Ben and Shiloh talk about Alma's fatherly admonitions to his sons Helaman and Shiblon. They talk about clues that Alma leaves us into the foundations of his own testimony, and discuss about the nature of and doctrine of "Christ" as found in these chapters. While we typically talk about the "doctrine of Christ" in general terms as simply the gospel, there is another more nuanced discussion that Shiloh and Ben explore as to what "Christ" is as the archetype of our humanity and what it means to take that name upon ourselves.
Shiloh and Ben talk about the law and light of Christ. We often think of “law” as a list of rules and standards, but does D&C 88 offer us a new insight into the nature of God’s law that isn’t commonly addressed? In what possible ways does understanding that the “light of Christ”—which is in and through all things”—is the law by which all things are governed” change the way that we view the law? Here in D&C 88 we also have a rather rare short description of the nature of God that describes God’s omniscience, omnipresence, and a type of panentheism that we don’t commonly equate to an embodied God. Is it possible that the parable in D&C 88 also offers a glimpse into a universalist understanding of God where the various “degrees of light” often metaphysically equated to the three degrees of glory has more to do with our perception of those glories than of the metaphysical nature of those glories? ...
Shiloh and Ben discuss these revelations given to specific men in the first year of the Church’s existence in the latter-days. There are noticeable patterns in each revelation that we can use to understand a general sense and sentiment that these men were having at this time. Many of these men are called on missions to “the Lamanites” (the Native Americans in Missouri), to bring them the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the message of the Book of Mormon. The Lord consistently says that “the field is white already to harvest,” thus showing that God had already been engaged in His own work–tilling, fertilizing, planting, irrigating, etc.–the fields long, long before these men were invited to join in the harvest. We are invited to join the Lord in His own work. ...
Shiloh and guest co-host Christopher Hurtado talk about Moroni's final last words. Moroni bids us "farewell" a few times, as each time he believes will be his last. There is much to consider concerning Moroni. The text offers us quite a bit of his personality and of his possible insecurities and obvious strengths. The Lord lightly chastises and liberates Moroni in Ether 12 from his worry and concern, as we see a change happen in Moroni's final message. Considering Moroni's plight and situation, having seen the ultimate destruction of his people, it is not an uncommon question to ask of ourselves what we would have included as our final witness of Jesus Christ had we seen and experienced the same thing. What did Moroni deem the most worthy messages in his final farewell? His reliance and testimony of Christ, the importance of the Holy Ghost, his love and appreciation for the Lord's servants and their calling, his focus on the promises and blessings of the sacrament, and of his focus on the association of the Saints. There is a certain level of sorrow and a greater level of appreciation that we can extend to Moroni who found importance in writing down certain aspects of the Gospel that he found important but that he would never get to experience again. ...
