My first impressions of Book of Mormon
My very first impression of Book of Mormon was with Lehi’s exclaimations over Our Lord’s “brighter than the noon-day’s sun, open communion with him in Jerusalem.
Yes, I went all around my house singing his words to God, for about 2 weeks. “Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!”
2ndly I found 3 Nephi 23:1’s direct hard command to study the words of Isaiah. This is when I concluded in my own head that Lehi took his family away from Jerusalem in Isaiah’s life-time. And since I was already involved in Bible study in depth every day, I figured to change up my routine of whatever my church wanted me to think only, I’d pray for Holy Ghost involvement in my study of Isaiah, as well as Book of Mormon. I went to down-town library, and found a concordance for BoM, and spent the day till I had my paper and my head so full, I was as excited as Lehi when God appeared to him so brightly.
I found the little book of Jarom vs. 4-8, that was my next biggie, and kept me singing around the house. Here they were in another country, Completely jewish, current prophets, every-body loving and learning from the Lord, all peaceful together, and this after hundreds of years from Lehi leaving Jerusalem. I mean like, you read the record of the Israelites who didn’t go, and it was sinning, and God forgiving constantly over and over, in a regular pattern.