How Can We Have Peace With One Another?
A Doctrinal Dissection of 4 Nephi 1:15–17
15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.
Thesis: Peace with one another in 4 Nephi 1:15–17 is not accidental. It is the fruit of specific conditions we choose to create together. Below is a full dissection of the passage through the question: “How can we have peace with one another?”
1. “There was no contention”
Peace begins when we refuse to feed conflict. Contention dies when we stop defending our pride, stop rehearsing offenses, and stop assuming the worst about each other.
- We create peace when we choose soft answers, slow reactions, and quick forgiveness.
- We stop treating one another as opponents and start treating one another as fellow disciples.
Peace grows when we stop fighting for victory and start fighting for unity.
Essential Witness Scriptures
(Contention)
A. Contention is born of pride, anger, and spiritual darkness
Proverbs 13:10 — Contention springs from pride; peace requires humility from us.
Proverbs 15:18 — One slow to anger calms strife; peace grows from emotional restraint.
James 3:16 — Where envy and strife are, there is confusion and disorder.
Mosiah 2:32 — We are warned to beware of contention because it leads us toward sin.
Witness: Contention is not a communication issue—it is a spiritual condition fueled by pride, anger, envy, and darkness.
B. Contention is stirred up by the adversary
3 Nephi 11:29 — The spirit of contention is not of Christ, but of the devil.
D&C 10:63 — Satan stirs hearts to contention.
Witness: When we feel contention rising, we are not feeling the Spirit—we are feeling the adversary’s influence.
C. Contention destroys unity and relationships
Genesis 13:8 — “Let there be no strife” is the covenant pattern for family peace.
Proverbs 18:19 — Contentions can become like bars of a castle, locking hearts away.
Mosiah 29:7 — Leaders fear contention because it divides the people.
Alma 4:9 — Great contentions lead to spiritual decline and weaken the Church.
Witness: Contention fractures families, friendships, congregations, and communities.
D. Contention can be prevented and cast out
Mosiah 4:14 — We are commanded not to let our children fight and quarrel.
Mosiah 18:21 — The covenant community is commanded to have no contention, but hearts knit in love.
Titus 3:9 — We are told to avoid foolish arguments that generate contention.
4 Nephi 1:2 — After Christ’s visit, the people lived with no contentions.
Witness: Contention is not inevitable—it can be prevented, removed, and replaced with unity.
E. Contention is overcome by the love of God
4 Nephi 1:15 — There was no contention because the love of God filled their hearts.
Jacob 7:26 — Hatred and persecution caused wars and contentions.
Witness: Peace is not created by rules—it is created by God’s love dwelling in us.
Summary: Contention is the adversary’s work, fueled by pride and envy, and it destroys unity. Peace comes only when we cast out pride, refuse foolish disputes, guard our hearts from Satan’s influence, and let the love of God fill us.
2. “Because of the love of God which did dwell in their hearts”
The text gives the cause: peace is not manufactured—it is received.
- When God’s love fills our hearts, it pushes out resentment, suspicion, and coldness.
- We begin to see each other as God sees us: valuable, redeemable, and worth patience.
We have peace with one another when God’s love becomes our instinct, not our exception.
Essential Witness Scriptures
(Love of God)
A. God’s love is covenantal, initiating, and steadfast
Deuteronomy 4:37 — God loved their fathers and chose their seed; His love establishes covenant belonging.
Deuteronomy 7:8 — God loved Israel not because of their merit, but because of His covenant loyalty.
Jeremiah 31:3 — God loves with an everlasting love, drawing us with kindness.
Hosea 11:1 — God’s love is parental—He loved Israel as a child.
Witness: God’s love is not fragile or conditional; it is covenantal, steady, and pursuing. When this love dwells in us, we stop giving up on each other.
B. God’s love is merciful, compassionate, and inclusive
Deuteronomy 10:18 — God loves the stranger, providing for them; His love widens our circle.
Psalm 31:23 — God preserves those who love Him; love and loyalty go together.
Isaiah 63:7 — God’s love is expressed in kindnesses and mercies.
Witness: God’s love softens our hearts toward the overlooked and the difficult. When His love dwells in us, we stop excluding and start embracing.
C. God’s love is revealed perfectly in Christ
John 3:16 — God’s love is shown in giving His Son.
John 13:1 — Jesus loved His disciples unto the end—fully and faithfully.
John 15:9 — Christ loves us as the Father loved Him—perfectly and without reservation.
Romans 5:8 — God demonstrates His love by acting while we were yet sinners.
