Looking for a BOM Study Buddy

[VeeRogers]

Hello everyone. I am new here. I'm just looking for someone to study the Book of Mormon with online. I don't have a large LDS community where I live and I am just starting out with my readings. I've gone through 1 Nephi 3 times (audio and text). I've taken notes on my little note pad and still don't feel ready to move onto 2 Nephi.

My husband is LDS so that is how I was introduced to the church. Lately I've felt more drawn to learning more but clearly I'm a little stuck. 

Friends of ours sent me some study materials which are helpful but I'd like to meet someone else new to the church that wants to learn together. Maybe read a little then discuss it together? Figured it was worth a shot to see if anyone else on here is in the same situation as I am.

[bytebear]

Online forums are great for questions, and I am sure any and all questions would be answered here. 

How far away is the local church? I think Sunday School is a great asset, and will help you find locals who you can study with. 

You probably already know the church manuals are all online.  There is a teacher's manual and student manual for Sunday School.

https://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-class-member-study-guide?lang=eng

These are last year's lessons (as this year is focused on church history), but it's a good place to start.  There are also Seminary (high school) manuals, and Institute (College level) manuals. 
https://www.lds.org/si/seminary/manuals?lang=eng

And now, I think it's time we started activating the message boards we have here for studying.
https://mormonhub.com/forums/forum/44-book-of-mormon-scripture-reading/

 

 

[VeeRogers]

Thanks for all of that info. I'm just looking for another adult that's just starting out reading that may want to read and discuss together and go through the learning process with.

Everyone at my ward has been a member for a very long time. We don't have any adults new to the church besides myself. All the learning material for new members is geared towards the youth. 

I figured it was worth a shot to see if there was anyone else on  here in the same situation.

[Guest]

14 hours ago, VeeRogers said:

I'm just looking for someone to study the Book of Mormon with online.

If you're looking for a recent convert, you could find a great partner in @An Investigator.  She was baptized about a year ago.

And all the rest of us would be happy to add our comments to any questions or whatnot.

[pam]

3 minutes ago, VeeRogers said:

Thanks for all of that info. I'm just looking for another adult that's just starting out reading that may want to read and discuss together and go through the learning process with.

Everyone at my ward has been a member for a very long time. We don't have any adults new to the church besides myself. All the learning material for new members is geared towards the youth. 

I figured it was worth a shot to see if there was anyone else on  here in the same situation.

Whether we have been members 2 weeks or all of our lives, I think there is always something that we can learn when reading the Book of Mormon.  I know every time I have read it, some new facet jumps out at me that I had not considered before.

[VeeRogers]

Just now, Carborendum said:

If you're looking for a recent convert, you could find a great partner in @An Investigator.  She was baptized about a year ago.

And all the rest of us would be happy to add our comments to any questions or whatnot.

Thanks so much for the reply. I will definitely reach out to her. I wish the study boards had more recent activity. I just browsed through them and they seem like a great place to find answers.

[VeeRogers]

1 minute ago, pam said:

Whether we have been members 2 weeks or all of our lives, I think there is always something that we can learn when reading the Book of Mormon.  I know every time I have read it, some new facet jumps out at me that I had not considered before.

Yes, I agree with you on that.

[zil]

1 hour ago, VeeRogers said:

All the learning material for new members is geared towards the youth. 

Institute may be intended for the college-aged, but I find it invaluable decades later, and in addition to using the electronic institute manuals, I keep my paper copies (whereas other paper manuals have long been junked).

And this:

11 hours ago, bytebear said:

And now, I think it's time we started activating the message boards we have here for studying.
https://mormonhub.com/forums/forum/44-book-of-mormon-scripture-reading/

And this problem....

1 hour ago, VeeRogers said:

I wish the study boards had more recent activity.

...is easily solved by being the next one to post.

Regarding the idea of studying with another newbie...  I think this can be useful, but it sounds a lot like two students without a teacher.  I would not limit yourself to only new-ish members.  As you find a question in your reading, post it, you'll get a wide variety of responses here, from a wide pool of experiences.

My first thought, truthfully, was that your husband is the best person to study with - your perspective will teach him a great deal as he learns to think about the gospel from the perspective of a new convert.  His experience will help you to learn.  The joined experience will bring you closer to each other and to God.

