zil2

I'm starting early because if I don't, I'll never get it done. That said, some vague comments: I find Nephi's story an easy one to abstract into personal lessons. I always look for things that I can learn for my personal effort to overcome the world and for things that teach me of Christ, and Nephi's story is full of these. Also, the story-like nature makes these chapters easy to read. Chapter 1 v1: Good parents teach their children Being favored of the Lord does not equate to a lack of afflictions, especially on an individual (as opposed to societal) level. (From OT and the BofM as a whole:) The Lord's promise of prosperity for the obedient is a societal promise; the more righteous the individual, the more likely they are to experience afflictions (in the world, at least, or so it seems). When you have knowledge of God, you should make a record thereof v4: I've always found it interesting that in both the OT and the BofM, many prophets seemingly showing up out of nowhere seems to be common. Perhaps we just don't have record of the organization behind them, or perhaps it's modern technology that allows for the degree of organization we now have. (Though one could discuss the meaning of "prophet", we don't really see this un-centralized appearance of folk calling for repentance or destruction within the modern Church.) Reminds me of Jeremiah 31:34 - how it will be in the Millennium (or so it seems to me). v5: When prophets warn us, do we go and pray for our people with all our hearts? v12: Reading scripture should fill us with the Spirit. [Klaw objects to my typing.] v13: Come unto the Lord - it's far better than the alternative. v6 vs v15: quaking and trembling vs rejoicing - the Lord may show you some awful things, but the righteous need not fear... v18: see D&C 88:81 - those who have been warned have a duty to warn their neighbor (back to v4) v19-20: Expect persecution. v20: See Moroni 10:3 - the book opens and closes with the mercies of the Lord. Everything in between reminds us of them. Remembering them keeps us humble and helps us to trust the Lord. Chapter 2 v1: People seeking to kill you means you're blessed. (Alternately, doing as the Lord instructs means you are blessed, even if it so happens that people are trying to kill you because of it. Alternately, keep an eternal perspective. Alternately, rejoice and be exceeding glad when people persecute you for Christ's sake.) v2: Fulfillment of chapter 1:14 - the Lord is merciful and will not suffer those who come to him to perish. v3: The wording of this - Lehi was obedient (character), wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him (behavior) - sounds redundant, but, it reminds me of a conclusion I recently came to in regards to temple covenants (@Jamie123, if you wish to read this, scroll down just a little to a numbered list of five laws): It would seem that 2 through 5 (obeying specific laws) are covered under the first covenant - the law of obedience. Being a weirdo, this bothered me slightly until I came to the conclusion that the first law, in addition to saying we should obey God (behavior), is teaching us to have an attitude of obedience (character). That it should be our habit and desire to be obedient to God. The others are specific things we can do to obey God, but they aren't all (after all, we can receive personal revelation and guidance, which we should also obey), but if we can develop an attitude and desire to obey God, if we approach it as forming a habit of obeying God, then that first covenant becomes more than just, "when God says something, I'll do it", it becomes deeper, a part of who you are - the kind of person who seeks and follows God's will. (This probably doesn't really explain what's in me, but it's the best I can do with English.) v4: The more you love God, and the less you love "precious things", the easier it is to obey God when he tells you to give up those precious things. And sometimes, God asks you to give up your precious things. v7: Give thanks, even in hard times, and do it properly. [Hooray! Klaw decided to go bask in the sun. I have an hour or so in which to type and write (see chapter 1, verse 1) faster.] Also, I'm realizing that I love the Book of Mormon. There's so much in it to learn. It's truly a gift from God. v9+ Take inspiration where you can find it. v9: "continually running into the [Lord]" - as I thought about this, the idea of "running into someone" popped into my head. When we're doing what the Lord would do, going where he would go, seeking guidance from him, then we'll be continually "running into" him ("Oh, hey, it's you again!" "As long as I've got you here, I had a question..." "Do you have a minute to help me with this?"). My previous RS lesson (I teach RS): "Abide in Me, and I in You; Therefore Walk with Me" by Elder Bednar. v10: firm, steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord. See v3. Good goal. [Klaw is back, climbing the back of my chair and chewing on my hair... ] v11+: Complaining makes things worse. See v4. Perception is everything. Don't focus on what you lost or even on present difficulties - trust the Lord's promises of what's to come. [I perceive that a play break is now required...] v12: Learn the dealings of God. v13: Trust that God is more powerful than man. The minute you start having murderous thoughts, something is beyond wrong. (See Matthew 5:43-48 and Proverbs 23:7) v14: It's OK to shake your children? v15: Emergency preparedness. v16: (Why does it matter here that he was large in stature?) Do I have great desires to know of the mysteries of God? If so, do I properly pursue those desires? Or do I leave it to prophets and apostles to pursue said mysteries? Believe what you have already been taught. It requires softening your heart (humility?) to believe. Don't follow bad examples. v17: Testify! v18: Pray for your enemies! (Matthew 5 again.) v19: Do what Nephi did - seek diligently, in humility, with faith. v20: Obey and prosper - the societal promise to all Israel. v21 = the opposite, thus, to prosper is to enjoy the presence of the Lord. v22: See Abraham 3:6 - perhaps "rule" should be thought of as "to give light to". v23: The greatest protection from the wicked is in the Lord. v24: Affliction is, at least in part, to keep you humble and help you remember the Lord. Chapter 3 v5+: Before complaining about an assignment, remember from whom it really comes. (See also Alma 7:23 - be "easy to be entreated".) v7: See also Jeremiah 32:17 - even [Klawus Interruptis] (I'm typing away, and little demon just flops right onto that arm with my hand and the keyboard as a pillow, and falls completely asleep. I'm laughing so hard I'm crying and he's dead to the world. Using only my right hand, I manage to use the laptop camera and mouse to get a picture. An alarm goes off in the other room, and he's still completely zonked... Scripture study, Zil-style.) v7: See also Jeremiah 32:17 - even when the way seems impossible, nothing is too hard for the Lord. v13+: When you're on the Lord's errand, don't be surprised if some folks get angry, kick you out, accuse you falsely, and try to kill you. v15+: Don't give up! Trust the Lord (see v7). Just because you're on the Lord's errand, don't expect him to always make it easy. Use the resources you already have, even if they may not be enough (see the feeding of the various thousands in the New Testament). (Meanwhile, good thing we left all those precious things behind, otherwise it might have been another round trip into the wilderness to fetch them. And they must have had a really good security system for it all to still be there... ) v19+: Preserve those things which will teach your children what's important. v21: When necessary, use all your best arguments to convince and encourage others. v25+: Just because you're honest doesn't mean others will be... v29: Angels don't always do you favors (revealing Nephi would rule over them probably made life harder for Nephi). Note that here the angel says that it's Laban who will be delivered into their hands, not the brass plates. v31: Seriously? Two seconds after the angel is gone you start whining again? See v7 and v15. Other: Getting ahead a little, but this whole sequence in the wilderness and back and forth to Jerusalem demonstrates that the Lord isn't concerned with what we would perceive as efficiency. For example, it would seem more efficient to get the plates before leaving, and to pick up Ishmael's family on the way out of town. Of course, one can imagine all sorts of technical and tactical reasons to do it the way they did. And one can imagine that the Lord is testing their obedience before giving them more to do. But one thing I learned in my time as a RS President was that the Lord isn't so concerned with speed and efficiency (more accurately, getting things accomplished as quickly and efficiently as we humans can manage / imagine). Rather, He is concerned with the individuals involved, ensuring they experience the things they need to experience to draw them closer to him. FWIW. Parting thoughts: Don't think I can spend this much time every day, but we'll see!

