LDS Scripture Study Resources

LDS Scripture Study Resourcs

Kurt Elieson

General Items

Searching the Scriptures for Doctrinal Understanding is a twelve page PDF handout that discusses: the relation between searching and pondering, searching the scriptures in light of some of the biological bases of cognition and language, searching the scriptures in the manner of the ancient Jews, a sequence of exercises for gaining proficiency with patterned repetition in the scriptures, a self-test question that I often use to evaluate my understanding of scriptural passages, and a discussion of the types of resources that I look for when studying a book of scripture.

Helping Our Children to Develop Testimonies that Will Withstand Opposition is a ten page PDF of a talk I gave suggesting some ways that we can help our children to intelligently understand why they believe what they believe, to assess when teachings reflect official Church doctrine, and the extent to which we should allow unanswered questions to affect our testimonies.

Newspaper formatted text (below) are oversized 36″ x 48″ sheets that display the full text of each book in a multi-column format similar to a newspaper, along with headings that outline the text. This makes it easier for me to visually see and keep track of the relationships between blocks of text. These PDF files can be printed on a 36″ wide continuous roll printer at FedEx Office and elsewhere for about $10 per 48″ x 36″ sheet (print to fit at about 200%).

Old Testament

Old Testament: Simplified Timeline . Historical Overview . Chart of OT Books . Genesis-Kings

Genesis: Outline . Newspaper: Gen 1-11b . Gen 11c-25a . Gen 25b-35 . Gen 36-50

Exodus: Newspaper: Ex 1-18 . Ex 19-31 . Ex 32-40

Leviticus: Newspaper:

Numbers: Newspaper: Num 1-10a . Num 10b-25 . Num 26-36

Deuteronomy: Newspaper:

Joshua: Newspaper: Josh 1-12 . Josh 13-24

Judges-Ruth: Outline . Newspaper: Judg 1-12 . Judg 13-Ruth 4

Samuel: Outline . Newspaper: 1 Sam 1-15 . 1 Sam 16-31 . 2 Sam 1-12 . 2 Sam 13-1 Kgs 2

Daniel & Revelation: Outline

Amos: Newspaper

Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon Outlined as Blocks of Text is a single page PDF document that identifies the major blocks of text in the Book of Mormon. Works well with this discussion of unities that tie the entire Book of Mormon together as a single whole.

Book of Mormon Text by Year and Record Keepers is a single page PDF document drawn to scale showing the relative quantity of text dedicated to each historical period of Nephite history.

Composition of the Gold Plates by Author is a single page PDF document drawn to scale to reflect the size of each author’s contribution both to the Book of Mormon text that is available today and to the overall content of the Gold Plates. The parallel relationships of Nephi to Jacob and of Mormon to Moroni are also reflected. Works well with this discussion of four Book of Mormon editors.

Length of Text Relating to Each Generation in Ether is a single page PDF document that identifies the quantity of text dedicated to each of the 30 generations identified in Ether.

Ether: Outline . Newspaper

Doctrine & Covenants

Doctrine & Covenants Timeline to 1847 is a single page PDF document that correlates the principal periods of Church history to 1847 with major historical events and sections from the Doctrine & Covenants that were recorded in each year.

Historical Context of the Doctrine & Covenants is a heavily researched book with extensive narrative quotations from original sources that explains every single section of the Doctrine & Covenants in light of its setting in church history. Volume 1 covers Sections 1-70 with 353 pages of text, 62 pages of footnotes, and a bibliography, exhaustive index, etc. Volume 2 is approaching completion.

Feast Upon The Word

I do not host commentary here in favor of contributing to the LDS scripture wiki at Feast Upon The Word.Org.

The wiki: (1) allows me to post material in small units, (2) enables other contributors to improve on what I post, and (3) permits readers to go to a single collaborative location rather than searching for material on several competing sites.

Here are several comments on the wiki that I think are worth visiting. Please join me in contributing

Gen 2:1-3: Symbolism of the Sabbath Day

Ruth: Symbolism of the bride and bridegroom in Ruth

Isaiah: The covenant of scattering and gathering

1 Ne 2:19-24: The Lord’s covenant with Nephi

D&C 134: The relationship between church, state, and agency

Ether: Complete outline