Natively Add the LDS Scriptures to Your iPhone or iPod Touch
Hacks, Tips January 15th. 2008, 3:39pm
UPDATE (August 28, 2008): It looks like our good friend Lee Falin has released a free version of the scriptures. It’s up on the iTunes app store and is currently version 1.0.3.
UPDATE (August 11, 2008): Thanks for all your responses regarding the poll. There is a new LDS application coming out soon offered by scriptureapp.com. I’m part of the beta team combing through the bugs. It will be cheaper and add a lot more functionality then the current applcation available on iTunes.
I’ve also received some questions as to why I would want to charge for the scriptures. Shouldn’t they be free? I’d love it if I could spend 60-100 hours developing an application and have it be free to everyone, however, I just can’t afford that amount of time. I’ve decided not to offer a free or low cost version of the scriptures due to the fact that people believe I would be making a profit (see comment at the end of this post) and there already is two alternatives out there. I’ll keep this post updated when the other LDS application is released.
UPDATE (August 1, 2008): The LDS Scriptures application went live today on iTunes. We’ll see how well this application is received from users for a little while. I may consider making a lite version of the scriptures soon if time permits.
UPDATE (July 27, 2008): Looks like the app store is live. Our friends at ReadScriptures.com are releasing a new application as soon as Apple approves their application for $15. I’ve been asked by many people to write an application or provide means to get the scriptures on the iPhone and iPod touch relatively cheaply (or free).
Please make your vote count by taking this poll below. If there are enough people that want an alternate application I’ll seriously consider beginning development. Please note that many people don’t realize the work it takes to create a “free” application. It costs a minimum of $99 just to register the application with Apple. Then there is the cost of the computer (Leopard required), and obviously the time of the developer(s). I would estimate the time to develop an LDS scriptures application to be around 60-80 hours. Lastly, I have no idea about copyright since the scriptures is not my work. Besides creating a new scriptures application though, here are some alternate options that are possible in the mean time.
- Use the application bookshelf in the app store ($5), I can put up the scriptures as downloadable ebooks
- If your iPod Touch or iPhone is jailbroken, I can put up a repository on Cyndia similar to the repository created for the installer program
Also, I’m considering creating a program similar to “ward tools” where church leaders can have quick access to membership records on either the iPhone or iPod touch. Please leave a comment on this post or leave me a note through my contact form.
Loading ...For older versions of iPhone and iPod Touch users:
I’ve created a repository to allow any user to quickly add the standard works to their iPhone or iPod touch quickly and easily without the need to have Edge or Wifi access. They are in the form of eBooks and use the “Books” application.
Here are the steps to follow:
1. Jailbreak your iPhone or iPod touch so you have access to the “Installer” application.
2. Make sure you have the “Books” application installed.
3. Within the installer, add “http://www.devincollier.com/ebooks” as a
new repository/source. Tutorial can be found here.
4. I’ve put the standard works in the “eBooks - LDS” category. Install each one
and enjoy.
UPDATE: I have tested “plucker” files from the lds.org website and have found them to cause the books application to really slow down. Also, some characters look really weird and it’s hard to navigate through the text.
UPDATE 2: It appears that the latest version of the “books” application in combination with 1.1.4 firmware breaks the location of the ebooks. Since application will be coming out within a month, I’m going to wait before I fix these issues. These ebooks will be still be up, but may not work with your iphone.
January 15th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
[...] Devin Collier.com wrote an interesting post today on Natively Add the LDS Scriptures to Your iPhone or iPod TouchHere’s a quick excerpt1. Jailbreak your iPhone or iPod touch so you have access to the “Installer” application….I’ve created a repository to allow any user to quickly add the standard works to their iPhone or iPod touch quickly and easily without the need to have Edge o r Wifi access…. [...]
January 26th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Thanks for the LDS Source– Its nice to have an offline version. Any chance in the future of adding Sunday School manuals too?
January 27th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Having recently entered the Apple world with the purchase of an iPod Touch (upgraded to v1.1.3), I am so ‘rookie’ that I am unsure how, or even if I dare, attempting the modification so that I can load LDS scriptures on the device (I don’t seem to have an application called ‘Books’. Can you provide instructions for the faint of heart?
