DC 57

[Duncan]

In Section 57 of the Doctrine and Covenants it says that Jackson County, Missouri is where the city of Zion is to be, my question is why were there members in Ohio and staying in Ohio and building the Temple in Kirtland, if Missouri is the place to be then why the need for some measure of permanence in Kirtland, Ohio?

[Avatar4321]

Because the Lord commanded that they gather in Ohio for a time to recieve the law and an Endowment of power from on high.

Though if you look at the commandment to go to Ohio it looked like the revelation implies they wouldnt be there forever. just for a time.

Also, there were rules about who was allowed to go to Jackson. They had to be called to go.

[jana at jade house]

Yup. That is just how it is presented in Seminary class. The Saints in Kirtland knew it was temporary but they were to still build up a righteous community in Kirtland. I personally have the impression that Kirtland was sort of a staging area. Independence was still a frontier town in many ways. It had to be built up and made ready for the Gathering. While the Copeland Saints had to go to Missouri unprepared and well before time because there was a problem with promised land sites for them in the Kirtland area, most saints were just not told to go until later... As we work our way through the Doctrine and Covenants, we can see the line upon line principle in action. In DC 57 time there was still a far way to go before the priesthood callings were understood and established, the importance of conversion work was just beginning to be absorbed, even the printing of the Book of Commandments hadn't yet happened ( at the time of 57) And it wasn't like they had telephone, train, or even postal service to help things along...1300 kilometers is a long way to go between population centers- I have an idea only those whose testimonies could stand the rigours of being so far from the denser population were at first to go to Zion.