059: God Is Much Bigger Than You Think! -- Grace, Mercy, Belonging in the Book of Mormon, Part 2

<p>Four years ago, <strong>Danny Kofoed</strong> made discoveries in the Book of Mormon that have radically changed his views about it. As he re-read the book from cover to cover in preparation for lessons he would teach in Gospel Doctrine class, he found in there much greater richness, especially with regard to what it says about God and the type of relationship God is calling us to, than he had ever imagined. In the many years between the previous times he'd studied the book, really difficult circumstances that were far beyond Danny's control led to his being able to see more clearly than ever just how loving and accessible God really is, and it was this centering that had unfolded in his life that allowed him to see this God presented over and over again within that the Book of Mormon pages. It is so easy to think about the portions of the Book of Mormon that talk about performance of ordinances and other more mechanical ways that we too often feel we must do or follow in order to approach God, as well as the warnings we find of "if you don't do x, y, and z you're not going to make it," and similar rhetoric. Yet in every conversion story, and in much of the reflections by prophets and leaders found in various places, the key idea is God's absolute merciful and loving nature and that we are all invited to experience the Divine directly, for ourselves, without organizational or behavioral hoops.<br /> <br /> In this two-part episode, Danny joins Latter-day Faith host <strong>Dan Wotherspoon</strong> to talk about his journey and all that led him to a place to appreciate the wonderful theology present in the Book of Mormon. And, most specifically in this conversation, Danny takes us into one of the most powerful sections of the book: Alma and Amulek's encounter with Zoramite worship and their message to those who had been left out of it, not allowed to join in the worship that they had been taught to think was the only way they could approach or please God. Crestfallen and despondent, they were able to open up th