Witness: God’s love is not abstract—it is embodied in Christ’s patience, sacrifice, and nearness. When His love dwells in us, we begin to love others the way Christ has loved us.
D. God’s love transforms our relationships and our peace
John 13:35 — We show we are Christ’s disciples by loving one another.
1 John 4:7 — Love is of God, and those who love are born of God.
2 Nephi 31:20 — We press forward with a love of God and of all men.
Mosiah 4:12 — As we remember God’s goodness, we are filled with His love.
Alma 13:29 — We can have the love of God always in our hearts.
Witness: God’s love reshapes our instincts, our reactions, and our relationships. When His love dwells in us, peace becomes natural.
E. God’s love restores unity and removes contention
Jacob 7:23 — Peace and the love of God were restored together.
4 Nephi 1:15 — There was no contention because the love of God filled their hearts.
Witness: God’s love is the antidote to contention. When His love dwells in us, unity becomes possible.
Summary: God’s love is covenantal, merciful, and revealed in Christ. When this love fills our hearts, it transforms our instincts, widens our compassion, heals our relationships, and removes contention. Peace with one another is the natural fruit of God’s love dwelling in us.
3. “No envyings”
Envy poisons relationships because it makes us competitors instead of companions.
- When we envy, we resent each other’s blessings.
- When we rejoice in each other’s blessings, peace becomes natural.
We build peace when we stop comparing and start celebrating.
Essential Witness Scriptures
(Envy, Envious)
A. Envy arises when we compare ourselves and resent others’ blessings
Genesis 30:1 — Rachel envied her sister; envy grows when we measure our worth by someone else’s gifts.
Genesis 37:11 — Joseph’s brothers envied him; envy turns siblings into rivals.
Psalm 73:3 — The psalmist was envious of the foolish; envy blinds us to God’s goodness in our own lives.
Witness: Envy begins when we look sideways instead of heavenward. When we compare, we lose peace.
B. Envy corrupts the heart and destroys inner peace
Proverbs 14:30 — Envy is rottenness to the bones; it eats us from the inside.
James 3:16 — Where envy exists, there is confusion and every evil work.
Titus 3:3 — Before conversion, we lived in malice and envy; envy belongs to the natural man.
Witness: Envy destroys our peace long before it harms anyone else. When envy lives in us, peace cannot.
C. Envy leads to strife, division, and even persecution
Acts 7:9 — The patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph; envy leads to betrayal.
Acts 13:45 — The Jews, seeing the multitudes, were filled with envy; envy resents others’ influence.
Alma 4:9 — Envyings and strife weakened the Church.
Helaman 13:22 — Hearts swelled with pride unto envyings; pride and envy feed each other.
Witness: Envy is never private—it spills into conflict, division, and harm. When envy grows, unity dies.
D. Envy is a sign of spiritual immaturity and pride
1 Corinthians 3:3 — Envy is evidence of being carnal; it reveals spiritual immaturity.
1 Timothy 6:4 — Pride produces envy; when we lift ourselves up, we resent others’ success.
James 4:5 — The natural spirit in us lusts to envy; without the Spirit, envy is our default.
Witness: Envy is not just an emotion—it is a spiritual condition. When pride rules our hearts, envy follows.
E. God commands us to reject envy and replace it with charity
2 Nephi 26:32 — The Lord commands that we should not envy.
Alma 5:29 — We cannot belong to Christ unless we are stripped of envy.
1 Corinthians 13:4 — Charity envieth not; love and envy cannot coexist.
4 Nephi 1:16 — There were no envyings among the Zion people.
Witness: Envy is incompatible with discipleship. When charity fills us, envy leaves us.
F. Envy is a tool of the adversary and a destroyer of Zion
2 Nephi 26:21 — Many churches were built up that caused envyings; envy is a counterfeit religion of comparison.
Mormon 8:36 — In the last days, few avoid lifting themselves up unto envy.
D&C 101:6 — Envy contributed to the Saints’ afflictions; envy weakens Zion from within.
Witness: Envy is one of Satan’s most effective tools to divide God’s people. When we reject envy, we resist the adversary.
Summary: Envy is the spiritual rot that turns brothers and sisters into rivals. It grows from pride, comparison, and insecurity; it destroys peace, unity, and joy. God commands us to strip envy from our hearts and replace it with charity—the love that celebrates others instead of resenting them.
4. “Nor strifes”
Strife is the ongoing friction that comes from unhealed wounds and unaddressed pride.
