Importance of a handbook

if, you read the title first, it would mislead about the content (unless the one reading it was me). I was thinking about how very little Modern Icelandic has changed from it's roots in contrast with other Scandinavian languages.

Iceland was in many ways isolated, and a historic view alone can explain a cause in less deviation in speech, but there is more to that. Because of it's isolation another "talent" or trait became significant, that is a literary tradition. Having had such a cultural importance given to the words they are more rigid. it was well put my linguist Jackson Crawford when he mentioned our use of the archaic phrase "Death us do part" it has not changed though the actual communication of the sentiment might not be expressed that way had it not been preserved by the culturally significant words.... this thought reminded me of the importance stated and restated for Book of Mormon people taking scripture with them.

This whole paragraph is a side note.  As I watched a video of the wisdom of Kabbalah, among many impressions one was very strong, "These ideas are as pure as the ones I had admired for years from the mouth of Nephi himself." The fact that Nephi taught similar ideas as were had among Jewish sects since the beginning of time is not surprising, but such thoughts are like the one someone shared at a scripture study in Mississippi when the explained that they had a "testimony" of the truthfulness of the book of Mormon because of phrases like "a river of water." which is very strange way of referring to a river unless one grew up around wadis (or dry river beds). An Egyptian/middle eastern critic found many interesting points that spoke of things that a man such as Joseph Smith could not have accidentally included in his story.

My final comment is regarding the use and interpretation of handbooks. In Mississippi, one is as far away from the "Mormon" headquarters as possible within the united states, both physically and figuratively. The church, however, is to be the same regardless of where it is located. Yet, there was always a great division between Utah Mormons and the indigenous people, I noticed a similarity when various countries tried to decipher an earlier form of their own language. The people of Mississippi claimed their practices closely, nearly to a t, followed the church handbook.

I experienced this firsthand when I was called to a position in a Utah BYU ward. I was not familiar with the calling, so I looked up what it entailed in the handbook, and prayed about what was expected of me (assuming it was my heavenly father who wanted m to do this), then, when I met with my leader she explained to me what my job duties were, and I was entirely caught off guard. She had decided that I was perfect for this job, it all made no sense, but I did not question as I did not consider myself sufficiently wise, and had best just do as I was instructed. But, later as I was reviewing the circumstance at home, I realized  what I had heard for years growing up about how differently "those people" interpreted the handbook.

There is more recorded than words. Both leadership and handbooks help preserve what ought to be.