“Repent and Return unto the Lord”   These chapters are about Samuel the Lamanite posting to his wall (I know, bad joke, but some of us can relate to the stones and arrows). Samuel’s wall top preaching alternates between predictions of destruction, contrasting the Lamanite reaction to the truth, and prophesying concerning the coming of… Continue Reading

“How Could You Have Forgotten Your God?”   Pretty much everyone is depressed in these chapters. The prophet Nephi and editor Mormon both complain about human nature and the state of wickedness of the people at this time. This is where the Lamanites become more righteous than the Nephites. Highlights will include Lessons from Lamanite… Continue Reading

“A Sure Foundation”   Even with the impending ministry of Christ among the Nephites, Mormon sees this section as the beginning of the end (Hel. 2:13). Helaman is a dark book with powerful highlights. This is a bad time to be a chief judge, and a bad time for the Nephites. The Nephites expand their… Continue Reading

“They Did Obey … Every Word of Command with Exactness”   The Book of Alma concludes with a bang as we read of wars of multiple fronts and severe internal turmoil and dissent. We can learn a great deal from the behavior of Moroni, Helaman, and their armies. And of course we can’t forget the… Continue Reading

“Firm in the Faith of Christ”   With this lesson we march into the “War chapters” of Alma. Sometimes it seems readers of the Book of Mormon don’t know quite what to do with these twenty odd chapters, but there are many important lessons and intriguing details we can glean. Highlights of this lesson include:… Continue Reading

“The Great Plan of Happiness”   These chapters are chock full of doctrinal substance touching upon the “Great Plan of Happiness”. We will explore: Resurrection and Spirit World Justice and mercy Role of this life The nature of God, including the unusual and compelling idea of a “limited God”. Recurring Donation: $5   $10   $25   $50… Continue Reading

“The Great Plan of Happiness”   This core episode puts the provocative idea of God losing godhood in the context of the Plan of Happiness and its opposite, the Plan of Damnation. I also discuss two possible additional projects, covering the Youth Sunday School lessons and the Gospel Topics essays. $5   $10   $25   $50 One… Continue Reading

“Give Ear to My Words”   This lesson and the next provide a precious and intimate window in the family life of Alma, one of the great Book of Mormon prophets. These chapters fit into the genre of “Testament”, which records the wisdom and blessings imparted by the patriarch of a family (unfortunately, we don’t… Continue Reading

“Give Ear to My Words”   Alma’s intimate words to his sons model a way to use honest sharing about the past to better the present and future. This core episode covers Alma’s path to peace, the principle that we cannot feel greater joy than we have experienced pain, the underappreciated figure of Shiblon, and… Continue Reading

“The Word Is in Christ unto Salvation”   How many superstars of theology can we fit into a few chapters? Truth. Prayer. Atonement. These chapters contain some of the most memorable lessons and gems in the Book of Mormon. The “experiment upon the word” in Alma 32, Amulek’s powerful sermon on the Atonement and role… Continue Reading