followHIM Podcast Summary
Episode: Moses 7 Part 1 • Bro. Danny Ricks • Feb. 2–8 • Come, Follow Me
Date: January 28, 2026
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Guest: Bro. Danny Ricks (Professor of Religion, BYU-Idaho)
Overview
This episode dives deep into Moses Chapter 7, focusing on Enoch, the building of Zion, and the revealing, weeping nature of God. Hosts Hank and John, joined by Bro. Danny Ricks, explore how Enoch and his people became “Zion”—of one heart and one mind—and what that means for modern discipleship. The episode is infused with personal stories, scriptural insights, and encouragement about the process of becoming Zion through covenants and Christlike love.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Nature of Zion and Becoming "Sons of God"
- Zion Is Not Just a Place—It’s a Condition of Heart and Spirit
- The discussion emphasizes that building Zion is “starting in our own hearts and homes” (07:40).
- Transformation through Covenants
- Bro. Ricks explains, “You become the sons of God. So we’re actually talking a title…Child of God, of course—transformative truth, but equal to is child of the covenant.” (10:15)
- The process is active: God doesn’t just “poof” Zion on us. We choose to become Zion by making and keeping covenants. (12:24)
- Understanding the Fall is Crucial
- “No one adequately and properly knows why…he needs Christ until that person understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall…” (16:10, quoting President Benson)
- The depth of love for Christ increases with understanding of the Fall. (17:01)
2. The Doctrine of the Fall and Redemption
- We Must Be Redeemed from the Fall
- “Jesus Christ's atonement redeems me from the Fall.” (14:45)
- “The scriptural emphasis is on this covenant making…Covenants with God can change me and transform me if I want to be Zion.” (15:45)
- Becoming Children of Christ
- Using Mosiah 5:7, Bro. Ricks explains that through covenant, “you shall be called the children of Christ. You are a child of Jesus.” (19:16)
- Baptism and temple covenants mark this transformation.
3. Building Zion: Practical Realities and Misunderstandings
- Agency: The Responsibility is Ours
- Hank: “I wonder sometimes if we’re waiting for the Lord to come and He’s waiting for us right here.” (12:24)
- Bro. Ricks: “The impetus is upon us.” (12:53)
- No Secret Gospel; It’s Simple but Not Easy
- Faith, repentance, and covenant-keeping is the formula—"Keep it super simple." (23:45)
- “These people didn’t have something that you don’t have.” (23:58)
4. God’s Emotional Nature—A Weeping God
- Enoch Marvels That God Weeps
- Enoch’s surprise at God’s tears (28:09) is discussed at length, highlighting God’s extreme empathy.
- The Choice & Consequence: Love or Misery
- “He’s crying because he knows that they’ll be miserable. He knows the result of choosing not his path is misery.” (29:24)
- This is not God punishing, but respecting agency. “If I don’t choose God, I chose misery.” (29:34)
5. The Law of Love as the Foundation of Zion
- Two Great Commandments
- “I asked them to love one another and choose me. Is that not the two great commandments right there?” (31:34)
- Commandments aren’t arbitrary—they’re designed to help us find real joy through embodying Christ’s character. (32:44)
- Models of Love
- Bro. Ricks shares heartfelt tributes to his parents, siblings, and wife as examples of Christlike, unconditional love. (32:44–36:08)
- “When I say, ‘I found Jesus,’ that's because I finally started breathing the air that was around me…” (35:07)
6. Overcoming Division and Contention
- “If there’s any type of contention, animosity, hatred, we can’t be Zion with it.” (39:04)
- President Faust: “When there is contention, the Spirit of the Lord will depart, regardless of who is at fault.” (39:36)
- President Monson: “Anger doesn’t solve anything. It builds nothing, but it can destroy everything.” (40:17)
- President Oaks: “The primary reason for the commandment to avoid criticism is to protect the spiritual well-being of the criticizer.” (40:17)
- All agree: Discipleship means rooting out all isms and prejudice.
7. Hope in the Process: Zion Takes Time
- “Zion in process of time.” (41:11)
- “All the days of Zion…and the days of Enoch were 365 years.” (41:25)
- “It’s tough…Finding Zion—the location was the easy part. Putting a building up, that’s the easy part.” (41:43)
- “Am I a better person this year than last? I don’t know. But that’s the process.” (42:22)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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Bro. Danny Ricks [00:03]:
"We can't stress this enough. It has less to do with how bad you are at this and more to do with how great he is. Jesus Christ is mighty to save. He's good at saving. It isn't about me. It's about me yoking to Jesus. That's why it's going to be okay."
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On Personal Struggle and God’s Saving Power [47:09]:
"I can't do it by myself. It's impossible. We can't stress this enough. Impossible. But it's him. It has less to do with how bad you are at this and more to do with how great he is. Jesus Christ is mighty to save."
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On the Relational Nature of Prayer [53:07]:
"I saw the Lord, and he stood before my face, and he talked with me even as a man talketh one with another. The relationship that Enoch has with God…is natural and instinctive."
- President Faust (quoted):
"No earthly authority can separate us from the direct access to our Creator…There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray." (52:37)
- President Faust (quoted):
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On God’s Empathy [28:09]:
"In this chapter, everyone's crying. In this chapter, everyone's crying. Jesus is crying. Enoch's crying. The world is crying. I'm crying. Your readers and listeners are crying. Everyone cries."
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On God’s Cosmic Perspective [58:40]:
"This language…is so beyond 1830 Joseph Smith…Shed forth their tears as rain upon the mountains…talking about millions of earths…Joseph's understanding certainly put him at odds with the experts of his day."
— John Bytheway and Bro. Ricks discuss the astronomical insights in Moses 7.
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Opening Theme - The Power of Christ to Save: [00:03–00:27]
- Context of Moses 7 and Revelation Through Joseph Smith: [08:05–10:01]
- Discussion of Covenant Titles (Child of God/Child of the Covenant): [10:10–12:24]
- Misconceptions About Zion, the Fall, and Redemption: [14:45–18:45]
- Importance of Teaching the Fall (missionary work, personal change): [20:25–21:34]
- How Agency & Covenants Create Zion, Not Magic: [23:45–25:00]
- God Gives Us the Power to Become Zion Through Love: [29:34–32:44]
- Personal Stories: Bro. Ricks’s upbringing, parents, and community examples: [32:44–36:08]
- Why Contention Destroys Zion: [39:04–40:17]
- Zion Takes Time – “In Process of Time”: [41:10–41:25]
- On Prayer: Natural, Instinctive Conversation with God: [53:07–54:14]
- Enoch’s Honest Wrestling with God & Divine Compassion: [55:50–58:40]
- Moses 7's Advanced Doctrinal Insights and Historicity: [58:40–61:02]
Final Thoughts and Tone
The episode is marked by contagious enthusiasm, vulnerability, and reverence—mirroring the emotionally rich narrative of Moses 7. Bro. Ricks is energetic, personal, and relatable, emphasizing the long, sometimes messy process of becoming Zion, and the gospel’s insistence on agency, love, and transformation through Christ. The conversation challenges listeners to self-examination (“where do I need to root out hate?”) while offering abundant hope (“Zion is built in process of time.”).
Throughout, the hosts and guest maintain a warm, humble, and earnest tone, aiming for practical application just as much as doctrinal clarity—a reflection of their motto: "fresh, faithful, and fun" LDS gospel study.
For further detail, listeners are encouraged to revisit specific timestamps, especially Bro. Ricks’s personal stories and the scriptural “drill-downs” on covenant, the Fall, and Christ’s role as Redeemer found throughout the discussion.