This post has the schedule: If that doesn't take you straight to it, scroll page 1 for a post with a long table of dates and chapters.

For Jamie's sake I'll point out that I think you mean Mormon here where you put Moroni... (While I suspect Moroni wrote at least part of the title page text, the revelations referred to would be (1) (perhaps) all the authors of the B of M, (2) (certainly and mostly) Mormon in his abridgement, (3) (also) Moroni is his smaller portion of that work, (4) (maybe, but probably not) Joseph Smith.) Probably by unanimous vote: "Mahonri Moriancumerites my eye," one fellow was heard to mutter as he dropped his ballot in the box.

I'm confused... What does this have to do with donuts?

Revelation 11:15 Part 2 # 39 (in my recording of it) - Chorus: Hallelujah.

After just having read it, I'm guessing at least the 2nd paragraph had to have been written by Moroni, because I don't think he knew while Mormon was still alive that he (Moroni) would be abridging the Jaredite records.... Even the first paragraph suggests Moroni was at least around and he and Mormon had discussed what Moroni would do after Mormon was gone...

Mirkwood starts prepping for Halloween on 01 November...

Sometimes I have to remind myself to consider it from his (Joseph's) point of view. 1. Moroni repeated the same things to Joseph 3 times in one night, and then again a 4th time the next day. So clearly God was not giving Joseph any extra memory-recall assistance. 2. Joseph had staggeringly important work to do, compared to which, details of the sword of Laban, Liahona, etc. were pure trivia - a waste of his time to relate and ours to learn. 3. Joseph was persecuted for everything. He probably thought it best to stick with what's necessary and not cast even tiny pearls before swine. I also sometimes have to remind myself that we are God's work. He's not trying to build a building or a city, not trying to figure out the perfect set of laws, or compose the perfect piece of music. He's trying to perfect each individual one of us, and for that, there are no shortcuts: He can't skip over the flawed person who can't remember to include every detail (or can't even remember every detail); He can't "artificially" enhance the individual just "to get the job done" - because the individual is the job, their agency, their development in overcoming all these things we wish magic would just take care of - those are the whole point. Helps me keep in mind that imperfect people are the point and therefore it's OK when God allows people's imperfections to seemingly slow or even hamper the work. Helps me feel a little less self-critical (but not too much).

Perhaps D&C 17 and/or related history, additional history source. And this may be best of all.

Ha! Hooray for LDS programmers with nothing better to do in life: I decided to start tomorrow, since we've got international folk and today is almost over for Jamie... And I decided to start with 1 Nephi - those looking for something to do today can read the intro materials - they count after all... It does account for really long chapters - e.g. Jacob 5 gets 2 days... X Date Read Through Sep 9 1 Nephi 3 Sep 10 1 Nephi 5 Sep 11 1 Nephi 8 Sep 12 1 Nephi 11 Sep 13 1 Nephi 13 Sep 14 1 Nephi 14 Sep 15 1 Nephi 16 Sep 16 1 Nephi 17 Sep 17 1 Nephi 18 Sep 18 1 Nephi 20 Sep 19 1 Nephi 22 Sep 20 2 Nephi 2 Sep 21 2 Nephi 3 Sep 22 2 Nephi 5 Sep 23 2 Nephi 8 Sep 24 2 Nephi 9 Sep 25 2 Nephi 11 Sep 26 2 Nephi 15 Sep 27 2 Nephi 19 Sep 28 2 Nephi 23 Sep 29 2 Nephi 25 Sep 30 2 Nephi 26 Oct 1 2 Nephi 28 Oct 2 2 Nephi 31 Oct 3 Jacob 1 Oct 4 Jacob 3 Oct 5 Jacob 5 Oct 6 Jacob 5 Oct 7 Enos 1 Oct 8 Omni 1 Oct 9 Mosiah 1 Oct 10 Mosiah 2 Oct 11 Mosiah 4 Oct 12 Mosiah 7 Oct 13 Mosiah 9 Oct 14 Mosiah 11 Oct 15 Mosiah 13 Oct 16 Mosiah 15 Oct 17 Mosiah 18 Oct 18 Mosiah 21 Oct 19 Mosiah 23 Oct 20 Mosiah 26 Oct 21 Mosiah 27 Oct 22 Mosiah 29 Oct 23 Alma 2 Oct 24 Alma 4 Oct 25 Alma 5 Oct 26 Alma 7 Oct 27 Alma 9 Oct 28 Alma 10 Oct 29 Alma 12 Oct 30 Alma 14 Oct 31 Alma 15 Nov 1 Alma 17 Nov 2 Alma 19 Nov 3 Alma 21 Nov 4 Alma 23 Nov 5 Alma 25 Nov 6 Alma 27 Nov 7 Alma 30 Nov 8 Alma 31 Nov 9 Alma 32 Nov 10 Alma 34 Nov 11 Alma 36 Nov 12 Alma 37 Nov 13 Alma 40 Nov 14 Alma 43 Nov 15 Alma 43 Nov 16 Alma 46 Nov 17 Alma 47 Nov 18 Alma 49 Nov 19 Alma 51 Nov 20 Alma 52 Nov 21 Alma 55 Nov 22 Alma 56 Nov 23 Alma 58 Nov 24 Alma 60 Nov 25 Alma 62 Nov 26 Helaman 1 Nov 27 Helaman 3 Nov 28 Helaman 5 Nov 29 Helaman 6 Nov 30 Helaman 8 Dec 1 Helaman 11 Dec 2 Helaman 12 Dec 3 Helaman 14 Dec 4 3 Nephi 1 Dec 5 3 Nephi 3 Dec 6 3 Nephi 4 Dec 7 3 Nephi 7 Dec 8 3 Nephi 9 Dec 9 3 Nephi 11 Dec 10 3 Nephi 13 Dec 11 3 Nephi 16 Dec 12 3 Nephi 18 Dec 13 3 Nephi 20 Dec 14 3 Nephi 22 Dec 15 3 Nephi 26 Dec 16 3 Nephi 28 Dec 17 4 Nephi 1 Dec 18 Mormon 2 Dec 19 Mormon 5 Dec 20 Mormon 7 Dec 21 Mormon 9 Dec 22 Ether 2 Dec 23 Ether 4 Dec 24 Ether 7 Dec 25 Ether 10 Dec 26 Ether 12 Dec 27 Ether 13 Dec 28 Moroni 2 Dec 29 Moroni 7 Dec 30 Moroni 9 Dec 31 Moroni 10 I put that in a google sheet I can share if anyone really wants - but it's easy enough to copy and paste...

