11 Wherefore, hearken ye together and let me show unto you even my wisdom—the wisdom of him whom ye say is the God of Enoch, and his brethren,
12 Who were separated from the earth, and were received unto myself—a city reserved until a day of righteousness shall come—a day which was sought for by all holy men, and they found it not because of wickedness and abominations;
13 And confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth;
14 But obtained a promise that they should find it and see it in their flesh. (D&C 45)
I quoted another scripture from D&C 45 almost a month ago, but it was this scripture that led me to that section that day.
If I had to guess, it was decades ago when I read these verses and was hit with an overload of interwoven emotions and thoughts—verse 13, in particular. In all of my scripture study, very few scriptures have affected me to the degree those did when I read them. All my life, I have felt like a “stranger” and a “pilgrim,” and when I read those words, I felt an immediate and intense connection to Enoch and the citizens of his translated city.
That “day of righteousness” is really important. Do you know what it is and why Enoch’s city is reserved until that day comes? The Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 9:16-17 is very helpful:
21 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which I made unto thy father Enoch; that, when men should keep all my commandments, Zion should again come on the earth, the city of Enoch which I have caught up unto myself.
22 And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy;
23 And the general assembly of the church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth, and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which I made with thy father Enoch.
24 And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will establish my covenant unto thee, which I have made between me and thee, for every living creature of all flesh that shall be upon the earth.
25 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and thee; for all flesh that shall be upon the earth.
Lots of good stuff in those verses. Lots of good stuff for strangers and pilgrims to look forward to and to work toward.