Book of Mormon Syllabus
Course Description
FDREL 121 examines the first half of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ beginning with 1 Nephi and ending with Alma 29.
Course Objectives
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “the Book of Mormon [is] the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and that a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book,” (See the introduction to the Book of Mormon). This course is designed to bring you closer to God by helping you gain a better understanding of the doctrines and principles taught within the Book of Mormon.
Seven of the primary objectives of this course are to help you:
- Develop greater faith and testimony in Jesus Christ and deepen your personal conversion.
- Read and understand the context and content of the text for the course.
- Develop an ability to learn and teach by the Spirit.
- Develop a habit of regular scripture study.
- Identify, understand, and apply doctrines and principles from the scriptures and the words of the prophets.
- Develop the ability to explain, share, and testify of true doctrines and principles.
- Master key scriptural passages—understand and be able to explain and apply them to everyday life.
Course Architecture
The foundation for this course is your personal study of the Book of Mormon. Each week you will complete a combination of assignments to supplement your personal study and to help you gain a better understanding of the Book of Mormon and its teachings.
This course is organized into 14 Weeks (W01–W14). Due dates are organized into two sections: Before Gathering and After Gathering. For more clarification on the flow of this course, see the Weekly Patterns and Expectations section below.
Each week, your instructor will post administrative information, answer general questions, and share thoughts about the week’s content on the Announcements page.
Weekly Assignments
- Weekly Readings. There is no substitute for reading the scriptures. One of the course objectives is to help you develop a habit of meaningful daily scripture study. The insights you gain from the weekly readings will be helpful as you complete the rest of your assignments. At the end of each week, you will report on whether or not you completed your Weekly Readings in the Personal Study Report. You will choose one option for reading the scriptures each week and again choose one option for the supplemental reading each week, as follows:
- Scripture Readings. Each week, you will spend time reading from the scriptures. There are two different options you can choose from:
- Option 1: Read the entire scripture block. This option is ideal for those who want to familiarize themselves with the basic story line and teachings of the Book of Mormon.
- Option 2: Study within the scripture block for 30 minutes at least five days a week. This option is better suited for those who already have a basic familiarity with the Book of Mormon and would like to study the doctrines and principles within the scripture block in greater detail.
- Supplemental Readings. You are also required to choose an additional reading to supplement your scripture study. You will have two options to choose from:
- Option 1: Read chapters from the Book of Mormon Institute Manual. Links to the chapters will be provided inside the course material for you to use, but the manual is also available on LDS.org.
- Option 2: Read one additional talk or article from church leaders. The links to these talks will also be provided inside the course material for you to use.
- Digging Deeper. Each week, you will be asked to watch at least six video highlights that add further insight into the doctrines and principles you are studying. A wide variety of videos have been selected from prophets, church leaders, Mormon Messages, and others. The insights gained from these videos can help you in completing your weekly assignments. At the end of each week, you will report on watching these Digging Deeper videos in the Personal Study Report assignment.
- Personal Study Report. At the end of each week, you will take a brief quiz to indicate that you have completed the Assigned Reading, the Supplemental Reading, and the Digging Deeper videos assignment. You will also be asked to share one highlight from the week.
- Attend the gathering. You will participate in group discussions and activities that explore the application of various study skills and scriptural principles as related to your weekly scripture study. Make sure you are prepared to participate and reflect each Thursday night by coming prepared to share your experiences and insights from the invitations given in the gathering the previous week.
- Gathering Attendance Report: Each week you will be asked to report on your gathering attendance. Prepare yourself each week by engaging in and completing your assignments so that you can dig deeper with those at the gathering.
Bi-Weekly Assignments
Each week you will complete one of the following assignments:
- Doctrinal Discussion Board. You will be asked to participate in a doctrinal discussion board with your classmates. To earn full credit, you will need to make three posts throughout the week. These posts are designed to build upon each other to help you better understand and apply the scriptures to your life. These discussion boards occur every even week.
- Post #1: Scriptural Insight. For the first post you will quote a passage of scripture and either share a meaningful insight regarding its significance to you, or ask a meaningful question about the passage and the principles it is teaching.
- Post #2: Increased Understanding. Add further insight or understanding into one of the posts made by your classmates by sharing related scripture or a quote from a church leader, and then explaining how you feel it adds additional insights or understanding to the scripture or principle being discussed.
