A word concerning Zion

I wore the expert marksmanship ribbon in the military and have a concealed carry permit. I own several guns: handguns, shotguns, rifles -- not for hunting or for sport but, primarily, for defense.

Nevertheless, Zion will not be redeemed by those who take up arms against their neighbor.

29 Wherefore, the land of Zion shall not be obtained but by purchase or by blood, otherwise there is none inheritance for you.
30 And if by purchase, behold you are blessed;
31 And if by blood, as you are forbidden to shed blood, lo, your enemies are upon you, and ye shall be scourged from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few shall stand to receive an inheritance. (D&C 63:29-31.)

 The children of God will not be identified as warmongers or killers, but as peacemakers. (See 3 Nephi 12:9, 20-26.) Nevertheless,

...it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand. And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy. (D&C 45:70-71.)

Only those possessing power to shake the earth, move mountains, turn rivers out of their course, or call down fire from heaven could "make afraid" those possessing laser-guided munitions, nuclear weapons, and countless millions assembled for war. (See Moses 6:34; 7:13-17.)

Our Lord prophesied that, prior to His return, 

the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound. And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel; But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men. And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Doctrine and Covenants 45:27-30.)

We are almost there...if not there already. The Gentiles, even that great and abominable church, by and large, have rejected the fulness of the gospel: 

[T]hey have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away." (1 Nephi 13:26.)

This well describes the LDS Church also, which now claims to possess the "fulness of the gospel," but which has turned a deaf ear to the teachings, changed the ordinances and broken the covenants Joseph Smith "restored," or sought to restore. (See Teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of Men: Tradition in Modern Mormonism; also Isaiah 24:5-6.) Consequently, the Lord is withholding His Spirit from the wicked. (See D&C 63:32.) Virtually all are now left without power from On High, except to do the works of men. (See 3 Nephi 27:11.) Even those few humble followers of Christ who have not aligned themselves with that great and abominable church (see 1 Nephi 14:10) do stumble and err because they are taught the precepts of men. (2 Nephi 28:14.) The Lord's vineyard has thus become corrupted. (Jacob 5:46.)

When the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, earthquakes and desolations, disease and death by violence shall abound. "Men will harden their hearts against me," saith the Lord, "and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another." Except among the Lord's disciples: they "shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved." (Doctrine and Covenants 45:31-33.)

68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.
69 And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. (Doctrine and Covenants 45:68-69.)

Among so many signs presaging the Lord's imminent return, these shall be most prominent:

And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven. And the remnant shall be gathered unto this place. (D&C 45:42-43.)

Astronomical and terrestrial commotions amid carnage and world-wide war shall provide an unmistakable backdrop for our Lord's return to the public stage as Savior and Redeemer of mankind. (See D&C 88:87-93.). But the wicked and deceived will disbelieve anyway and will not repent. His sheep, however, will hear His voice. (See John 10:27.) In fulfillment of the parable of the wheat and tares (see Doctrine and Covenants 86:7), the remnant of Jacob will be gathered from among the wicked. (See 3 Nephi 21:12.) Those who will be saved are they who

are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver. (Doctrine and Covenants 45:57-59.)

A primary characteristic of the meek who will inherit the earth shall be that they "shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain." They shall possess the greater priesthood. "[T]he earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (2 Nephi 21:9; 30:15; Isaiah 11:9; see also D&C 84:19.) "[N]either shall they learn war any more." (2 Nephi 12:4.) The present fixation among the rising generation with violent video games portends greater evil to come. This is the spirit of our age. The Lord will give us what we want. (Alma 29:5; Ether 3:2.) 

Those who survive the coming trials of fire, famine, plague and destruction shall enjoy a great millennial day of peace and prosperity. The Lord will gather the righteous unwarring (and unwarlike) remnant while the wicked bind themselves into bundles to be burned. "[T]he Lord God shall cause a great division among the people." He will "spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire." (See 2 Nephi 30:10.)

To qualify as a Zion people and escape the wrath to come, we must have no poor among us. (See Moses 7:18.) Our fruits must be equal. (See Jacob 5:74.)

Great divisions and iniquities (inequities) still exist among us. What then ought to be our hope and focus?

13 And now I give unto you a word concerning Zion. Zion shall be redeemed, although she is chastened for a little season.
16 For I will raise up unto myself a pure people, that will serve me in righteousness;
17 And all that call upon the name of the Lord, and keep his commandments, shall be saved. Even so. Amen. (Doctrine and Covenants 100:13, 16-17.)

Let us call upon the name of the Lord, learn His commandments, and keep them.