[VeeRogers]

Zil, thanks for responding. I, of course, have my amazing and supportive husband to read with as well as friends and family out of state to discuss things with. 

Again, I just wanted to see if there was anyone in my same situation that wanted to read and discuss together. I enjoy learning with someone at the same stage as me. 

I appreciate everyone responding, I truly do, but I'm really interested in finding someone new to the church to bounce ideas off of and learn with. 

[VeeRogers]

What's the best audio version of BOM available? I like listening while at work and taking notes then I usually read whatever I listened to once I get home and settled. The YouTube channel I found 1 Nephi on that i really like doesn't have anything after 2 Nephi Chapter 4. 

[zil]

6 minutes ago, VeeRogers said:

What's the best audio version of BOM available? I like listening while at work and taking notes then I usually read whatever I listened to once I get home and settled. The YouTube channel I found 1 Nephi on that i really like doesn't have anything after 2 Nephi Chapter 4. 

The Gospel Library app from the church includes audio.  It's available for the various smartphone / tablet platforms.  You may need to be connected to wifi to download the audio.

[VeeRogers]

Thanks 

[Vort]

Vee, would involvement in a small study group be of interest to you?

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, VeeRogers said:

What's the best audio version of BOM available? 

You can go to the church website and download the audio.  You have the option of male or female voices and it does make a difference.

The male option has the female reading the chapter headings and the male reading the chapter text.  I prefer it myself.  But the weakness is that his voice is so low that I can't crank it up loud enough in the car.  The female voice being slightly louder and a higher pitch is easier to hear in the car.

[zil]

1 hour ago, Carborendum said:

The male option has the female reading the chapter headings and the male reading the chapter text.  I prefer it myself.  But the weakness is that his voice is so low that I can't crank it up loud enough in the car.  The female voice being slightly louder and a higher pitch is easier to hear in the car.

If they're mp3 files, you can download Audacity and up the volume.  If you know what you're doing, you can manipulate the voice too.   Do you suppose the church would consider hiring Sean Connery to read the scriptures?  I think I would pay for that.

[Guest]

28 minutes ago, zil said:

If they're mp3 files, you can download Audacity and up the volume.  If you know what you're doing, you can manipulate the voice too.   Do you suppose the church would consider hiring Sean Connery to read the scriptures?  I think I would pay for that.

What about Ian McKellan?

[zil]

9 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

What about Ian McKellan?

I have no idea who that is.

ETA: OK, googled.  No.  Sean Connery.

Edited April 19, 2017 by zil

[Guest]

Just now, zil said:

I have no idea who that is.

Gandalf and Magneto.  As far as voice acting/ narration goes, he's the British Morgan Freeman.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Guest

[VeeRogers]

Sean Connery, Ian McLellan or my personal favorite Christopher Walken would be absolutely perfect. I'd get through the audio in no time.

Edited April 19, 2017 by VeeRogers
Typi

[zil]

1 minute ago, Carborendum said:

Gandalf and Magneto.  As far as voice acting/ narration goes, he's the British Morgan Freeman.

Sam Elliot would work though.  Yeah.  I'm not sure I'd get anything spiritual out of listening to the scriptures with him narrating.  Probably better for it to just be the anonymous boring voice they already chose.

[zil]

1 minute ago, VeeRogers said:

Christopher Walken

No.  Ick.  Just no. (You're welcome to have him narrate your scriptures, though.)

[VeeRogers]

2 hours ago, Vort said:

Vee, would involvement in a small study group be of interest to you?

 

That was very thoughtful of you. Thanks so much. I'll jump over to that post when I get home in about an hour. It's family dinner night. Have to run out for some extra food.

[VeeRogers]

Just now, zil said:

No.  Ick.  Just no. (You're welcome to have him narrate your scriptures, though.)

Lol

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, VeeRogers said:

Sean Connery, Ian McLellan or my personal favorite Christopher Walken would be absolutely perfect. I'd get through the audio in no time.

Really?  I'd find that WAY too distracting.  I mean, as an actor, I love him to death.  But his voice with it's quirks narrating the BoM?

Edited April 19, 2017 by Guest

[mordorbund]

2 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

Really?  I'd find that WAY too distracting.  I mean, as an actor, I love him to death.  But his voice with it's quirks narrating the BoM?

!!

[starts deleting his Gilbert Gottfried Book of Mormon project]