In the middle of the book of Alma are seven chapters that are his parting instructions to his sons.  Alma knows that the Lord is going to shortly take him, and there are things he needs to do to prepare.  He has two concerns.  One is the records and sacred things with which he has been entrusted.  The other is his children.

Alma had three sons, and we have the lectures that he gave to each of them.  I wonder if he had daughters, and if he also left instructions for them?

The scriptures are all very male oriented, and not much is said about wives and daughters.  I think that is because the work of spreading the gospel is primarily a priesthood responsibility.  The primary responsibility of women is the bearing, raising, and training of children.  It was Alma's wife who taught and trained his boys while he served as chief judge, and afterward devoted himself to traveling and preaching throughout the land.  The fact that their boys turned out to be such stellar leaders was more because of her than because of him.  He wasn't home much.

Why nothing is said about Alma's daughters (or, for that matter, the daughters of any of the other prophets), is presumably the thought that girls marry, and thus become the care and responsibility of another man.  A son might be forever known as the son of a particular man, but a girl will be forever known as the wife of another.  She takes on her husband's identity.

Hence, there is very little in the scriptures that talks about relationships or interactions between fathers and daughters.  It can probably be assumed that Alma did not have personal interviews with his daughters before he departed mortality.  His girls were adults, were married, and he would have been hesitant about preempting their husbands' authority by telling them what do do and how it should be done.

His sons were another matter.  Their righteousness, well-being, and success were his uppermost concern.

Helaman was to be Alma's successor as prophet and leader of the church.  He began his interview with Helaman by telling his conversion story, and by bearing his testimony.  There is a literary form found throughout the scriptures called “chiasmus.”  Alma chapter 36 is the most perfect, and most beautiful, and most clever example of chiasmus of any that is found in the scriptures.  Chiasmus begins with a thought, progresses to another and to another, and then restates the same thoughts in the reverse order, finally ending with the beginning thought.  The entire 30 verses of Alma chapter 36 are one long chiasmus which reverses direction in verses 17 and 18.

Alma's interviews with his sons are very intimate.  He obviously loves his boys.  As he talks to them he calls them “my son” over and over again.  In the 77 verses where he interviews Helaman, he calls him “my son” 17 times.  Shiblon is called “my son” seven times in 15 verses.  Corianton gets the longest lecture with 91 verses, and is called “my son” 28 times.

Corianton got the longest interview because he was the one Alma most worried about.  Corianton was going astray, and Alma worked hard to get him back on track.  He was successful.  Corianton went on to become a church leader in his own right.

Helaman got a long interview, too.  He was to be the next prophet, and Alma wanted to be sure that he got started right.

Shiblon's interview was only 15 verses long.  That was because Alma was proud of him, and had no worries about his conduct, his testimony, or his future.  Shiblon, rather than Helaman, was the example that Alma held up to Corianton as the example that he wanted Corianton to follow.  (Alma 39:1-2).  He cited Shiblon's steadiness, faithfulness, and diligence in keeping the commandments of God, and exhorted Corianton to be like him.

All three of Alma's boys were heroes.  Corianton is a hero for his epic repentance.  Helaman is a hero because of his effectiveness as prophet and leader of the Church.  Shiblon is a hero because of his undeviating faithfulness while taking a subordinate role to his more famous brother.  He was like you and me.  He was just a common member of the Church quietly doing his duty, and being willing to step up to the plate whenever and wherever he was needed.

As a missionary among the Zoramites he was faithful, diligent, and patient.  (Alma 38:3).  He suffered many things including being in bonds, and being stoned.  He is a lesson and an example to us today that when we put our trust in God, we will be delivered out of our trials, troubles, and afflictions.  (Alma 38:5).

Impressively, when Helaman died suddenly, and apparently unexpectedly, Shiblon stepped forward and “took possession of those sacred things which had been delivered unto Helaman by Alma.”  (Alma 63:1).  In every other previous case, the transfer of the records was done by the old prophet conferring them upon his successor.  Helaman apparently didn't have warning from the Lord that he was about to die.  Also apparently, the Lord knew the records would be all right, and would be in good hands.  He allowed Shiblon to be their caretaker.

Shiblon only had possession of the records for three or four years, but it was perhaps while he had possession of the records that they “were written and sent forth among the children of men throughout all the land.”  (Alma 63:12).

Alma, Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton are all stellar examples of what a disciple of Christ should be; but of them all, Shiblon is the one who stands out and shines the brightest as the one like whom I would most like to be.