An Ensign to the Nations

1. High on the mountain top
A banner is unfurled.
Ye nations, now look up;
It waves to all the world.
In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land,
On Zion's mount behold it stand!

2. For God remembers still
His promise made of old
That he on Zion's hill
Truth's standard would unfold!
Her light should there attract the gaze
Of all the world in latter days.

3. His house shall there be reared,
His glory to display,
And people shall be heard
In distant lands to say:
We'll now go up and serve the Lord,
Obey his truth, and learn his word.

4. For there we shall be taught
The law that will go forth,
With truth and wisdom fraught,
To govern all the earth.
Forever there his ways we'll tread,
And save ourselves with all our dead.

Text: Joel H. Johnson, 1802-1882

Music: Ebenezer Beesley, 1840-1906

The old Testament prophet Isaiah prophesied the gathering of Israel by their God and the fulfillment of the promised blessings to the house of Jacob.

He didn't know how it was going to be done, but he knew that God would ''remember still his promise made of old'' to old testament prophets.

In 1830 He brought his church and priesthood authority back to the Earth and established an ''ensign to the nations'' and established ''high on the mountain top'' his house, his temple. People in all the world are receiving the gospel and saying going ''up and serve the Lord, obey his truth and learn his word'' by attending the temples that are dotting the whole world.

We live in a time when the promises and blessings of God are available for each of us. Wherever we are, we are part of that gathering of Israel as the gospel spreads through all lands and nations and the blessings of the temple are made available to more people.

Learn more: www.mormon.org

Isaiah 5:26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:

Isaiah 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Esther

Queen Vashti

When the King tried to expose her to all the men who were with him so they could admire her beauty she refused to do it. The King was angry and took her away from her position. She was not afraid of what people would say or how the king might react when she stood for what she believed. (Esther 1:12)

Mordecai

He adopted Esther and was a loving step father who cared about her well being (Esther 2:11). He was firm and would not bow down to Haman and fought for what he believed right. (Esther 3:2)

Esther

She is described as beautiful and that she found favor on all people who looked upon her. The Kind made her his Queen. She was obedient to her step father. She was willing to sacrifice herself to save the Jews, she had great faith and asked them to pray and fast for her so she could talk to the King and make him change his mind (Esther 4:16)

All of them were selfless and willing to put others first. They were firm and not afraid of doing what they believed. They stood for what is right and saved their people. 

There are times when we feel pressure from our friends and others around us to do things that are not right. We might feel scared about what they might think or that they might mock us for acting differently. However we need to remember the great example of Esther and Mordecai who were not afraid of defending the truth before the King and ended up saving their people. In this world of decaying values we can also be heroes.