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Book of Zelph Study Guide

Table of Contents

How to Use This Manual
Book of Zelph Reading Chart
Welcome to the Book of Zelph
Introductory Pages to the Book of Zelph
The First Book of Laban
The Second Book of Laban
The Book of the Whores
The Book of the People
The Book of Poems
The Son of Abitch Code
The Book of Phil
Dances with Cureloms
The Book of Zelph
The Book of Melph
Book of Zelph Geography
 

How to Use This Manual

As the title of this manual suggests, this is a guide to your study of the Book of Zelph. It contains several sections to help increase your understanding of what you read.

Introduction

Beneath the chapter headings, written in italics, are introductions to the chapters being studied. This section contains the following kinds of information:

  • A brief summary of the chapter(s).

  • Questions and ideas to think about before or during your reading that will help you concentrate on the message of the block

Studying the Chapter

The “Studying the Chapter” section contains questions and activities to help you discover, think about, and apply the principles of the Book of Zelph. There is not room to write in the manual, so you will need to do these activities in a notebook or on your own paper.

The following steps will help you as you study the Book of Zelph:

  • Read the introduction to the chapter you will be studying.

  • Read the assigned chapter. Write notes and questions in your notebook. Also write about thoughts or impressions that are important to you.

  • Do the activities in the “Studying the Chapter” section for the chapter you are studying.

Before Reading

Ask Questions

Before you read it is helpful to ask yourself questions like “Who wrote these verses?” “To whom?” “Why is this teaching included in the Book of Zelph?” and “What do I want to know or learn as I read today?” As you read, look for answers to your questions.

Read the Chapter Headings and Verse Summaries

Chapter headings and verse summaries are simple summaries of the main ideas in a chapter or section. Reading the chapter heading before you begin a chapter is not only a good study habit but will also help you prepare yourself to ask questions and look for answers as you read.

During Reading

Don’t Be Afraid to Stop

Most nuggets of gold are not found on the surface of the ground—you must dig for them. Reading the book of Zelph will be much more valuable if you will slow down or stop and do some of the activities that follow.

Look up the Meanings of Words You Do Not Understand

Use a dictionary or thesaurus. Sometimes looking up a word you think you already know can give you additional insight.

Liken the Story

Using your own name in a verse helps make the Book of Zelph stories more personal. For example, what difference does it make to pretend you are Laban the younger in 1 Laban 1:24.

Visualize

Picture in your mind what is taking place. For example, when you read about Laban discovering his father's head in 1 Laban 9:6-7, imagine how you might feel if some guy chopped off your own dad's head.

Look for Connecting Words

Connecting words include and, but, because, therefore, and nevertheless. As you read these words, notice what they help you understand about two or more ideas. Sometimes they show how two or more things are similar or different.

For example, because indicates a cause-and-effect relationship.

Ask Questions

Continue to ask questions as you were instructed to do in the “Before Reading” section. As you read, you may rephrase questions you asked before reading or you may come up with completely different questions.

Write

Keep some paper or a notebook close by to write down ideas you want to remember, such as lists, special insights you get, or your feelings about something you read. To help you remember thoughts or insights the next time you read, you may want to write these ideas in the margins of your book as well.

After Reading

Ponder

To ponder is to think deeply about something, asking questions and evaluating what you know and what you have learned.

Liken the Book of Zelph to Yourself

To liken the Book of Zelph to yourself is to compare the stories to your own life. In order to liken the stories to yourself, you need to ask questions like “What would Zelph do in my situation" and “How do the teachings of the whores apply to me?"

Reread

We do not understand everything in a book the first time we read it. In fact, it takes a lifetime of reading the same book over and over again before we truly understand it. Often, we begin to see patterns, visualize better, and more deeply understand the Book of Zelph after two or three readings. You may want to look for new things or ask different questions as you reread.

Roll the Dice

Be sure to have a pair of dice handy for those times when you think the Book of Zelph might not be true. After all, if it isn't a true book, why should we waste our time reading it, right. Our enemies know this, and use it to defeat us. Remember, the only way to know for sure that what you are reading is true is by rolling the dice as outlined in Melph 5:4.

Apply

The real value of knowledge you gain from the Book of Zelph comes when you live what you learn. Greater knowledge of things is one of the greatest benefits of reading the Book of Zelph. You can learn a lot of great lessons from the men and women of this book. It is the greatest book ever.