- Post #3: Personal Application. Make a personal connection to one of your classmate's posts. You can either share a brief story of when you have seen that principle in your life, identify a way you are currently trying to live that principle, or share an example of a friend or family member who has exemplified that principle to you.
- Share it! You will be asked to share a scriptural insight from the course material with your friends or family. This activity occurs every odd week. When you share your insight, you should do the following:
- Identify one insight from your personal study of the materials in the course you want to share. This should include a scripture passage or prophetic quote along with an explanation of why it is important to you.
- Share your insight! You could talk with a friend, Skype your family, call your grandma, post something on social media, send someone a letter or email, or make a blog entry. Try to generate a discussion with others about what you shared and why it is important.
- Submit your assignment. You will submit an explanation of what, how, and who you shared your insight with.
Course Projects
Course Projects have two parts: a Project Plan submission and a Project Report submission. These will both be turned in separately at the beginning of the project and again at the end of the project. Plan submissions are due at the end of Weeks 2, 6, and 10; Report submissions are due at the end of Weeks 4, 8, and 12.
- Family Home Evening Lesson Plan. For this project, you will create a family home evening lesson plan to share with your family or friends (due at the end of Week 02). You will then, in Week 04, share a little about how it went.
- Five Minute Talk. As the title suggests, for this project you will be writing a talk as though you were invited to speak in church. Your talk will need to include at least one reference for each of the following:
- Scripture verses between 1 Nephi 1–2 Nephi 16
- Prophetic quotes on your topic found in your Supplemental Reading each week
- Digging Deeper video(s) from Weeks 01–06
- Personal insights discovered while studying the Book of Mormon
- Christlike Attribute Project. For this project, you will select one Christlike attribute, search the Book of Mormon for teachings regarding that attribute, make specific goals to work on that attribute for at least two weeks (due at the end of week 06). Then, in Week 08, you will submit a Project Report.
Weekly Pattern and Expectations
This course has a repeating pattern that you will follow week to week. Due dates for specific activities are indicated on the activity page, modules page, calendar, and other places in the course. It is very important that you update your Canvas Profile and be sure the time zone is set to your local time zone. This will ensure that the due dates in the course display for you in your local time zone.
CAUTION: Be aware of daylight savings (DST) and how that could affect the times that assignments are due—as they may change throughout the semester. For instance, if you lived in Sau Paulo Brazil during Winter semester, your time would be 5 hours ahead in January, then 4 hours ahead in February when Brazil DST ends and only 3 hours ahead beginning in March when U.S. Mountain Time DST begins.
In general, the course is organized as follows:
- "Before Gathering" refers to items that should be started and/or completed before Wednesday, 11:59 PM Mountain Time
- "After Gathering" refers to items that should be started and/or completed before Saturday, 11:59 PM Mountain Time
It is your responsibility to know when assignments are due in your own time zone. Refer to your calendar often.
The tables below provide more detail on what to expect each week and throughout the course.
| Weekly Pattern | Before Gathering | After Gathering |
|---|---|---|
| Even Weeks |
|
|
| Odd Weeks |
|
|
| Course Project Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Week 02 | Create and submit your W02 Project: FHE Plan |
| Week 04 | Complete the W04 Project: FHE Report |
| Week 06 | Create and submit your W06 Project: Five-Minute Talk Plan |
| Week 08 | Complete the W08 Project: Five-Minute Talk Report |
| Week 10 | Create and submit your W10 Project: Christlike Attribute Plan |
| Week 12 | Complete the W12 Project: Christlike Attribute Report |
Courtesy Expectations
As you interact with others in various assignments, please remember to be kind, considerate, and respectful of differing viewpoints. You can differ in opinions but still be civil and loving. Respect one another’s opinions and avoid using racist, bigoted, homophobic, sexist, or aggressive language in class discussions, writing assignments, or in reporting problems or concerns. Any violation of basic common courtesy—including interaction with peers, the instructor, or others monitoring the course—will negatively impact your grade and may affect your enrollment at BYU-Pathway Worldwide.
