As we dive into the First Book of Nephi, I wanted to address my approach to this work for the sake of full transparency.
One of the biggest hurdles I have faced as I have prepared to share my thoughts on the Book of Mormon, is coming up with its presentation. I want to be able to help you see the narrative through a different lens, but I also want to avoid taking things out of context or unintentionally misinterpreting the text.
To my first point, I have determined that the best course of action is to analyze the book using the original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. This is for two reasons.
1. It is the original presentation of the book, there are no verses, and the chapters are the original lengths. It is the exact formatting and style that initially converted thousands of saints.
2. I will not be referring to the Book as scripture. It is going to be presented as a historical fiction since this is the position that my study is taking. I recognize that some of my readers believe in the book as an ancient text, but that is simply not my perception. Again, I am trying to help change your perspective of the Book of Mormon and to help you understand it as a 19th century historical fiction. As such, I will not be quoting it like this,
Instead, I will be sharing the full page that I am addressing.