September 15–21: “After Much Tribulation … Cometh the Blessing”

Doctrine and Covenants 102–105The Saints in Kirtland were heartbroken to hear that their brothers and sisters in Jackson County, Missouri, were being driven from their homes. It must have been encouraging, then, when the Lord declared that “the redemption of Zion” would “come by power” (Doctrine and Covenants 103:15). With that promise in their hearts, over 200 men and about 25 women and children enlisted in what they called the Camp of Israel, later known as Zion’s Camp. Its mission was to march to Missouri and redeem Zion.To the members of the camp, redeeming Zion meant restoring the Saints to their land. But just before they arrived in Jackson County, the Lord told Joseph Smith to disband Zion’s Camp. Some members of the camp were confused and upset; it seemed the expedition had failed and the Lord’s promises were not fulfilled. Others, however, saw it differently. While the exiled Saints did not get their lands and homes back, the experience did bring a degree of “redemption” to Zion, and it did “come by power.” Faithful members of Zion’s Camp, many of whom later became leaders of the Church, testified that the experience deepened their faith in God’s power, in Joseph Smith’s divine call, and in Zion—not just Zion the place but Zion the people of God. Rather than questioning the value of this seemingly unsuccessful task, they learned that the real task is to follow the Savior, even when we don’t understand everything. This is how Zion, ultimately, will be redeemed.See Saints, 1:194–206; “The Acceptable Offering of Zion’s Camp,” in Revelations in Context, 213–18.