(1:07 mins, True At All Times Transcript)
Grading
Grade Breakdown
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range |
|---|---|
| A | 93%–100% |
| A- | 90%–92.99% |
| B+ | 87%–89.99% |
| B | 83%–86.99% |
| B- | 80%–82.99% |
| C+ | 77%–79.99% |
| C | 73%–76.99% |
| C- | 70%–72.99% |
| D+ | 67%–69.99% |
| D | 63%–66.99% |
| D- | 60%–62.99% |
| F | 59.99%–0.00% |
The general breakdown of course points is as follows:
| Activity Name | Points | # of Activities | Total Points | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory Week Items | 35 | 3 | 35 | 4% |
| Gathering Attendance | 20 | 13 | 280 | 33% |
| Personal Study Reports | 15 | 13 | 195 | 23% |
| Doctrinal Discussion Boards | 15 | 6 | 90 | 11% |
| Share it | 15 | 6 | 90 | 11% |
| Family Home Evening Lesson Project | 50 | 1 | 50 | 6% |
| Five Minute Talk Project | 50 | 1 | 50 | 6% |
| Christlike Attribute Project | 50 | 1 | 50 | 6% |
| Total Points Possible | 840 | 100% |
Attendance Policy
PathwayConnect students are expected to attend all gatherings during the semester in person. Gathering via Skype, phone, or similar means is not permitted. You should plan your schedule accordingly and make any necessary arrangements to attend each Thursday gathering.
If you are traveling and are unable to attend your assigned gathering(s), you may attend another gathering in the place you are visiting and still obtain attendance credit. You are encouraged to attend a gathering with the same course as your own; however, if you do not have that option, you may attend any PathwayConnect gathering. (This does not apply to Institute courses.) Before visiting a PathwayConnect site, you should contact the missionaries assigned to the site to notify them of your intended visit. Missionary contact information can be found on the BYU-Pathway Worldwide website or by calling Pathway Support. You should direct any questions regarding attendance to your online or Institute instructor.
If you do not attend a gathering, you will miss the opportunity to meet with your peers, engage in important coursework, and assist in teaching one another. Missing a gathering will negatively impact your grade, so be sure to attend each gathering and then report your attendance using the Attendance Report located in each week. Be aware that attendance can impact grades differently from one PathwayConnect course to another, so please read the course grading section of this syllabus carefully.
If a rare circumstance arises such as a natural disaster, death in the family, medical emergency, the birth of a child, or another serious or unsafe situation that prevents you from attending a gathering, contact your instructor immediately for more information and to discuss your situation.
In very rare instances, your Pathway missionaries may cancel a gathering due to a national holiday, extreme weather, or other unsafe situation. Follow these instructions if such a situation occurs:
- DO NOT complete the Attendance Report for the week. Instead, email your instructor to explain the reason for the cancellation. They will "exempt" your grade for this quiz in the gradebook. You MUST email your instructor in order to be excused from the assignment! You will receive 0 points for your attendance until your instructor excuses the report. Your instructor should excuse the report within a few days of receiving your email.
- Complete all other coursework as normal.
- If you have any questions regarding the weekly material or assignment due dates, ask your instructor for further assistance.
For more information on the attendance policy, please read the Pathway Handbook, section 5.5. Contact your instructor or Pathway Support if you have questions.
Participation Expectations
The BYU–Idaho Learning Model used in this course is based on the gospel instruction given by the Savior to "teach one another." Not only is it a religious injunction, but it will also help you to learn more and remember what you learn longer. Therefore, it is expected that in this course you will interact with others in both teaching and learning together. This applies to your participation in the gathering as well as online activities, such as discussion boards. Come early to the gatherings and stay the entire time. Participate fully in the activities and discussions. Complete your online posts in a timely fashion so others can interact with you in meaningful conversations. Doing so will help you do better in the course and allow you to serve your fellow classmates.
Late Work Policy
Assignments are due on the day indicated. Each week opens early in order to allow students some flexibility in determining their schedule. Late work will be accepted only at your instructor’s discretion. If you feel your situation warrants personal consideration, inform your instructor before the assignment is due so that he/she has time to work with you. Any late work that is accepted, is subject to a penalty as determined by your instructor.
