“And Ephraim be crowned with his blessing in Zion” (William W. Phelps, “The Spirit Of God”). What is the crown of glory that awaits Ephraim? “His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” (Deuteronomy 33:17). The work and the glory of Ephraim is to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth and bring all into the unity of the faith. The miracle of the crown of glory is that, unlike the proverbial cake, we can keep it on our own heads and bestow it upon others. And the best part is that it only grows brighter the more people we give it away to. “Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work. Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God. Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.” (Alma 26:3-5). “And thus, if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.” (D&C 75:5). “And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim. And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy. Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows.” (D&C 133:32-34). To be invited in and give heed to the call to enter into the Kingdom of God is one of the best best blessings that we can receive, and all of us who take upon us the name of Christ become joint-heirs with Him of the Kingdom of our Father and will be crowned with glory. But a much richer blessing is reserved for those of us that have taken upon ourselves the mission of Ephraim and have thrust in the sickle with our might and have labored all the day long and have not only the crown of glory on our own head, but the crowns of glory of all of those whom we have laid like sheaves upon our back so that we do not enter alone into the rest of the Lord.
