Scripture Nerd!!

In the King James Bible there is a total of 783,137 words and can be read in 70 hours. In the Book of Mormon there is a total of 268,163 words and can be read in 22 hours. In the Doctrine and Covenants there is a total of 134,804 words and can be read in 14 hours. In the Pearl of Great Price there is a total of 30,362 words and can be read in 4 hours. That's a total of 1,216,466 and 109 hours or 4.5 days, and that comes from 5 books if you count the Old and New Testament as separate books.

Now let's compare with some other series. The Lord of the Rings series consists of the Hobbit (95,022 words or 11 hours), the Fellowship of the Ring (177,227 words or 19 hours), the Two Towers (143,436 words or 17 hours), and the Return of the King (134,462 words or 18 and a half hours). This series has a total of 550,147 words and 65.5 hours or 2.7 days, and this comes from 4 books.

In the Harry Potter series there is the Sorcerer's Stone (76,944 words and 8.5 hours), the Chamber of Secrets (85,141 words and 9 hours), the Prisoner of Azkaban (107,253 words and 12 hours), the Goblet of Fire (190,637 words and 20.5 hours), The Order of the Phoenix (257,045 words and 29.25 hours), the Half-Blood Prince (168,923 words and 18.5 hours), and the Deathly Hallows (198,227 words and 21.75 hours). With a total of 1,084,170 and 119.5 hours or 5 days, and this comes from 7 books. 

Still think seminary and institute students don't deserve the honored title of "nerds" or belong to their own bonafide fandom? In order to get the Moroni award or the Christus award the seminary students have to read each book of scripture through the whole school year (and I'd like to say that most students read the selected book of scripture anyway, but I don't know for sure, I know did though). In order to pass institute the students much read the respective book within that school year. 

I have such a strong testimony of the scriptures and I am so grateful for my wonderful seminary teachers who raised the bar for me. Sister Cogdell, Sister  Sarah Westbrook, Sister Wright, and the long-term substitute Sister Cross are the wonderful women who helped shape my love for the scriptures. Through seminary I learned more than just facts, stories and doctrines. I learned patience, leadership, writing skills, critical thinking, and charity (the pure love of Christ). 

I bear my testimony that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's church. I know that the scriptures are true and that Joseph Smith Jr. was a prophet of God who translated the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and received much of the revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.