Book of Mormon in a Day

[deseretgov]

Is it possible to read the Book of Mormon in one day?

If so has anyone here done it?

What was the verse(chapter) per minute(hour) rate needed to complete it?

[Seanette]

I probably could if I really tried (fast reader, a 540-page book in a day is doable for me), but I don't guarantee that I'd retain a lot. (Much denser material than the average novel)

Edited June 21, 2009 by Seanette
correcting page count to include intro, testimonies, etc.

[pam]

No idea. Never thought about doing it. Doesn't seem like the kind of book you'd just want to read all in one day. I have a hard enough time comprehending and understanding a chapter a day sometimes let alone the entire book.

[AnthonyB]

Sort of did it in two days, but that was skimming through narrative story looking for doctrinal passages. I wasn't interested in the historical story but what doctrines were being espoused. Can't say I have a great grasp of just how was doing what to whom or how they were related to each other.

On the other hand did get a giggle out of several passages which appeared to be addressed quite humorously at certain other groups. The whole election and rameumptom thing could be seen as a very witty jib at Calvinists. ( If you read the BoM as a Gulliver's Travels, aimed at various doctrines and groups.)

Edited June 23, 2009 by AnthonyB

[Hemidakota]

Is it possible to read the Book of Mormon in one day?

If so has anyone here done it?

What was the verse(chapter) per minute(hour) rate needed to complete it?

Are you a speed reader?

[Islander]

The first time I read t I did it in 4 days. I had to go to work and stuff but I otherwise read every waking hour.

[pam]

Islander, knowing your story, I think there is a difference between feeling the Spirit so strongly that you just HAD to finish it..and someone just wanting to read it all in one day. I think "Spirit" is the key word here.

[Islander]

Islander, knowing your story, I think there is a difference between feeling the Spirit so strongly that you just HAD to finish it..and someone just wanting to read it all in one day. I think "Spirit" is the key word here.

I agree. A speed reading contest is a different story, I guess.

[Palerider]

I thought Parley P Pratt read it in a day....?????

[pam]

Did he? I have no problem with someone wanting to read it in a day. I just know that for me..I wouldn't get a thing out of it.

What was the verse(chapter) per minute(hour) rate needed to complete it?

If they were keeping track of this (which I doubt), would seem to me more interested in time than in content.

Edited June 24, 2009 by pam

[ztodd]

Beware the math geek... suppose you read for 18 hours...

530.00 = total pages

18.00 = hours

29.44 = pages / hour

60.00 = min / hour

2.04 = min / page

Pssh, that's easy. :) Of course, you'd have to be pretty filled with the spirit to read for 18 hours straight without a break.

Seriously, there are some pretty cool things to be gained from a fast reading of the book of mormon. And of course there's tons of things to be gained from a slower reading.

[pam]

I knew there would be a math whiz come along some time.

[RJMurphy]

I have read the Book of Mormon in one day.

To assist with the reading it helps to download the "Book of Mormon MP3 Eng" audio files. Once the files have been downloaded these files can be played at twice the normal speed.

Not only have I read the Book of Mormon in one day, I have also listened to the audio readings of the Book of Mormon. The audio file will help with setting a constant pace and with comprehension.

You will need to set aside about 15 hours.

[RJMurphy]

I have read the Book of Mormon in one day.

To assist with the reading it helps to download the "Book of Mormon MP3 Eng" audio files. Once the files have been downloaded these files can be played at twice the normal speed.

Not only have I read the Book of Mormon in one day, I have also listened to the audio readings of the Book of Mormon. The audio file will help with setting a constant pace and with comprehension.

You will need to set aside about 15 hours.

Not only is it able to read the Book of Mormon in one day, while listening to the audio files you can't help but feel the spirit and the power of the words as you read.

[RMGuy]

We were all challenged to do this during my mission....there was a day that the missionaries weren't allowed out, so the MP decided to issue this challenge to us to make productive use of our time. I completed it...interesting to read it that way, but you retain the story, not the details and specifics.

It is possible, but you do have to be a relatively quick reader. Notice I said quick, not good.