- We end strife when we choose reconciliation over being right.
- We end strife when we speak truth with gentleness and listen with humility.
Peace grows when we stop keeping score and start keeping covenants.
Essential Witness Scriptures
(Strife)
A. Strife begins when relationships break down and pride rises up
Genesis 13:8 — “Let there be no strife” is the covenant pattern: peace requires humility and yielding.
Proverbs 15:18 — A wrathful person stirs up strife; one slow to anger calms it.
Proverbs 28:25 — A proud heart stirs up strife; pride is the engine of conflict.
James 3:14 — Strife in the heart reveals bitter envy and pride.
Witness: Strife is not caused by circumstances—it is caused by prideful hearts. When pride rules us, strife follows.
B. Strife spreads through words—gossip, anger, and harsh speech
Proverbs 16:28 — A perverse person sows strife; strife is planted through speech.
Proverbs 26:20 — Where there is no talebearer, strife ceases; gossip fuels conflict.
Psalm 31:20 — God can hide us from the strife of tongues—verbal conflict.
1 Timothy 6:4 — Strife grows from word-fights and arguments.
Witness: Strife is often carried by the tongue. When we guard our words, we guard our peace.
C. Strife destroys unity and weakens communities
2 Samuel 19:9 — Strife spread through all the tribes; conflict fractures communities.
Alma 1:32 — Envyings and strife weakened the Church.
Helaman 11:23 — Much strife arose among the people, disrupting spiritual progress.
Mormon 8:21 — In the last days, people will breathe out wrath and strifes.
Witness: Strife is a community-destroyer. When strife grows, unity dies.
D. Strife is fueled by anger, hatred, and unhealed wounds
Proverbs 10:12 — Hatred stirs up strifes; unresolved hurt becomes conflict.
Proverbs 29:22 — An angry person stirs up strife; anger is contagious.
Isaiah 58:4 — Even religious acts can be corrupted when done with strife and debate.
Witness: Strife is often the outward symptom of inward wounds. When we heal the heart, we quiet the conflict.
E. Strife is spiritually dangerous and must be rejected
Romans 13:13 — We are commanded to walk honestly, not in strife.
Philippians 2:3 — Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; humility ends conflict.
2 Timothy 2:23 — Avoid foolish questions that generate strifes.
3 Nephi 30:2 — The Gentiles are commanded to repent of their strifes.
Witness: Strife is a sin to be repented of, not a personality trait to be tolerated. When we reject strife, we return to Christ.
F. Zion people eliminate strife through unity and charity
4 Nephi 1:16 — There were no envyings, nor strifes among them.
2 Nephi 26:21 — False churches cause strifes; true disciples eliminate them.
Alma 16:18 — Prophets preached against all strifes.
D&C 101:6 — Envyings and strifes polluted their inheritances.
Witness: Strife cannot coexist with Zion. When charity fills us, strife leaves us.
Summary: Strife is the friction created by pride, anger, gossip, and unhealed wounds. It spreads through words, divides communities, and destroys unity. God commands us to reject strife and replace it with humility, gentleness, and reconciliation. When we stop keeping score and start keeping covenants, strife dies and peace grows.
5. “Nor tumults”
Tumults are social chaos—disorder, drama, and emotional storms.
- We avoid tumults when we refuse to stir up drama or spread agitation.
- We create stability when our homes and conversations are calm, predictable, and safe.
Peace thrives where we refuse to amplify chaos.
Essential Witness Scriptures
(Rioting and Reveling)
A. Tumults arise when people lose spiritual restraint and give in to emotional chaos
Exodus 32:17 — The noise of the people revealed disorder; spiritual drift produces social chaos.
Luke 21:34 — Hearts become overcharged with excess and distraction, leading to instability.
1 Nephi 18:9 — Excessive merriment and rudeness brought danger; unrestrained behavior invites turmoil.
Witness: Tumults begin when we lose spiritual self-control. When we restrain our impulses, we restrain chaos.
B. Tumults are stirred up by agitators who inflame crowds and provoke unrest
Acts 17:5 — Unbelieving Jews stirred up the city into an uproar.
Acts 19:40 — Paul was called into question because of an uproar; mobs create confusion.
Alma 11:20 — Wicked men stirred up the people to riotings for gain.
Witness: Tumults grow when people stir up drama, outrage, or fear. When we refuse to be stirred up, we refuse to be manipulated.
C. Tumults disrupt peace, hinder the work of God, and endanger communities
Acts 21:31 — Jerusalem was in an uproar; tumults threaten safety.
