My Personal Journey Through The Book Of Mormon (Preface)

I was going to start a new blog and simply entitle it "My Personal Journey Through The Book Of Mormon", but I decided to add it to this, my primary blog, simply because this is all part of my "Personal Search for Happiness". Inspiration to do this came to me while sitting in Priesthood meeting (Elder's Quorum) today, 4 January 2015.

Thank you to everyone who is choosing to follow along on this adventure with me (if there is any). As a small disclaimer, I would like to apologize up front if I offend anyone with any of my writings in this blog. Please know that my intentions are purely and solely to express my personal impressions, feelings, and promptings that I receive while exploring into this somewhat unknown territory for me. Let me explain.

I was born Under the Covenant (meaning, I was born a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), was baptized at age 8 (on my birthday!), have served in many callings, have even taught lessons in Sunday School and the like... But, admittedly, I have never read The Book of Mormon from beginning to end. I know, I know -- this must come as a shock to at least some of you -- but it's nonetheless true.

I plan to take a much different, possibly unique approach this time. I will start reading the book with the intention of keeping a running journal of thoughts, feelings, impressions, promptings, explorations into footnotes and why. Once I've come to a point where I feel I have enough material to update this blog, I will do so. This will continue until I have successfully journeyed through the entire book. The posts will not be on a schedule, but as I'm impressed to embark on further study, rest assured there will be subsequent posts as often as I am able. This to state that this will not be a daily, or weekly, or maybe even monthly blog... but that I will do my best (as I am far more interested this go around) in pushing through... and hopefully at a decent pace.

With the aforementioned being said, I invite you to come with me as I explore this book. I can't promise that you will personally gain testimony from anything that I write, but I can promise that I am working on being guided by the Spirit in these writings... so I'm hoping together we can internalize messages put forth in this great book. These things I pray, in the holy name of Jesus Christ.

Stay tuned for Part 1.