Feedback on Assignments
You will receive two types of feedback on the work you do for this course. Some assignments, such as the Topic Introduction and Listening Practice, Scripture Study, and Learn a Hymn, are automatically graded by the system and report your score immediately. Other assignments, such as Discussion Boards and Application Activities, require an instructor to carefully read and evaluate your responses, which take longer to grade. Remember, your instructor is required to grade not only your assignments, but all of your classmates' work as well. You can expect to receive a grade and any accompanying feedback for these types of assignments within a week of their due dates.
Course Support
If you ever have a question, problem, or concern about the course, you can get help resolving it in one of two ways. Your instructor will inform you of the method he/she wishes to use.
- Post any general course questions/problems/concerns, etc. to the Questions and Conversations discussion forum. Using this forum will inform class members, the instructor, and others of the issues you find and allow the proper people to correct them for everyone. Please check this board frequently throughout the semester. If you are experiencing the same problem as another student who has already reported it, you can make an additional post so others know the seriousness of the problem. If you know the answer to a question, please post solutions. Helping to solve your classmates’ problems is another way to teach one another. Additionally, your instructor is monitoring this board and will inform you of fixes and solutions here.
- You can also contact your instructor through email. If your question or concern is of a personal nature, please contact your instructor through email rather than posting it to a public place such as the Questions and Conversations board. Your instructor will let you know which method your course is using.
Note: Regardless of the method your course uses, you should only email your instructor directly if the problem is of a personal nature or in the way your instructor has indicated he/she would like to be informed of problems. Unless specifically asked to do otherwise, please report any questions, problems, or concerns in one of the two methods above.
If you contact your instructor through email, it could take up to 24 hours to receive a response (excluding Sundays and holidays). Please state your question clearly, include sufficient detail, and allow enough time when communicating with your instructor in an email.
- If you have been unable to resolve your questions, problems, or concerns you can report a concern by contacting the Pathway Support Center.
Course Helps
Welcome Module
There are many resources available to you in the Welcome module, such as computer tutorials and free websites, which can help you improve your typing skills. Open the module from the navigation menu on the left side of the screen and browse the available resources.
Note-Taking
Write down notes in each week to help you remember what you learn and the revelation you may receive. This is one way to learn by study and by faith (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:118). Spend a few minutes each week to review your notes. This will help you remember most of your learning. You will also be able to use your notes when you take the final exam.
PathwayConnect Policies
Student Honor
The Student Honor Code is based upon principles of honesty and integrity. As a PathwayConnect student, you are required to maintain standards of academic integrity and student conduct, and encouraged to live by the CES Honor Code.
Academic Integrity
You should complete your own work and seek to be completely honest in all your dealings. You must avoid academic dishonesty in all its forms, including, but not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, and fabrication/falsification. The most common examples of academic dishonesty are copying another person’s work and neglecting to acknowledge a source of information.
The use of any language translation software, apps, or online programs, such as Google Translate, in order to translate sentences, paragraphs, or whole essays is not permitted in this course. However, the use of these translation programs to look up a single word or short phrase is generally allowed.
Student Conduct
You are to avoid misconduct, such as disruptive behavior, abuse of administrative processes, and any other inappropriate actions. All forms of harassment (verbal, physical, mental, or sexual), hazing, intimidation, exploitation, or aggressive behavior that threaten or endanger the physical or emotional health and safety of others, is prohibited. Behavior such as using profane or abusive language will not be tolerated. Participants behaving in such ways are subject to BYU-Pathway Worldwide disciplinary action including suspension or dismissal from PathwayConnect, as well as referral to law enforcement.
Assistance for Students with Disabilities
While BYU-Pathway Worldwide is not legally required to provide accommodations to students with disabilities, it endeavors to provide reasonable assistance to students who need it. Such assistance is provided voluntarily and in BYU-Pathway Worldwide’s sole discretion. BYU-Pathway Worldwide will provide, upon request, speech-to-text or text-to-speech software for students with disabilities. If you are interested in using this software, please contact Pathway Support. If you need other types of assistance, you should communicate directly with your online instructors, missionaries, or local leaders, as appropriate. For more information please read the Pathway Handbook, section 8.3.
Disclaimer Statement
This syllabus is subject to change by BYU-Pathway Worldwide or the instructor. Any changes will be communicated via email or the course site. Continued enrollment in this course assumes that you have read and understood the information outlined in the syllabus.