: The Holy Marriage—Part 4
When the Bridegroom Comes
The metaphor of Jewish marriage customs teaches us something profound about what God offers us. When the bridegroom comes to claim the bride, she is offered love, protection and a royal status.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion: The Holy Marriage—Part 3
Remarkable Symbols of God’s Devotion
The scriptures come alive with beautiful imagery as we see how the ancient betrothal customs are a metaphor for God’s love. Note from editor: This is a stunning, not-to-be-missed article and series. This is the third article in a four-part series.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion: The Holy Marriage—Part 2
When we understand the Jewish marriage, we discover that the tender language of marriage permeates the scriptures, causing us to never read the scriptures the same way again.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion: The Holy Marriage
How Marriage Symbolizes God’s Covenant with Us
The language of marriage permeates the scriptures and is a surprisingly profound way of symbolizing God’s covenant with his people.
By Larry Barkdull

A Brief History of Babylon
We cannot understand Zion without understanding her opposite: Babylon. A look back at Babylon’s founders in action gives us a template of what we should be avoiding today. Babylon was and is the antithesis of Zion.
By Larry Barkdull

Heavenly Father is the Best Mechanic
When we abide in the New and Everlasting Covenant, we remain absolutely safe.
By Larry Barkdull

The Restoration of the Priesthood
When we think about the restoration of the priesthood, we often stop at John the Baptist and Peter, James and John. But, in fact, they were only the beginning. The priesthood is a much larger principle with powers that challenge the boundaries of our appreciation.
By Larry Barkdull

Melchizedek—Model of a Zionlike Priesthood Holder
Why was the man, Melchizedek, chosen to be a model of a Zionlike priesthood holder? A brief review of his life and example provide answers. Because we assume the name Melchizedek when we are ordained to the high priesthood, we are expected to likewise assume the works of Melchizedek. If we do, we might expect to achieve similar results.
By Larry Barkdull

King Benjamin—A Type of Melchizedek
Both King Benjamin and Melchizedek used their priesthood to facilitate a spiritual rebirth of their people and managed to bring them into the presence of the Lord.
By Larry Barkdull

Success! We Have A Kidney!
A few weeks ago, our hopes were dashed with the last-minute news of the cancellation of our long-awaited transplant. Today, we received our miracle: a new kidney!
By Larry Barkdull

God or Mammon--The Ultimate Test
Jesus said we cannot serve God and mammon. Mammon is “the standard Hebrew word for any kind of financial dealing.” Serving both God and mammon is as impossible as simultaneously walking east and west.
By Larry Barkdull

Slippery Treasures
Mormon had the ability to foresee our day and marry latter-day troubles with Nephite events. One intriguing entry is Samuel the Lamanite's prophecy of “slippery treasures.” That Mormon would record Samuel's words in such detail should signal to us their latter-day import.
By Larry Barkdull

Help—So We Don't Stumble over Gospel Terms
When we read the scriptures and encounter terms like Justification, Purification, Sanctification, and Baptism of Fire, we often stumble as we try to define these terms and understand how they work together.
By Larry Barkdull

Why I Believe in God even when Miracles are Deferred
After dodging HIV, kidney failure, hepatitis C, cancer, seizures, West Nile Virus, seven failed attempts to receive a donated kidney, my son, Matt, was finally scheduled for a kidney transplant tomorrow.
By Larry Barkdull

In an Unsafe World: Safety in the Covenant
Of the many blessings that flow to people who make and keep the Covenant, one of the most astonishing is the blessing of safety.
By Larry Barkdull

Why It is Not Good for Man to be Alone
A plague of deception has infected the ranks of single LDS men. Unchecked, it threatens not only their individual salvation but the purpose for which the earth was created. The perpetrator of that plague is Satan, and his sickness is being manifested in at least three ways.
By Larry Barkdull

3rd Nephi—Our Guide to Establishing Zion
What happened to the Nephites in the year between Christ's crucifixion and his visit to them in the New World?
By Larry Barkdull

Babylon the Great
Babylon is the inverse of Zion. If we desire to become Zion-like, we must not partake of or participate in anything that Babylon does, believes in or promotes; otherwise, we will suffer her fate.
By Larry Barkdull

Questions vs. Doubts
Satan's technique is to lure us to focus on a single issue, until we begin to discount everything else.
By Larry Barkdull

In the Big Scheme of Things—Does It Matter?
Unanswered questions about the gospel should not jeopardize our testimony.   It may be the Lord's way of calling us to Him.
By Larry Barkdull

Giving Ourselves Free
A principle of deliverance that is widely overlooked is the simple act of charity. When times are the hardest and there seems no hope on the horizon, we might try reaching out to someone and expect, in the process, to nudge open the door of deliverance. A recent example of generosity taught me how Zion people can save others and in the process find their deliverance.
By Larry Barkdull

The Covenant of Zion
The transition from Babylon to Zion is challenging, but we have little to fear. The Lord will lead us by the hand and clear away all obstacles.
By Larry Barkdull

Embracing the Law of Consecration
The Law of Consecration is a law for an inheritance in the celestial kingdom, but how much do we understand it?
By Larry Barkdull

Zion — A State of Safety and Abundance
From the moment that we declare our allegiance to Zion, Babylon will cry, “Treason!” Babylon withdraws its support and declares us enemies. Nevertheless, Zion people remain safe and secure. God becomes their Paymaster, and poverty gives way to abundance.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion — Characteristics of Blessedness
People whose lives exemplify the characteristics extolled in the Beatitudes find themselves happy and blessed.
By Larry Barkdull

Zion — Achieving a State of Blessedness
When the Lord tells us in the Beatitudes that certain attributes are “blessed,” it means these are what make a happy life.
By Larry Barkdull

What is True Love?
Portrait of a Zion Person (Part 2)
Becoming a Zion person is a process that replaces telestial qualities with celestial ones. In Part 2 of this series, we talk about true love, true happiness and fullness of life.
By Larry Barkdull

Portrait of a Zion Person (Part 1)
When we seek to faithfully live all the terms of the three Pillars of Zion—The New and Everlasting Covenant, The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood, and the Law of Consecration--we qualify for an unequalled harvest of blessings. If we were to attempt to describe a Zion person who abides in these covenants, we would discover that his set of characteristics would be light years removed from the description of a person of Babylon.
By Larry Barkdull

Flee Babylon and Come to Zion
Zion and Babylon are exact opposites. We can trace their origins back to the pre-mortal world. Celestial law and Godlike characteristics defined Zion; Zion's telestial counterparts defined Babylon. Our understanding the basics and beginnings of these two orders will help us recognize them today then flee Babylon and come to Zion.
By Larry Barkdull

Becoming a Zion Person
We speak of Zion, sing of Zion, covenant for the establishment of Zion, long for Zion — but what is it? Latter-day Saints ought to know. We have more scriptures and prophets' statements about Zion than any other people. We are (or should be) more identified with Zion than any other generation — all of us!
By Larry Barkdull