I know it's been a while, but I have been studying my scriptures...I just haven't been journaling about them (sorry). Anyhow, I don't really have too much to report on right now. I have been mainly focusing on my Book of Mormon read through. I've been doing really well! I am currently in Alma 4. When able, I spend most of my workday reading the Book of Mormon online.
I admit that I feel like I am missing a lot by pushing through the Book of Mormon so quickly and I would love to stop and do an in depth study. At the same time though, I am glad that I am doing this run through as it is helping me to better understand how all of the stories intertwine with each other. One thing that makes it really come together, that I think is part of the new 2013 enhancements, is that the summaries to each chapter include the estimated time frame. I know that the time frames are on the bottom corner in the hard copy but I hadn't noticed them in the electronic version.
I have been incorporating a little study by comparing one part in one book to another part in another book. Sometimes you get different perspectives of the same event, other times you get added information or an extra piece to the puzzle that isn't obvious if you're not looking for it. I think that has been the one thing that I have been enjoying the most. In the past, I have been doing a piecemeal type of study where I would read sections independent of each other. But how would that be to just read chapter 4 of the Hobbit, then read chapter 7, and then maybe later read chapter 2. Sure you might get good information here and there within their respected environments, but in order to get the full picture you really have to read it for what it is...one complete story.
One thing I have been very interested in is the geography. I wish the Church would come out with a map that shows where everything was. Unfortunately, we don't have that information. I'm sure the Prophets may know or could know if Heavenly Father wanted to tell them, but then I think that would defeat part of the purpose which is to build faith. It's easy to believe in something that has undeniable evidence. Or perhaps another reason is to protect the sacred nature of the lands. If the Church publicly stated, "The land of Zarahemla was here in (place)," then you would have members flocking to live there and enemies flocking to destroy or discredit it.
Either way, I have been doing some searches online to see what peoples' opinions are and I found some interesting ideas. There are two that I have been particularly interested in. The first one is this:
I admit that I feel like I am missing a lot by pushing through the Book of Mormon so quickly and I would love to stop and do an in depth study. At the same time though, I am glad that I am doing this run through as it is helping me to better understand how all of the stories intertwine with each other. One thing that makes it really come together, that I think is part of the new 2013 enhancements, is that the summaries to each chapter include the estimated time frame. I know that the time frames are on the bottom corner in the hard copy but I hadn't noticed them in the electronic version.
I have been incorporating a little study by comparing one part in one book to another part in another book. Sometimes you get different perspectives of the same event, other times you get added information or an extra piece to the puzzle that isn't obvious if you're not looking for it. I think that has been the one thing that I have been enjoying the most. In the past, I have been doing a piecemeal type of study where I would read sections independent of each other. But how would that be to just read chapter 4 of the Hobbit, then read chapter 7, and then maybe later read chapter 2. Sure you might get good information here and there within their respected environments, but in order to get the full picture you really have to read it for what it is...one complete story.
One thing I have been very interested in is the geography. I wish the Church would come out with a map that shows where everything was. Unfortunately, we don't have that information. I'm sure the Prophets may know or could know if Heavenly Father wanted to tell them, but then I think that would defeat part of the purpose which is to build faith. It's easy to believe in something that has undeniable evidence. Or perhaps another reason is to protect the sacred nature of the lands. If the Church publicly stated, "The land of Zarahemla was here in (place)," then you would have members flocking to live there and enemies flocking to destroy or discredit it.
Either way, I have been doing some searches online to see what peoples' opinions are and I found some interesting ideas. There are two that I have been particularly interested in. The first one is this:
This idea has always been the general idea I had with regards to where the lands were. I never thought of the Land of Nephi as being where Cuba and the Caribbean islands are, but it makes a certain amount of sense.
Then there is another idea that I had never thought of before and that is that it all took place in the USA. I watched an hour long Youtube video lecture with the main author Wayne May giving a lot of archaeological evidence in support of this theory.
I like the second theory about it being in the USA in that it is a very convincing argument and it just sounds fun to have it in the USA, however I found some possible gaps so I remain wary. For example, I don't know that he spelled it our or not, but based on this map, the river Sidon would be the Mississippi. But then there is a scripture in Alma 22:29 that kind of puts things out of place. Then, there is the argument that proponents of the first theory make regarding the land of Nephi, in that it was sunk in the sea (see 3 Nephi 9:7).
So, the bottom line is...I have NO idea where anything was. But it all sounds fun and interesting. What I am doing though is taking both maps and visualizing the different events as I read through the book of Alma to see where they would be in these maps and compare how they match up.
Anyhow, that is what I have been doing lately. I am also doing a lot of Missionary work. See my "Trip Log" for more info on that though.
Until next time!
So, the bottom line is...I have NO idea where anything was. But it all sounds fun and interesting. What I am doing though is taking both maps and visualizing the different events as I read through the book of Alma to see where they would be in these maps and compare how they match up.
Anyhow, that is what I have been doing lately. I am also doing a lot of Missionary work. See my "Trip Log" for more info on that though.
Until next time!