-RM

[Drpepper]

My wife read it with her YW for an activity one night. They all brought sleeping bags to the chapel with the intention of reading the book of Mormon completely in one night. I don't knno how many were awake by the end but they got through it.

[NightSG]

ISTR a speed reading technique that was basically pure short-term memorization without much comprehension at the time of the reading. Basically, you get it into your head, and then ponder it later. It seems like it would be an interesting way to read Scripture. Probably wouldn't work for the entire BOM in one shot unless someone already had a lot of practice with the method, but one book at a time (maybe breaking up some of the bigger ones as well) should be doable fairly quickly.

It was intended to allow the brain to process at its own rate, without having to hold to the reader's reading speed. I'll have to dig around and see if I can find the name of it.

[skalenfehl]

I can get through the BoM in about 24 to 30 hours. I agree that (in most cases) one cannot truly glean knowledge or understanding from the Spirit when rushing through it, but if you can make a habit of reading it very often, you will find that as you read it over and over and over again frequently, you begin to hear the whisperings of the Spirit, you slow down and even stop at times to ponder them. It truly does take a quiet day and a little forethought and planning (prayer and fasting) to get the most out of one session, though. But it's worth it.

[rayhale]

According to the audio book of the Book of Mormon, it takes a little over 30 hours to read it, in a normal speaking speed. So if you consider a day, 24 hours, then no, you can't read it without missing a lot of the text.

[Edit] Sorry, I was going off a version that quoted the verses, every time, so that would increase the time, so does anyone know the time of a good narration of the Book of Mormon?

Edited August 25, 2013 by rayhale

[Dravin]

According to the audio book of the Book of Mormon, it takes a little over 30 hours to read it, in a normal speaking speed. So if you consider a day, 24 hours, then no, you can't read it without missing a lot of the text.

[Edit] Sorry, I was going off a version that quoted the verses, every time, so that would increase the time, so does anyone know the time of a good narration of the Book of Mormon?

Quite a few people, myself included, can read faster than a normal speaking voice. The mp3 version from Formats and Downloads | LDS.org has a running time of 26:04:11 (not counting the title page, testimonies, and what not, 26:38:48 if you do ). To give a rough example I basically 'raced' the recording above's reading of 1 Nephi 1. The recording can read, starting with the chapter heading, 1 Nephi 1 in 5:30 , I read it in 2:40. That's a whopping 51.6% faster than the recording, now that advantage won't necessarily hold out for the whole book (for multiple reasons*) but I only have to read (rounding for ease of calculation) on average 8.3%, 10.8% if we include the title page, book summaries, and the like, faster than the recording to make it in 24 hours. I probably couldn't maintain 51.6% faster, but I bet I could beat, an averaged, 8.3% particularly if I read like I usually do by not bothering with chapter headings. Even if we stipulate I read it all, I still feel fairly comfortable saying I could meet or beat 10.8% faster than the audio-book.

*I'll most likely slow down from getting tired and the pause between chapter heading and verses is static making my gain from that static rather than percentile.

Edited August 25, 2013 by Dravin

[Guest]

I had a friend claim he read the whole thing on a 10-hour drive in high school, but he must have meant round-trip. So that was over a couple of days.

[Lakumi]

I could if it was written in a more modern English, every so often I am somewhat unsure what a word means or how to pronounce it in my head.

In my mind, when I read, I often give voices and a general look to the people within, same with places, and if I get confused my mind can't conjure a picture and the whole thing comes to a halt

Not sure why I read that way but I can read books very fast if I can keep the picture going.

[SoaringEagle]

Lakumi,

Have you tried listening to the Book of Mormon on an Ipod or similar device? I found that it helped me when I was first trying to read the Book of Mormon and now I am able to read on my own.

[AngelMarvel]

You would have to read almost 22 pages and hour to read it in a day. I am positive I couldn't do that!

[Lakumi]

Lakumi,

Have you tried listening to the Book of Mormon on an Ipod or similar device? I found that it helped me when I was first trying to read the Book of Mormon and now I am able to read on my own.

I focus as well as if I were reading it, I have tried but I absorb information the best when I read it

the only thing I felt books on tape were good to me for was setting mood for when I do my writing