The Defenders of Zion Mission

The motto of our mission is that we are Defenders of Zion,

Zion being the pure in heart.

Do you know which mission is called the Defenders of Zion Mission?

I didn't until I read the blog of the new mission president of the Utah Salt Lake City mission Bruce Winn.  According to his wife Nancy he has taken to singing the hymn Awake Ye Defender's of Zion in the shower constantly.



On Sunday, 5 July 2010 Nancy Winn wrote:

All of our missionaries commit to do their best to:

Be meticulously obedient every day.
Sacrifice the things of the world for the things of God.
Teach and testify of the restored gospel to everyone.
Baptize every week.
Never speak evil of anyone.
Serve God with all his/her heart, might, mind, and strength.
Know and thoroughly understand the principles and doctrines of Preach My Gospel.
Work smart and focus.

Each time there is a Zone Conference, the new missionaries in the mission make these commitments and sign their name on our Defenders of Zion banner. Bruce and I got to sign the banner on Monday. It is quite a privilege to be associated with these fine young people! There is actually a song in the hymn book called Up! Awake! Ye Defenders of Zion! I had never heard of it before, but it's a really fun song with a catchy tune and it's awesome to hear the missionaries sing it!

I couldn't find a picture of the banner on her blog but it is interesting how missionaries like mottos and mission presidents use them to fire up their missionaries.