have you ever read the entire book of mormon...

in 2 1/2 days?


The entire group (except me and Brother Parker)

This past weekend we had youth conference with the young men and women of our ward...and we did just that - we read the entire Book of Mormom, from cover to cover, in 2.5 days! We arrived at the cabin in Pinetop, (which was about a three hour drive), around 12:30 in the afternoon. We quickly unpacked, set up our camping chairs, and began our reading session. Each person was given their own Book of Mormon, marking pencil, and bag to keep their goodies in. Every 1/2 hour or so, we had some kind of diversion that went along with what we had been reading. Some of the diversions consisted of having a physical challenge, singing a hymn, getting a treat, and/or answering a trivia question for a prize. That first day we read, (pretty much only breaking for meals), until 10:00 pm...only to have to start again, at the crack of dawn on Friday. Friday was a long day. We had to have mostly the fast readers reading because we got started later than planned, and had fallen behind schedule. We read from 7:30 in the morning until 11:00 PM...once again, only breaking for meals. We finally were able to finish the 3rd day, at about 3:30 PM. I know that at times the kids (and even we, leaders) became distracted, or too tired to follow along (Sis Tuckett and I stayed awake the entire time though), or bored; but there were other times in which the Spirit permeated the entire room, and the hearts and souls of all those who sought it out and had a true desire to feel it. I don't think I have ever had such a powerful experience while reading the Book of Mormom. It was amazing. And wonderful. And really impossible to fully describe the feeling that came over my entire body and soul. The accounts were more real to me than ever before. The pages, and the people, and their experiences, and dealings, came to life for me. The part that especially touched me was when Christ came to His people in the American continent. He taught them, and blessed them, and prayed for (and with) them. I can't begin to express the love that came over me as we read those pages. I know my Savior lives. I love the Book of Mormon, because it teaches us about Him. We can really learn about Him, gain a testimony of Him, and come to know Him as our personal Savior and friend, by reading the Book of Mormon...for it truly testifies of Him. I will never forget the amazing experience it was, the tender mercies that we witnessed, the spirit that we felt, the love that was exhibited, and the things that we learned, as we read the Book of Mormon together...in 2 1/2 days.


Just as the savior has our names graven on the palms of his hands (1 Nephi 21:16), we were asked to write something on our palm (some wrote on their wrists) that would serve as a reminder of how the Savior loves us.


here we are displaying our palms and wrists


reading the second day


Reading Mosiah 18 by the lake (Alma baptizes at the waters of Mormon).


Alma 3: 4-19 The wicked Amlicites marked themselves...likewise a few of us, marked ourselves.



Alma 19:16-29 Abish makes an appearance...and look who was lucky enough to play Abish :)





Just as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (Alma 24:1-19; 27:28-29) buried their weapons of war and covenanted to never again shed blood...we also buried our swords, and covenanted to give up something in our lives that may have been distancing us from our Savior.




Four boys acting as the Zoramites on the Rameumptom (Alma 31)


Bishop acting as The prophet Alma as he counsels with his three missionary sons (Alma 36-42)


Moroni (Alma 46) also makes an appearance, and holds up a customized Title of Liberty with a challenge for all of us to complete the Book of Mormon over the three days of youth conference.


Everyone covenanted to do so by signing the title of liberty.


Our "end of Alma" party.


More from the "end of Alma" party.


The aftermath of the "end of Alma" party.


Everyone wore blindfolds during 3 Nephi 8-11, to represent the darkness that covered the land for three days.


We did it!

"The Book of Mormon will change your life. It will fortify you against the evils of our day. It will bring spirituality into your life that no other book will. It will be the most important book you will read in preparation for a mission and for life. A young man or woman who knows and loves the Book of Mormon, who has read it several times, who has an abiding testimony of its truthfulness and who applies its teachings will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and that youth will be a mighty tool in the hands of the Lord."
(Pres. Benson, To the youth of the Noble Birthright, Ensign, May 1986)