Come to Zion, Come to Zion!

We had a really fun weekend, low key--lots of pajamas, lots of vegging around. Lex was on-call and didn't get called in once!  We LOVED it!  I wanted to post today about our stake conference on Sunday.  May I just say, "The church is true no matter where you go!"  It is such a comfort to have that consistency.   Because there is not a stake center here, the conference was being held at Brisbane City Hall.  We were so excited because this would be something very new for us...who could miss stake conference at City Hall?  :)  We plugged it in to the GPS and found out that the church had arranged parking in a downtown structure and would have tickets validated for no charge (which is huge because parking downtown has been known to break the bank.  Our first day here we parked in a structure for 2.5 hours while we were in the bank and picking up a few things for Lex's work.  We wondered how much it would cost upon leaving.  But we were not prepared when the machine at the exit read, $53.00!!!  Yikes!)  Anyway, we got parked and entered the beautiful building.  Parker said it looked like ancient Rome in the 21st century.  It was amazing.  The building was incredible and when we entered the meeting room I was overwhelmed.  It was awesome.  The speakers were great.  The mission president and his wife spoke.  We have run into them a few times, including the day we got off the plane (he was picking up missionaries).  They've only been here a few weeks longer than we have.  They are from St. George so that's fun.  Really cool family.  Anyway, I wanted to share an experience that was special that day.  There was a youth choir singing the intermediate hymns.  It was small by Utah or Albuquerque youth choir standards.  The stake itself isn't huge.  The song they sung was gorgeous...it wasn't that they had amazing voices or volume but the words were so beautiful.  They sang about Coming to Zion and what it was to be in Zion.  It reminded me of a sweet sister in Albuquerque who used to greet every new member or visitor to our ward by saying, "Welcome to Zion".  As I sat and listened to these young saints singing about Zion, I was so touched.  The spirit confirmed to me in an overwhelming way that Zion can be anywhere.  One heart and one mind....as I looked around the beautiful, domed city hall assembly room filled with the latter day saints in Brisbane, Australia, I knew in that moment that this room was a piece of Zion.  We were all united in the spirit.  I felt overwhelmed with the feeling that my family and I were EXACTLY where we were supposed to be.  This adventure is something we needed-- to enjoy, to learn from, to change us and help us create Zion within the walls of our own home--or more specifically within the bounds of our own family. I realize this is a lifelong mission, but I am committed.  As I listened to the youth singing with tears streaming down my cheeks, I felt so honored to be a member of this true church.  The gospel is wonderful and it's teachings are powerful instruments in bringing truth and righteousness to a dark world.  But all principles aside, the organization is an incredible one.  I'm so honored to be a part of such a classy, well-organized, service-minded, do-gooding structure.  On our way out of the parking garage heading into the conference when we were on the lift,  a girl got on and asked what was happening down town with all the people coming dressed up?  We explained we were LDS (Mormons) and we were having a conference today at City Hall.  She smiled and said, "Oh...I'm Mormon.  I mean I kind of am.  I didn't even know about this meeting,

because I haven't been in years.  It's pretty cool to see all these people flooding into the city wearing their Sunday best."  I thought of her during the musical number and wished she would've accepted our invitation to come inside with us, so that she too could feel that one-heartedness with all those people gathered together for the same reason in such a beautiful setting.  Maybe she would realize the doors are never closed and Zion is waiting for her too.  Maybe she would remember how proud she is to be a Mormon, a member of an organization that works so hard to make the world better and to bring people happiness through the Gospel message.  We are here to be Christ's disciples on the Earth and in the process we are creating Zion in places all around the world!  Welcome to Zion, Welcome to Zion!