(7/25/97)
"Zion is intended to be a place of refuge, a defense from the storm that is to come, from the wrath which shall be poured out upon the entire earth. God help us to be true and to live the gospel and do all in our power to promote righteousness in this great land." — Ezra Taft Benson, General Conference, April 1948

(7/26/97)
"I would invite you to love whatever ward you are in--participate in it, enjoy it, learn from it. Each of us can envision our ward or branch as a Zion community and then work to make it that way." — Virginia H. Pearce, General Conference, October 1993

(7/27/97)
"If we are to build that Zion of which the prophets have spoken and of which the Lord has given mighty promise, we must set aside our consuming selfishness. We must rise above our love for comfort and ease, and in the very process of effort and struggle, even in our extremity, we shall become better acquainted with our God." — Gordon B. Hinckley, General Conference, October 1991

(7/28/97)
"My dear brethren and sisters, we must prepare to redeem Zion. It was essentially the sin of pride that kept us from establishing Zion in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was the same sin of pride that brought consecration to an end among the Nephites (see 4 Nephi 1:24-25). Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion. I repeat: Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion." — Ezra Taft Benson, General Conference, April 1989

(7/29/97)
"When the perfect Zion--composed solely of the pure in heart (D.& C. 97:21)--is again established on earth, then the presence of the Lord will be felt there as his presence was found in the ancient city of that name. (Moses 7:16-19, 62-64.)" — Bruce R. McConkie, "Mormon Doctrine," p. 361

(7/30/97)
"A mystic, spiritual force, similar to the magnetism of the lodestone, has drawn the Saints to seek the place where their longings can be satisfied. This is the spirit of the Gathering, foretold in the scriptures. It is the reason why each one of us is here today, as we have been drawn both literally and spiritually to Zion-an actual, tangible place where the soul's yearning can be fulfilled in anticipation of salvation and eternal life in the kingdom of God." — Wm. Grant Bangerter, General Conference, April 1985

(7/31/97)
"To be worthy of such a sacred designation as Zion, the Church must think of itself as a bride adorned for her husband, as John the Revelator recorded when he saw in vision the Holy City where the righteous dwelled, adorned as a bride for the Lamb of God as her husband. Here is portrayed the relationship the Lord desires in his people in order to be acceptable to our Lord and Master even as a wife would adorn herself in beautiful garments for her husband." — Harold B. Lee, General Conference, April 1973

(8/1/97)
"Why do people apostatize? You know we are on the 'Old Ship Zion.' We are in the midst of the ocean. A storm comes on, and as sailors say, 'she labors very hard.' 'I am not going to stay here,' says one; I don't believe this is the 'Ship Zion.' 'But we are in the midst of the ocean.' 'I don't care, I am not going to stay here.' Off goes the coat, and he jumps overboard. Will he not be drowned? Yes. So with those who leave this Church. It is the 'Old Ship Zion.' Let us stay in it." — Mark E. Petersen, General Conference, April 1973

(3/12/05)
"From the top of the peak where the soles of our feet now tread, we can look forward, crest upon crest, to the Zion of God which one day will be ours if we walk in the course charted by those who have gone before. We cannot see the whole course; many things are hidden from our view. Mountain trails wind through valleys and over crests, around ledges, and through forests. We do not know the length of the journey nor the perils that await us.

"But what we can see causes us to rejoice and to tremble. We tremble because of the sorrows and wars and plagues that shall cover the earth. We weep for those in the true Church who are weak and wayward and worldly and who fall by the wayside as the caravan of the kingdom rolls forward.

"We rejoice because of the glory and honor that awaits those who come forth out of all this tribulation with clean hands and pure hearts (see Ps. 24:4 )." - Bruce R. McConkie, " The Coming Tests and Trials and Glory ," Ensign, May 1980, p. 72

(4/26/05)
"In the early years of the Restoration, new members gathered to create Zion. Zion was both a place and purpose-a spirit. We no longer gather in the same way. Our branches and wards are now our Zion. But they take on the spirit of Zion only when members care for one another. Sadly, we sometimes hear of women and men who have had their feelings hurt and become alienated by other Church members. If you are on either side of this dilemma-the offender or the one who has been offended-seek forgiveness; see your own part in the fault. Remember Christ's admonition to us: 'I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine' ( D&C 38:27 )." - Kathleen H. Hughes, " What Greater Goodness Can We Know: Christlike Friends ," General Conference, April 2005

(5/24/05)
"The Lord declared: 'For Zion must increase in beauty, and in holiness; her borders must be enlarged; her stakes must be strengthened; yea, verily I say unto you, Zion must arise and put on her beautiful garments.' (D&C 82:14; italics added.) Zion consists of the pure in heart—those who are sanctified and whose garments are washed white through the blood of the Lamb (see Alma 13:11 ). These are they who take charity as a mantle and serve others out of a pure heart.

