I like to write stuff. While I have enjoyed it as long as I remember, I never really wrote much until I started this blog – almost 8 years ago. Since then, I have written on a pretty regular basis.
Between blog posts, articles, and some other stuff I am working on, I have knocked out well over 1,000,000 words during the MMM years. To put that into context, if you take ALL the Harry Potter novels, they come in at 1,084,170 words. So, I am exactly like JK Rowling, except for the fame, riches, power, movies and fandom.
My average Sunday blog entries bounce between 1,500 and 3,000 words. On average, each one takes a couple hours to type. I don’t edit or proofread hard – obviously – but 1,000 words an hour is still a pretty quick pace.
I doubt you care about this, and you are waiting for me to make a point….
Earlier this month, in the Sunday afternoon session of General Conference, Tad R. Callister gave a masterful testimony of the divinity of Book of Mormon. In modern parlance, it was a “mic-drop” kinda talk. Here are two excerpts:
“To explain the Book of Mormon’s existence, the critics must also make the claim that Joseph was a naturally gifted writer at age 23. Otherwise, how did he interweave scores of names, places, and events into a harmonious whole without inconsistencies? How did he pen detailed war strategies, compose eloquent sermons, and coin phrases that are highlighted, memorized, quoted, and placed on refrigerator doors by millions of people, phrases such as, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17) or “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). These are messages with a heartbeat—messages that live and breathe and inspire. To suggest that Joseph Smith at age 23 possessed the skills necessary to write this monumental work in a single draft in approximately 65 working days is simply counter to the realities of life.
President Russell M. Nelson, an experienced and skilled writer, shared that he had over 40 rewrites of a recent general conference talk. Are we now to believe that Joseph Smith, on his own, dictated the entire Book of Mormon in a single draft with mainly minor grammatical changes made thereafter?
Joseph’s wife Emma confirmed the impossibility of such an undertaking: “Joseph Smith -as a young man – could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well-worded letter; let alone dictate a book like the Book of Mormon.”2
I’ve heard similar arguments. One of the best being from Elder Dallin Oaks, “The Historicity of the Book of Mormon.” But this time it hit me like a bolt of lightning.
Why? Because it is the first time I have really contemplated the creation of The Book of Mormon from a writer’s perspective.
And I am in awe.
The Book of Mormon contains 268,163 words, on 531 pages. (It is not true that if you took out “And it came to pass” that the book would only be 200 pages.) That is 506 words on each page – tightly packed.
The part that is toughest to get my head around is that it was written in 65 days. 4,125 words a day, every day. No breaks for research, no days for editing – because there was no research or editing. One draft: Dictated, transcribed and done.
(I have written 4,125 words in a day many times, and without distractions, I am confident that I could write 531 pages in 65 days – but it would be the most awful book you have ever read in your entire life. And I mean awful.)
Being a writer has further strengthened my testimony of the divinity of The Book of Mormon, and the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, Jun.
Here are a few thoughts:
• I have a laptop, not a scribe, We talk about Joseph’s gifts, but what about Oliver’s writing cramps?
• When I write, I have spellcheck, a thesaurus, a dictionary and unlimited research at my fingertips. Joseph Smith had none of those things. I don’t know exactly how he translated, using seer stones, hats, plates, etc., but to dictate on average 4,125 words a day, on the fly, without reading back or making corrections makes no sense. unless you account for divine intervention.
• When I write blog posts, every once in a while, I write a line that I feel is really worthwhile, and often, they are hard to come by. The Book of Mormon is replete with scriptures that are life changing – scriptures we memorize, and live by. Some of the most important theological ideas ever given come from The Book of Mormon.
• I research like crazy to provide supporting materials to any theological ideas I present. It takes time, and resources. Sometimes reading and researching takes longer than the actual writing. Joseph Smith not only supported existing theological ideas, but surpassed all known theology with new, enlightening truths.
• I always have re-read what I had last written before I pick up where I left off. Joseph did not have to do this. Crazy.
• The Book of Mormon is complicated. There is so much going on: Differing timelines, new and existing theological points, new and specific cultural issues. Joseph would have needed a giant blank wall and unlimited Post-it notes just to keep track of what is happening and where it is going.