So, I used the Android app to create a study plan starting today and ending Sunday, 31 Dec 2023, allowing chapters to be split. (Just to get an idea.) It has all the intro material for today, and looks to average 2-3 chapters per day thereafter, though it splits them quite frequently. This seems reasonable to me - we can split chapters or not, whatever works. At this pace, I'd imagine myself posting more often than weekly - there will be a lot worth commenting on in 5 pages or 2-3 chapters per day.

I think @Backroads is describing a Utah phenomenon - pretty sure we're the scam capital of the world (though maybe that's changed, not sure) - and this makes for people ripe for corrupt therapists.... I also suspect it's a generational thing - from my parents' generation and back, needing a psychologist was surely stigmatized. I think my generation is the one where this started to change, so my generation is mixed on the topic and younger generations don't have said concerns (as much?). Apparently it's also cultural - a friend in the UK, younger than I once told me that seeking psychological help of any sort was looked down on there (at least, where she was).

Ooh! Knife to the heart! @mirkwood, @Traveler, and I are never speaking to you again! (Unless our therapists insist otherwise...)

Well, that would have to be @Vort - oh, scratch that - he, @laronius and @askandanswer (hooray, more people!) will have to cast lots which of them shall be our group leader -- I've just finished reading Paul's admonition to keep my mouth shut except at home - in fact, the only reason I can participate at all is because I will in fact be doing so from home and I won't actually be speaking... (Don't worry, I'm just trying to tease Paul from afar - I'm not actually serious.) This sounds reasonable to me. If anyone wants to share thoughts more often, no reason not to, otherwise plan to share weekly. Everyone races through it right up until they hit The Isaiah Chapters™. Given the length of some chapters and significant variation in how much there is to pick apart, it might be better to decide each week which chapters will constitute next week's reading. The 2024 Come, Follow Me break-down might be another way to do it - they generally have things broken down into manageable weekly chunks. (That would also make those of us who are Church members look really impressive - or at least better prepared than usual - to our fellow Sunday School class members... Alternately, it could make us really confused once January hits...) Last thought on procedure: This will be largely for your benefit, @Jamie123, though I'm certain we will all benefit. But the rest of us likely study the Book of Mormon all the time (I study from it daily, the Church uses it every 4th year as the Sunday School material). So to me, it's important that we maintain a pace that allows you to accomplish your goal without dropping out due to boredom because we aren't moving fast enough, or getting lost because we're moving too fast. So please do speak up on our pace - the rest of us can skim if we have to (I imagine that will bring a lot to our memories), or read slower (not likely a problem as we're all also studying the New Testament for Sunday School, plus whatever personal study we may be doing).

Love it. I tried to figure out how to color-coordinate my notes in the gospel library app and quickly determined it wasn't a practical exercise, so I just use tags generously and use whatever color suits me at the time. Heaven help anyone trying to make sense of it.

I forgot to mention, we will require all posts to be photographs or scans of handwritten notes made using a fountain pen.

I just finished my reading and was starting over today. I was planning to study a specific topic, instead of starting over from the beginning, but I can change that. I tend to read slowly, since I'm studying, not reading. If you need someone who understands history and, say, Jewish culture in 600 BC, archeological evidence, linguistics, comparative religion, or other such knowledge, well, you're looking for someone other than me. But if you want to talk about what the book says and what the Church teaches, I'm game.

But this isn't a gender, it's confusion about gender.

Welcome to Third Hour, @DAR!

Blackadder was one of my favorites! (Or does it have to be favourites?)

Pretty much guaranteed.

Come to the dark side1, @Jamie123! Not only do we believe God is a person, we believe his is literally the Father of your spirit - the very definition of personal and approachable. (And we have cookies - at 7pm, in the gym....) 1By which, of course, I mean the light, aka, the light of Christ.

You accidentally stabbed yourself with your extra-fine nibbed fountain pen that happened to be inked with Noodler's Heart of Darkness?

Got it! (Meant no disrespect to your grandfather, either!)

It's a joke. Dorcas Lane is a character on the British show Lark Rise to Candleford. She's all the time calling things her "one weakness" (meaning she has a zillion one weaknesses). Boston Cream donuts are my one weakness.