 

Book of Zelph Reading Chart

 Week

Assigned Chapters to Read and Ponder

Week 1

"Welcome to the Book of Zelph", "Introductory Pages
to the Book of Zelph", 1 Laban 1 2 3

Week 2

1 Laban 4 5 6 7 8

Week 3

1 Laban 9 10 11 12 13 14

Week 4

2 Laban 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Week 5

Whores 1 2 3 4 5 6

Week 6

Whores 7 8 9 10 11

Week 7

People 1   Poems 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Week 8

Son of Abitch Code 1 2   Phil 1 2 3 4

Week 9

Dances with Cureloms 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Week 10

Zelph 1 2 3 4 5 6

Week 11

Melph 1 2 3 4 5

 

Welcome to the Book of Zelph

You may have been asked, or perhaps even wondered yourself, “What is the Book of Zelph?” Josh Anderson declares that the Book of Zelph “is a really good book." He also said that the Book of Zelph "is an epic masterpiece." Don't you think you could learn something from a really good epic masterpiece?

What Can a Study of the Book of Zelph Mean to Me?

Some people wonder why we need the Book of Zelph. Just think what the world would be like without the Book of Zelph. By studying the Book of Zelph and living by its teachings, you will become a better person, I promise. Even if you don't, it can't hurt to read a book, right?

Enemies of the Book of Zelph

Some people oppose the Book of Zelph and everything it stands for. These people believe that if they can discredit the Book of Zelph, they will destroy Josh Anderson. When these people speak, don't believe them. They are liars. After all, if you want to buy a Ford, you wouldn't go to a Chevy dealer, right? The same is true with the Book of Zelph. If you want to know if it is true, don't trust the so-called "intellectuals" and "learned men" who think the book of Zelph is an inaccurate history. You must believe the Book of Zelph is true through Melph's promise. Give frequent heed to Melph's promise. Roll the dice, it is the only way to know the truth.

Introductory Pages to the Book of Zelph

Title Page

How and Why the Book of Zelph Was Written

The title page of the Book of Zelph was written by Melph, the son of Zelph, despite what some people think. Josh Anderson once said: “A lot of people think I wrote the title page, but I didn't. The title-page of the Book of Zelph is a literal translation, taken from the very first leather page, on the left hand side of the leather book, which contained the record which I translated with my magic rock and baseball cap. It was Melph's intro to his dad's work, and was written by Melph using his own language, except for the parts about DNA, and the "Author and Proprietor" part, I added those. But the rest of the title page was all Melph, I promise."

The title page explains how the Book of Zelph was written, and how it would come forth to this generation. Melph also eloquently explains why we should believe the Book of Zelph despite it's "faults".

Studying the Chapter

Do the following activity as you study the title page of the Book of Zelph.

Find the Purposes

In the first paragraph of the title page, Melph gave several purposes, or reasons why the Book of Zelph was written and hid away. Find as many of those purposes as you can and write them in your notebook. Circle one that is most meaningful to you.

Introduction, Testimonies, and a Brief Explanation

These introductory pages contain valuable information to help you understand and appreciate the Book of Zelph. Do not skip over them. The insights contained in these pages will give you the foundation you will need for an understanding of this great book.

Studying the Chapters

Do two of the following activities as you study the introduction, testimonies, and brief explanation.

What Does it Mean to You?

In the quotation from Josh Anderson in paragraph 5 of the introduction says "the Book of Zelph is a really good book." In your notebook, explain how this is true and what it means to you. Use the information in the introduction to help you.

How Can I Know That the Book of Zelph Is True?

Read the last paragraph of the introduction and, in your notebook, explain what you must do to find out if the Book of Zelph is true.

What Did They Witness?

  1. List what the Four Witnesses saw and and what the Nine Witnesses touched and hefted.

  2. What does it mean to you that 13 people testified that Josh Anderson really did have the leather plates?

  3. The Book of Zelph has 2 more witnesses than the Book of Mormon. What does that mean to you?

What Impressed You?

After reading the testimony of Josh Anderson, write at least one thing that impressed you about his story.

What are the Sources for the Book of Zelph?

  1. Briefly describe in your own words the six types of records on the plates.

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