• I have known writers to fret for days about the names of characters. The Book of Mormon is chock full of names and locations that tie into actual geography and nomenclature that existed thousands of years earlier, but was unknown at Joseph’s time.
I am a relative novice in the world of Book of Mormon research. There are those who dedicate their lives to better understanding the language cues, patterns, and stuff that is much more complex than I even care to understand.
There are those who dedicate their lives to tearing it down and trying to disprove it all.
“God’s fingerprints are all over the Book of Mormon, as evidenced by its majestic doctrinal truths, particularly its masterful sermons on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” (Tad R. Callister)
My testimony of The Book of Mormon does not come from the complexity of the doctrines, the miraculous way it was brought to us, or the way it has held up for 187+ years. All that stuff is great, but it is icing on the cake. My testimony did not come from the process of reading, studying and living the doctrines that it teaches, although those things facilitated it. My testimony of The Book of Mormon came to me by the promptings of the Holy Ghost, as promised in the very book itself.
“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Moroni 10:4)
It took me 1300 words to get to this simple point: While it is cool that it took 65 days to translate The Book of Mormon, it is merely cool. All of the miraculous circumstances surrounding the bringing forth of The Book of Mormon are ultimately inconsequential if we don’t have a legitimate testimony given to us by the Holy Ghost. If we have received that witness, all of the attending miracles strengthen and support that testimony. The sequence matters.
As a witness of the divinity of The Book of Mormon, I share my testimony that it is true.
As a writer, I testify that the coming forth of The Book of Mormon is very, very cool.
To all my friends who write: I would love to hear your thoughts on these ideas. Please comment!
Thanks for this! I’ve included a link to it in my personal gospel study journal!
This evidence is cool, especially for those who are greatly influenced by the sophistry of the world. Conversations like this actually make me appreciate more the simplicity of the Gospel — that the way to not be swayed by every wind of doctrine is to receive a direct, unmistakable revelation from God. With so much debate about the authenticity of the Bible, for example, I appreciate that you don’t have to be a professional historian to have an answer for everyone that would ask a reason for the hope that is within you.
Thanks for the post. I loved looked at those stats from a writer’s point of view. I too have written 4,125 words in a day before, but that’s the kind of writing you want on a self-destruct tI met just in case you die and someone else actually reads it.
I wonder… how much evidence is there of the stats for non-LDS studiers? I mean, is there proof of the 65 days? And I also noticed that one of the “proofs” is a quote from his wife, even if she didn’t stay with the main body of the church. So I’m grateful for your conclusion. “Facts” can always be challenged, but Truth is eternal.
Here is an article by someone far more familiar than I: https://www.lds.org/ensign/1988/01/i-have-a-question?lang=eng
When I write it is normally in a quick burst to capture something over which I have been dwelling for a while. Joseph did have time between the original revelation of the plates by Moroni but I do agree that the stream of information which was captured by Oliver and Emma plus the other fella couldn’t have been done to the quality it is without it being inspired. I too have a belief that the Book of Mormon is for us in this day and that Joseph was telling the truth. Thanks for your blog. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I feel differently about things than you but there’s room for everyone at the Gospel table. ~
And part of that 65 days he was being chastised and couldn’t translate, I think. Does that come out of the 65 days? Or is it 65 not counting those?
I think that lull was deducted
Your thought processes are so much more orderly than mine. Thank you for saying what I feel, but cannot speak or write.
So true. Thank you MMM! – Did you mean Moroni 10:4?
probably
Thank you for your wonderful perspective on Tad R Callister’s talk/testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I always enjoy your posts! You are definitely, The Man!
Going on seven years with my unfinished novel here, and I may never finish. It feels like an important piece of literature that might have something worthwhile to say. Why is it taking me so long? Maybe I need to pray for inspiration, huh?
Thank you for putting this book in a new perspective for me with this post. Writing is an act of creation that, at its best, feels a bit like dictation from some other source besides my own brain. Most of the time though, it feels more like translating a foreign language of emotion and sensation into another language. I can’t imagine what the process of translation was like for Joseph. Surprising, spiritually and physically demanding, exhilarating?