"We are building up the strength of Zion—her cords or stakes—throughout the world. Therefore, we counsel our people to remain in their native lands and gather out the elect of God and teach them the ways of the Lord. There temples are being built and the saints will be blessed wherever they live in all the world." - Spencer W. Kimball, " The Fruit of Our Welfare Services Labors ," Ensign, Nov. 1978, 76

8/17/07
"There is not a single condition of life that is entirely unnecessary; there is not one hour's experience but what is beneficial to all those who make it their study, and aim to improve upon the experience they gain. What becomes a trial to one person is not noticed by another. Among these two thousand persons I am now addressing there cannot be found two that are organized alike, yet we all belong to the one great human family, have sprung from one source, and are organized to inherit eternal life. There are no two faces alike, no two persons tempered alike; we have come from different nations of the world, and have been raised in different climates, educated and traditioned in different and, in many instances, in opposite directions, hence we are tried with each other, and large drafts are made upon our patience, forbearance, charity, and good will—in short, upon all the higher and godlike qualities of our nature—for we are required by our holy religion to be one in our faith, feelings, and sentiments pertaining to things of time and eternity, and in all our earthly pursuits and works to keep in view the building up of the kingdom of God in the last days. Our work is to bring forth Zion, and produce the Kingdom of God in its perfection and beauty upon the earth." - Brigham Young, 'Journal of Discourses,' 26 vols., 9:293

12/4/07
"Zion is characterized in scripture as a city in which the people 'were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.' (Moses 7:18.) Zion is 'every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.' (D&C 82:19.) This promised Zion always seems to be a little beyond our reach. We need to understand that as much virtue can be gained in progressing toward Zion as in dwelling there. It is a process as well as a destination. We approach or withdraw from Zion through the manner in which we conduct our daily dealings, how we live within our families, whether we pay an honest tithe and generous fast offering, how we seize opportunities to serve and do so diligently. Many are perfected upon the road to Zion who will never see the city in mortality." - Robert D. Hales, "Welfare Principles to Guide Our Lives: An Eternal Plan for the Welfare of Men's Souls," Ensign (CR), May 1986, p.28

1/24/08
"We have no business here other than to build up and establish the Zion of God. It must be done according to the will and law of God, after that pattern and order by which Enoch built up and perfected the former-day Zion, which was taken away to heaven, hence the saying went abroad that Zion had fled. By and by it will come back again, and as Enoch prepared his people to be worthy of translation, so we, through our faithfulness, must prepare ourselves to meet Zion from above when it shall return to earth, and to abide the brightness and glory of its coming." - "Discourses of Brigham Young," selected and arranged by John A. Widtsoe, p.443

6/8/08
"Wherever we are, whatever city we may live in, we can build our own Zion by the principles of the celestial kingdom and ever seek to become the pure in heart. Zion is the beautiful, and the Lord holds it in His own hands. Our homes can be places which are a refuge and protection, as Zion is." - David R. Stone, "Zion in the Midst of Babylon," CR April 2006

10/25/08
"Zion is Zion because of the character, attributes, and faithfulness of her citizens. Remember, 'the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them' (Moses 7:18). If we would establish Zion in our homes, branches, wards, and stakes, we must rise to this standard. It will be necessary (1) to become unified in one heart and one mind; (2) to become, individually and collectively, a holy people; and (3) to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen—Zion will come only as they happen." - D. Todd Christofferson, "Come to Zion," General Conference, October 2008

12/2/09
“It matters not what our nationality, our race, our culture, our academic degree, or our political or social standing. We build security and strength in our lives by living the gospel. President Joseph Fielding Smith said: ‘And there is no cure for the ills of the world except the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our hope for peace, for temporal and spiritual prosperity, and for an eventual inheritance in the kingdom of God is found only in and through the restored gospel.’ ("Counsel to the Saints and to the World," Joseph Fielding Smith, Ensign, July 1972, p. 27.) 

“May I say to members of the Church everywhere, this is how we establish Zion where we live, by living the gospel, by being pure in heart, by being worthy.” - James A. Cullimore, “To Be in the World but Not of the World,” Ensign (CR), January 1974, p. 119

3/30/12
You mark my words, and write them down and see if they do not come to pass.

You will see the day that Zion will be far ahead of the outside world in everything pertaining to learning of every kind as we are today in regard to religious matters.

God expects Zion to become the praise and glory of the whole earth, so that kings hearing of her fame will come and gaze upon her glory. … (September 20, 1857; see The Messenger, July 1953.) - John Taylor, quoted by Spencer W. Kimball, "The Gospel Vision of the Arts," Liahona, February 1978

8/25/12
If the inhabitants of the earth will obey these commandments and, in addition, strive with full purpose of heart to comply with the words of Jesus to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” and “love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:37, 39) the predicted calamities can be prevented. But only in this manner can the closing of the tragic cycle in our day be averted.

That it will be so I do not say. I do know, and I say, that as there was a Zion in the days of Enoch in which those who complied with God’s laws were saved, so there shall be a Zion in this last dispensation in which all those who live God’s revealed laws will be saved. - Marion G. Romney, "The Tragic Cycle," Ensign (CR) November 1977

10/23/12
Angels rejoice as priesthood leaders across the world build Zion in their wards, stakes, and missions. And they will rejoice over the young men and women you help to build Zion wherever they are and in whatever circumstances they may be. Zion is the result of people bound by covenant and love. I invite you to help your youth to join. - Henry B. Eyring, "Help Them Aim High," Ensign (CR) November 2012

9/11/14
A mystic, spiritual force, similar to the magnetism of the lodestone, has drawn the Saints to seek the place where their longings can be satisfied. This is the spirit of the Gathering, foretold in the scriptures. It is the reason why each one of us is here today, as we have been drawn both literally and spiritually to Zion—an actual, tangible place where the soul’s yearning can be fulfilled in anticipation of salvation and eternal life in the kingdom of God. - William Grant Bangerter, “The Spirit of the Gathering,” Ensign (CR) May 1985

6/6/16
We may think and feel that we are surrounded by difficulties, that we are enveloped by obstacles, and that our future prospects are most discouraging.  But, says the Lord, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."  He does remember Zion, and the promises he has made to Zion will be fulfilled, and there is no power on earth nor in hell that can prevent their fulfillment. - Brian H. Stuy, ed., “Collected Discourses,” 5 vols., George Q. Cannon, January 12, 1890