The original plat of the City of Zion (Independence, Missouri). The plat of Zion has subsequently been the basis for the plans of over 500 communities.

Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is a term with numerous meanings, including the following: Image File history File links Zionplat2. ... A contemporary plat map showing the location of a property for sale. ... (see sister state for authors message down) Independence is a city located in Missouri, in the Kansas City metropolitan area. ... The original plat of the City of Zion (Independence, Missouri). ... A Latter Day Saint is an adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement, a group of religions tracing their heritage to the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

• In one sense, Zion retains its Biblical meaning of Jerusalem. See Zion.
• In another sense, Zion refers to the New Jerusalem, a physical, Millennial city expected to be headquartered in Jackson County, Missouri.
• In another sense, Zion is any city in which the people are unified and are "pure in heart".
• The term also refers to the central location to which Latter Day Saints have physically gathered.
• In yet another sense, Zion is a metaphor for a unified society of Latter Day Saints, metaphorically gathered as members of the Church of Christ.
• For Zion to be fully realized, its society must be willing to live the Law of Consecration based on mutual feelings of charity, the pure love of Christ.

In the spiritual, metaphorical sense, Zion is regarded by Latter Day Saints as a perfect social state of being of "pure in heart" (Moses 7:18) believers, where all people have all things in common, and there is no suffering nor impoverished among them because of an outpouring of love, unselfishness, and working for the good of the whole community of believers. It stands in opposing contrast to proverbial Babylon, where there is much suffering, poverty, selfishness and wickedness. The word Bible refers to the canonical collections of sacred writings of Judaism and Christianity. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew:  , Yerushaláyim or Yerushalaim; Arabic:  , al-Quds (the Holy); official Arabic in Israel: أورشليم القدس, Urshalim-al-Quds (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names) is the capital and largest city[1] of the State of Israel with a population of 724,000 (as of May 24, 2006[2... The Dormition Church, situated on the modern Mount Zion Zion (Hebrew: צִיּוֹן, tziyyon; Tiberian vocalization: tsiyyôn; transliterated Zion or Sion) is a term that most often designates the land of Israel and its capital Jerusalem. ... A millennium is a period of time, equal to one thousand years (from Latin mille, thousand, and annum, year). ... Jackson County is a county located in the state of Missouri. ... The Church of Christ was the original name given to the church formally organized by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Law of Consecration is one of the names Latter Day Saints or Mormons give to a communitarian doctrine that calls upon the churchs membership to hold all things in common. ... A Latter Day Saint is an adherent of the Latter Day Saint movement, a group of religions tracing their heritage to the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Babylon was a city in Mesopotamia, the ruins of which can be found in present-day Babil Province, Iraq, about 50 miles south of Baghdad. ...

Geographical uses of the name "Zion" are associated with references in the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, where Enoch the son of Jared founds a city for the righteous descendants of Adam (Moses 7:19). This city became so righteous and pure that it was translated (taken)] (Moses 7:21) from the presence of the earth (Moses 7:69) and brought into the presence of God, leaving behind on earth only Methuselah and his family (including Noah) to repopulate the earth with righteous people. LDS believe that, at the Second Coming, Zion the city of Enoch will return to the presence of the earth. The Book of Moses is a text published by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... For other uses of Pearl of Great Price, see the Pearl of Great Price page. ... Enoch (חֲנוֹךְ Initiated; dedicated; disciplined, Standard Hebrew Ḥanoḫ, Tiberian Hebrew Ḥănôḵ) can refer to Two names in the Generations of Adam Enoch, one of the names in the Generations of Adam, described as an ancestor of Noah, who walked with God, and was not, for God took him. ... Look up Jared in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Adam and Eve. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Noahs Ark, Französischer Meister (The French Master), Magyar Szépmüvészeti Múzeum, Budapest. ... The Second Coming or Second Advent refers to the Christian belief in the return of Jesus Christ to fulfill the rest of the Messianic prophecy, such as the Resurrection of the dead, Last judgement and establishment of the Kingdom of God. ...

In a literal sense, Zion (the New Jerusalem) (Articles of Faith:10) is a city that Latter-day Saints believe will be built (Covenant 57:113) in Jackson County, Missouri, and a common reference to both North and South America as the "Promised Land". The term Mormon is a colloquial name, most-often used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... Jackson County is a county located in the state of Missouri. ... According to the Bible, the Land of Israel (Hebrew: Eretz Yisrael) was promised to the descendants of Hebrew patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by God, making it the Promised land. ...

On July 20, 1831, Joseph Smith, Jr. stated that he had received a revelation that designated Missouri as the "land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints." (Covenant 57:1). The revelation further stated, "Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place; and the spot for the temple is lying westward…" (Covenant 57:3). Smith later envisioned the Missouri temple as being the starting point for the creation of a New Jerusalem: "Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation." (Covenant 84:4). The Mormons were forced to leave the state of Missouri, however, before this temple could be constructed. (Covenant 124:49-59) July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sometimes known as Mormonism, people have been counseled (by their scriptures and their leaders) to build up the cause of Zion (Covenant 6:6. So spiritually, Zion can be wherever there are those seeking to build up the cause of Zion. This has been generalized to mean that Zion is wherever there is a concentration of LDS people actively participating in their religion. So, in a physical sense, the term "Zion" has come to mean the Salt Lake Valley and surrounding regions. The term has been so frequently used that it, too, is often considered a "literal" usage. It is even used mockingly in the term "Zion Curtain" (similar to Iron Curtain), indicating a vastly different culture between "Zion" (in this sense) and the culture of surrounding regions. This is the current Mormon collaboration of the month! Please help improve it to meet the ideal article standard. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the most-recognized architectural symbol of Mormonism Mormonism is a religion, movement, ideology, and subculture that originated in the early 1800s as a product of the Latter Day Saint movement led principally by Joseph Smith... Salt Lake Valley from space. ... Countries behind the Iron Curtain are shaded red. ...

See also

• Plat of Zion