I love seeing how God used Joseph to bring truth and light into the world. Joseph chose to be a pencil in God’s hands and he succeeded magnificently. How grateful I am that he did.
Most of the time though, it feels more like translating a foreign language of emotion and sensation into another language.
Love how you phrased this!
A minor part of my testimony of the Book of Mormon came on my mission as I was reading it in a new language. Translating as I read from Swedish to English was difficult and required the very frequent use of a Swedish/English dictionary. As the reading progressed the dictionary was used less and less. Then the author changed. When Nephi started to quote Isaiah the dictionary again made it’s presence felt. When each succeeding author made an appearance so did the dictionary. Even within a book it was obvious when an author changed or Mormon was interjecting his own thoughts as editor. It is patently obvious to me that Joseph Smith did not “write ” the Book of Mormon. Nephi did. Jacob did. Enos, Jarom, Chemish, Abinadom,
and a host of others wrote the book. I know it is true because the Spirit of The Lord answers prayers. And when I received these things I asked God The Eternal Father if theses things are true. And by the power of the Holy Ghost I know the truth of these things.
As an English major, I’m often interested to notice the different “voices” that the various authors use. Jacob, for example, is kind of melancholy and poetic. Mormon occasionally lets us see his own bias against the Lamanites (not shocking, given his life) and his own man-crush on Captain Moroni (also not surprising, given his military career!)– I remember being absolutely delighted when I realized that Mormon named his son after Captain Moroni because he respected him so much; the two Moronis in the BOM aren’t just a strange coincidence!
Former secretary with a documented typing speed of 95 wpm. That 4100-ish words per day would take me a solid 45 minutes to type as someone dictated it (preferably a cassette tape so I didn’t have the boss standing overhead). But I would be pretty much useless for the rest of the day from carpal tunnel pain. And for the record, I have in fact had days like that. So much fun working for a transactional attorney in the middle of a corporate take-over project. *rolleyes*
In comparison, my hand writing speed is maybe 20 wpm. That knocks us to nearly 4 hours of writing time, but the pain would shut me down far sooner than that. Both hand and neck.
I had never before considered the tremendous blessings given to Oliver Cowdery that enabled him to be up to this momentous task. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to look at it from another perspective.
I was at my computer late last night trying to finish a novel I’ve been working on for a year. I sweated, did some deep breathing, drank two Diet Pepsi’s, even cried a little and finally got the ONE PARAGRAPH just right. I love that you showed the coming forth of the BofM from a writer’s perspective because there is no way in heck Joseph Smith could have done what he did without divine aid. Especially since they had no Diet Pepsi back then….how did they live??? And bless Oliver’s fingers…poor guy. Loved this, Bradley 🙂
I’ve done enough reading and research into neuroscience and brain development as an adoptive parent that I know there are certain chemicals that can mimic the experience of being witnessed to by the Spirit. As a result, many who have received a witness later fall away rationalizing their previous experience as a trick of brain chemistry. For me, my witness of the truths of the Book of Mormon come from the promise that by their fruits ye shall know them. In my life nothing has brought me peace and clarity like the word of God as contained in the BofM. It makes much of what Paul is trying to say make sense. It reveals truth that I need in the moment. And yes, being a writer has made me blink my eyes in overwhelming “Wow” at the circumstances by which it came into the world. In the parlance of the industry there were no content edits. The timing and appearance of Words of Mormon and the sudden shift in narration into Mormon or Moroni’s voice from time to time alone makes this mind boggling. Great post, Bradley.
Wonderful! Thanks!
In my opinion, Tad R. Callister is one of the brightest and persuasive writers and speakers among the general authorities. The talk he gave in October was an extremely powerful reminder of how miraculous the Book of Mormon truly is. Earlier in my life I sought to find reasons why the book could not be true. Today I wish that I had spent that time finding evidences and strengthening testimony of Joseph Smith’s prophetic calling and his (most) powerful fruit – the Book of Mormon.
I love Tad R. Callister and his apologetics. You recaptured his talk wonderfully and I love the thoughtful remarks you added.