A Desire for Zion

By Jennifer Raffety

     I was born into a family that did not have a specific denomination yet decided.  When I was several years old, my parents and my siblings and I joined a local Lutheran church.  As a pre-teen, I began searching earnestly for truth about churches and religions and the scriptures; I was not satisfied with what my family’s denomination offered.  During my high school years, I had many religious-themed discussions with my friends, classmates, boyfriends, and teachers as I continued to search for truth.
     When I was in school in the 1970’s, many of my classmates were RLDS, and during a time of specific searching about their religion, I was in the marching band.  One evening, on the way to a football game at William Chrisman High School, I was sitting at the corner of Walnut and Noland, in the turn lane waiting to turn north onto Noland.  While waiting for the light to change, I saw the sky part and Jesus’ face appeared.  He was looking over the city and smiling.
     This experience made me wonder because I did not think much of the city, but as I learned more about the Gospel  and the hope of Zion, this experience continued to encourage me that there was more to life that I realized.  My hope and desire for Zion has continued to grow since that time and I still earnestly look forward to its appearance here in the Center Place.