• 011: Book of Mormon Lesson 34: Helaman 6-12

    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 and Nephite reactions to the Gadianton Robbers Book… Continue Reading

  • 010: Book of Mormon Lesson 33: Helaman 1-5

    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 territory, but wars divide… Continue Reading

  • 009: Book of Mormon Lesson 32: Alma 53-63

    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 2000 stripling warriors and their mothers! There are several embedded letters… Continue Reading

  • 008: Book of Mormon Lesson 31: Alma 43-52

    “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: Important… Continue Reading

  • 007: Book of Mormon Lesson 30: Alma 40-42

    “The Great Plan of Happiness” First, this lesson has both “007” and “42”. Win. 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… Continue Reading

  • 006: Book of Mormon Lesson 29: Alma 36-39

    “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 have… Continue Reading

  • 005: Book of Mormon Lesson 28: Alma 32-35

    “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 of… Continue Reading

  • 004: Book of Mormon Lesson 27: Alma 30-31

    “All Things Denote There Is a God” I jokingly call this lesson “Apostates week”. The key exchanges this lesson are Alma vs. Korihor and then Alma and his companions vs. the Zoramites. We are going to push a bit in approach with this lesson, use these scriptures to challenge us a touch. Kind of like… Continue Reading

  • Reading Notes

    Engaging Gospel Doctrine (Episode 2) Lesson 25: Alma 17-22 Chapter 17 2: which scriptures? 3: look at models of authority in the Book of Mormon “altar of God”, only Ps. 43:4 and here 6: we easily forget the significance of their past (Mos. 29:8-9) 7: history of weapons? Look at Biblical parallels Note literary complexity… Continue Reading

  • 003: Book of Mormon Lesson 26: Alma 23-29

     “Converted Unto the Lord”  These chapters tell of the dramatic conversion experience of an entire group of people, the so-called Anti-Nephi Lehis. We will discuss conversion and transformation. How do we change? What baggage do we bear from our upbringings that may hinder this transformation? There are also terrible stories of violence in these chapters…… Continue Reading