Alma 45:21 — Many little dissensions and disturbances hindered the preaching of the word.
2 Corinthians 6:5 — Paul endured tumults as part of his ministry; chaos opposes the gospel.
Witness: Tumults interrupt the work of God and destabilize communities. When we choose calmness, we protect the work of the Spirit.
D. Tumults are linked to riotous living, excess, and lack of discipline
Luke 15:13 — The prodigal wasted his substance with riotous living; chaos follows indulgence.
Mosiah 11:14 — King Noah spent his time in riotous living; leaders who indulge create instability.
1 Peter 4:3–4 — The Gentiles walked in revellings and excess; disciples must not run with them.
Witness: Tumults grow where self-indulgence replaces self-discipline. When we live with restraint, we live with peace.
E. Tumults are condemned by God and incompatible with discipleship
Romans 13:13 — We are commanded to walk honestly, not in rioting.
Galatians 5:21 — Revellings and riotings are works of the flesh; those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Titus 1:6 — Disciples must not be accused of riot or unruliness.
D&C 88:69 — We are commanded to cast away excess and disorder.
Witness: Tumults are spiritually incompatible with the kingdom of God. When we reject chaos, we choose discipleship.
F. Zion people eliminate tumults through unity, order, and calmness
2 Corinthians 12:20 — Tumults arise from backbiting, whisperings, and disorder.
D&C 101:6 — Tumults and disturbances polluted inheritances.
Witness: Tumults cannot coexist with Zion. When our hearts are calm, our communities become peaceful.
Summary: Tumults are the chaos created by unrestrained emotions, stirred-up crowds, indulgent living, and spiritual disorder. They disrupt peace, hinder God’s work, and destabilize communities. God commands us to reject riotous behavior, refuse agitation, and cultivate calm, disciplined, Spirit-filled lives. Peace thrives wherever we refuse to amplify chaos and choose order, gentleness, and stability instead.
6. “Nor any manner of lasciviousness”
Lasciviousness is unrestrained selfishness—using others instead of loving them.
- Peace requires purity of heart, clean motives, and respect for one another’s dignity.
- When we treat each other as sacred, trust grows, and trust is the soil of peace.
We have peace when we honor each other instead of exploiting each other.
Essential Witness Scriptures
(Lust)
A. Lust is unrestrained desire that rejects God’s boundaries
Psalm 78:18 — Israel tempted God by demanding meat for their lust; lust is desire without restraint.
Psalm 81:12 — God gave them up to their own lusts; unchecked desire leads to spiritual ruin.
James 1:14 — We are drawn away by our own lust; lust begins in the heart.
Witness: Lust is desire without discipleship. When we refuse restraint, we lose peace.
B. Lust corrupts the heart and chokes out the word of God
Mark 4:19 — The lust of other things chokes the word, making us unfruitful.
Ephesians 4:22 — Lusts are deceitful, promising pleasure but producing corruption.
2 Peter 1:4 — The world is filled with corruption through lust.
Witness: Lust kills spiritual sensitivity and replaces it with craving. When lust grows, the Spirit withdraws.
C. Lust destroys relationships by turning people into objects
Matthew 5:28 — To look with lust is to commit adultery in the heart; lust violates dignity.
1 Thessalonians 4:5 — We must not act in the lust of concupiscence, treating others as objects.
Alma 39:9 — We are commanded to go no more after the lusts of our eyes.
Witness: Lust destroys trust, purity, and safety. When we honor each other’s dignity, peace grows.
D. Lust leads to sin, addiction, and spiritual bondage
Romans 13:14 — We must not make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.
1 Timothy 6:9 — Lusts are foolish and hurtful, drowning people in destruction.
2 Timothy 3:6 — People can be led away by divers lusts, losing self-control.
Witness: Lust enslaves the will and darkens the mind. When we flee lust, we reclaim our freedom.
E. Lust produces conflict, war, and spiritual chaos
James 4:1 — Wars and fightings come from lusts within us.
James 4:3 — Prayers fail when we ask to consume blessings on our lusts.
D&C 101:6 — Lustful desires polluted inheritances.
Witness: Lust is a root of conflict and chaos. When we purify our desires, we restore peace.
F. Disciples are commanded to flee lust and live with purity and self-control
2 Timothy 2:22 — Flee youthful lusts; pursue righteousness, faith, charity, and peace.
Titus 2:12 — Deny worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously, and godly.
1 Peter 2:11 — Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
D&C 88:121 — Cease from all lustful desires.
