Week 79 (4/27/2020) Mythbusters

You have all heard the conversion stories, the person says that after they got the Book of Mormon, they just couldn't put it down, when the missionaries come back the next day they have read the whole thing and know it is true. I was always intrigued by those stories. Being relatively aware of the rate that most people read the scriptures, it is pretty amazing to think that someone, with no familiarity with a scriptural text, might sit down and read it. 

Now, I was rather limited in my experiment, since the only one that was willing to participate was me (the people we were teaching didn't seemed thrilled at the prospect of reading the whole thing), and I am not the best test subject, perhaps, since I am relatively familiar with both the Book of Mormon and scriptural language. But I wanted to see anyways. The verdict? It is possible, clocking in just over 13 hours to read the whole thing. No better way to spend the Sabbath. 

Here are the conclusions that I drew from this experience:

1. Anyone who does that the first time they pick up a Book of Mormon is being acted upon by the Holy Ghost, no other explanation.

2. Even 13 straight hours of scripture study doesn't perfect you, more's the pity.

3. They sure talk about Jesus a lot in that book

4. Ether is always shorter than I think it is. Good thing, too, by the time I got to Ether it was almost my bedtime. 

5. It is hard to absorb much from scripture when you are speed reading.

Well, there you go. I tried it, so if that was a question that has always bothered you, now you don't have to. I wouldn't particularly recommend it. I love the Book of Mormon, but keep the studies under 4 hours 🏽

In other news, I also finished the New Testament this week. 

We had our Branch Council and Sunday School over zoom yesterday, it was nice to actually see some members of the branch. And one of our members dropped of a meal to us, so we actually got to see somebody. 

Our teaching currently mostly consists of sharing Book of Mormon scriptures whenever we can get someone on the phone. Phone lessons tend to be more succinct: they are a one principle sort of a deal. Not that they are always short....but you do only end up getting one principle in edgewise during the long phone calls too. 

Hoping and praying that this ends soon. I'll send an addendum to this email if and when I come up with some jokes. My brain is still tired from yesterday. 

Oh! We were told this week that at transfers next week, our mission will be absorbing the Spring, Texas stake, so that is pretty cool. I think President said that the temple would still be barely outside of our boundaries, though. 

Love,

Elder DeFord