Witness: Lust is incompatible with discipleship. When we choose purity, we choose peace.
G. Zion people eliminate lust through holiness and covenant loyalty
Jacob 3:12 — Prophets warned against fornication and lasciviousness.
Alma 45:12 — Lasciviousness is a work of darkness.
4 Nephi 1:16 — There was no manner of lasciviousness among the Zion people.
Witness: Lasciviousness cannot coexist with Zion. When holiness fills us, exploitation leaves us.
Summary: Lasciviousness is unrestrained selfishness—desire without discipleship. It corrupts the heart, destroys trust, objectifies people, and produces conflict and spiritual bondage. God commands us to flee lust, deny worldly cravings, and live with purity, dignity, and self-control. Peace grows wherever we honor one another instead of using one another.
7. “Surely there could not be a happier people”
Happiness is not the goal—it is the result.
- When peace reigns, joy follows.
- When unity deepens, happiness becomes communal, not individual.
Peace with one another creates a shared happiness no one can manufacture alone.
Supporting Witness Scriptures
A. Happiness grows from righteousness and peace
Proverbs 13:34 — “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Proverbs 13:34 teaches that righteousness exalts a people.
- When we live uprightly with one another, joy rises naturally.
- Happiness is not an emotional spike—it is the fruit of a righteous community.
Witness: A righteous people become a joyful people.
B. Happiness comes from keeping the commandments and living in covenant
Mosiah 2:41 — Those who keep the commandments are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual, and received into a state of never-ending happiness.
Mosiah 2:41 testifies that those who keep the commandments are blessed in all things.
- When we live God’s way, we experience protection, prosperity, and peace.
- Happiness becomes a settled condition, not a fleeting feeling.
Witness: Obedience creates a life where happiness can safely dwell.
C. Happiness flourishes where there is continual peace
Alma 50:23 — “Never was a happier time among the people of Nephi” than when they enjoyed continual peace.
Alma 50:23 declares that never were there a happier time among the people than when they enjoyed continual peace.
- Peace is the environment where joy grows.
- When we stop wounding each other, happiness becomes communal.
Witness: Peace is the soil of lasting happiness.
Additional Essential Witnesses
(Happiness, Happy)
D. Happiness comes from trusting God and walking in His ways
Deuteronomy 33:29 — Happy are God’s covenant people because He is their help and shield.
Psalm 146:5 — Happy is the one whose hope is in the Lord.
Proverbs 16:20 — Whoever trusts in the Lord is happy.
Witness: Trust in God produces a deep, stable happiness.
E. Happiness is tied to wisdom, mercy, and righteousness
Proverbs 3:13 — Happy is the one who finds wisdom.
Proverbs 14:21 — Happy is the one who shows mercy to the poor.
Proverbs 29:18 — Happy is the one who keeps the law.
Witness: Happiness grows wherever wisdom, mercy, and obedience flourish.
F. Happiness is promised to those who endure, suffer for righteousness, and remain faithful
James 5:11 — Those who endure are counted happy.
1 Peter 3:14 — If we suffer for righteousness’ sake, we are happy.
1 Peter 4:14 — Those reproached for Christ’s name are happy.
Witness: Happiness is not the absence of trials—it is the presence of Christ.
G. Happiness is inseparable from righteousness (Book of Mormon clarity)
2 Nephi 2:13 — Without righteousness, there is no happiness.
Alma 41:10 — Wickedness never was happiness.
Alma 40:12 — The righteous are received into a state of happiness.
Mormon 9:14 — “He that is happy shall be happy still.”
Witness: Happiness is the natural state of the righteous—now and eternally.
H. Happiness is the fruit of God’s word and God’s ways
Alma 44:5 — The sacred word of God is the source of all our happiness.
Helaman 12:2 — God does all things for the happiness of His people.
Abraham 1:2 — Abraham sought greater happiness through righteousness.
Witness: God actively works to make His people happy—but only through holiness.
Summary: Happiness is the natural harvest of a righteous, peaceful, covenant‑keeping people. It is not manufactured—it is grown. When we live uprightly, keep God’s commandments, and maintain peace with one another, joy becomes communal, stable, and abundant. A people who live in unity and purity become a people who cannot help but be happy.
8. “They were in one, the children of Christ”
This is the climax: peace comes from shared identity.
- We are not divided by labels, histories, or “‑ites.”
- We are one because we belong to Christ, not to factions.
We have peace when our unity in Christ is stronger than our differences in anything else.
Supporting Witness Scripture
A. Christ prayed that we would be one
John 17:21–23 — Jesus prays that we may all be one, as He and the Father are one; that we may be one in Them; that the world may know the Father sent Him and has loved us as He has loved the Son.
John 17:21–23 reveals the Savior’s deepest desire for His disciples:
- That we may be one, just as He and the Father are one.
- That our unity would be so real, so visible, and so spiritual that the world would recognize we belong to Him.
- That the glory and love the Father gave the Son would also be in us—binding us together in divine unity.
Witness: Unity is not optional—it is Christ’s prayer for His people. We become “children of Christ” when His love and glory make us one.
Additional Essential Witnesses
(Zion, Sion)
B. Zion is the people God chooses, loves, and dwells among
Psalm 87:2 — The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all other dwellings.
Psalm 132:13 — The Lord has chosen Zion as His habitation.
Isaiah 4:3 — Those left in Zion are called holy.
Witness: Zion is the community where God dwells because the people are holy and united.
C. Zion is defined by purity, unity, and holiness—not geography
Isaiah 52:1 — Zion is commanded to put on strength and purity.
D&C 97:21 — “This is Zion—the pure in heart.”
Moses 7:18 — The Lord called His people Zion because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness.
Witness: Zion is a people whose hearts are unified, purified, and aligned with Christ.
D. Zion is the model of perfect unity—no divisions, no factions, no “‑ites”
4 Nephi 1:17 — "they were in one, the children of Christ" there were no “‑ites.” We're all His children, when we choose to follow in discipleship.
2 Nephi 26:31 — Laborers in Zion labor for Zion, not for contention or division.
3 Nephi 21:1 — The Lord promises to establish Zion again among His people.
Witness: Zion people refuse labels that divide—they embrace the identity that unites: children of Christ.
E. Zion is redeemed, strengthened, and protected by God
Isaiah 1:27 — Zion shall be redeemed with judgment.
D&C 101:17 — Zion shall not be moved out of her place.
D&C 103:15 — The redemption of Zion must come by power.
Witness: God Himself preserves and redeems Zion because Zion belongs to Him.
F. Zion cannot be built except on celestial principles
D&C 105:5 — Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the celestial kingdom.
D&C 82:14 — Zion must increase in beauty and holiness.
D&C 78:5 — Zion requires that we be equal in earthly and heavenly things.
Witness: Zion unity is not sentimental—it is covenantal, disciplined, and celestial.
G. Zion is the destiny of the righteous and the gathering place of God’s people
Isaiah 2:3 — Out of Zion shall go forth the law.
D&C 133:9 — Zion goes forth to gather the righteous.
Moses 7:62 — Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built and prepared for Christ’s return.
Witness: Zion is both our identity and our destiny—unity now, glory later.
Summary: Unity is the signature of discipleship and the defining mark of Zion. Christ prayed that we would be one—not divided by labels, backgrounds, or factions, but united in His love and glory. Zion is the people who are pure in heart, of one mind, and bound together in Christ. When we root our identity in Him instead of anything else, peace becomes possible, unity becomes natural, and we become His children in truth.
Principle:
Peace With One Another Is Chosen, Not Accidental
4 Nephi 1:15–17 shows us that peace with one another is the fruit of specific, covenantal conditions: rejecting contention, being filled with the love of God, stripping out envy, ending strife, refusing chaos, living with purity, and rooting our identity in Christ until we are truly one.
When we choose these conditions together, God gives the result: a people among whom there could not be a happier people, because they are in one, the children of Christ.
My Testimony
Healing through the Savior: The Addiction Recovery Program 12-Step Recovery Guide
I’m not perfect. I “screw up” all the time, still fighting with my “natural man.” But I have a relationship with Christ. In that relationship, He shows me His love through His sacrifice, His word, and His example. As I strive for His goodness, I grow spiritually. I know that with practice, I become more like Him.
I didn’t always know Christ. My path used to be my own—and of the world. It was hard, and I was hard. But through the love and grace given to me by Heavenly Father, as I have tried to walk the path of discipleship in Christ, I have seen healing in the very sickness I created by “playing with mammon.”
It has been over a quarter of a century since my last bout in prison—homeless, hopeless, destitute, sexual depravity, a drunkard with dry goods and alcohol. Now my life has balance, direction, and bountiful joy with fits of happiness. Life has brought me hardships in my trajectory with Jesus Christ, and will still bring, hardship. That's just life. But I know that when I stay yoked to Christ Jesus, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). Amen.
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