January 27th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I thought about putting the lesson manuals and hymns on the repository as well. There hasn’t really been a demand for those things as of yet, and like most people, I’m waiting to see what kind of native applications will come out in the next few months. If many people are interested, I’ll see what I can do.
January 27th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
To install the “books” application on your iPhone, it needs to be what’s called “jailbroken”. Since the 1.1.3 firmware is so new, you’ll need to first downgrade to 1.1.1, jailbreak the phone, and then upgrade to 1.1.3 with a patch that was released. Here are some helpful websites.
modmyifone.com (has tutorials to jailbreak from 1.1.3)
ijailbreak.com (has a patch to jailbreak as well)
February 12th, 2008 at 12:02 am
Thanks a bunch!
When I first ran through the Installer I saw both the Bible and BoM available and installed them. I added your source and installed your versions and they are better organized.
I am working together rudimentary version of the hymns.
I can send you the ZIP if you want to make it available on your repository.
February 27th, 2008 at 11:08 am
If you are trying to figure out how to Jailbreak because this is a new idea to you. Look for the app Ziphone for either Mac or Win, both are available. Once you have your phone upgraded to 1.1.3 or even 1.1.4 you simply click the Jailbreak button on the App and your phone will have a new add called installer that you will use to install 3rd party applications. I have provided a link t Ziphone below.
MAC http://www.modmyifone.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=2141
WIN http://www.modmyifone.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=2131
February 29th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
A great deal of the other materials folks are asking about, including manuals, lessons, Teachings of the Presidents of the Churchs, hymns, etc. are available in the Plucker format at the LDS website (handheld/PDA/plucker). The Books.app program supports the format pretty well. I just installed Teachings Of The Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith and it reads fine on my 1.1.3 iPhone.
March 7th, 2008 at 12:29 am
I’ve been wanting The Teachings of Joseph Smith manual on my ipod touch ever since i jailbroke it (the day i got it). I already have the standard works on my touch but i’m more than likely gonna replace ‘em with yours. Thanks for the repom it helps alot. can’t wait!
And thanks Ryan, I was just on lds.org trying to figure out which one would work with the books app and was getting no where so, thanks! Now i’m done!!
March 16th, 2008 at 12:15 am
this is completely and totally awesome. I was doing one last google search before i started to make my own EBook of D&C and found this. Saved me a whole bunch of time.
March 16th, 2008 at 10:21 am
How do you get the materials from the lds website and plucker on your ipod touch? Could you please explain?
Thanks.
March 23rd, 2008 at 9:47 pm
looking for the pearl of great price and topical guide ? Great resource!
March 24th, 2008 at 7:16 am
I’m actually waiting to see what the iPhone SDK provides before I sink a little more time in translating other books.
March 28th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I have created an offline version of http://www.scripturesapp.com, which includes the standard works, hymns, and the manual for this year. To view it offline (with wifi turned off) you must follow this tutorial so you can view files locally:
http://www.ipodtouchfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3359
Next, download this rar file
http://brandonbundy.com/scriptures/
Extract the “scriptures” folder to the “sites” folder on your ipod/iphone and then navigate to 127.0.0.1 in safari, click on ’scriptures’ then on ‘wsdindex.html’ and there you go.
(You can add it as a webclip for easier access
April 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am
THANKS Ashidar!! You are the best!
April 13th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I’d love to have the Presidents of the Church manual at my fingertips as well. There is a demand! Then I’d only have to carry the iphone to church (with the book and cheerios bag)
April 14th, 2008 at 10:09 am
The Presidents of the Church Manuals can be found at the LDS webpage
http://lds.org/gospellibrary/pdfindex/0,7777,579-1,00.html
You can also view the PDF’s locally on your iphone/ipod just add them to the sites folder
As for the cheerios, maybe they will invent something soon for you to put on your iphone/touch
May 1st, 2008 at 7:42 pm
I installed the application through lds books but i don’t see the icon on the homepage? Any ideas where it may be?
Thanks
May 5th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
For some reason, none of the books are showing up in my eBooks category. I also use WinSCP to modify things on my ipod. Does anyone know the directory that Devin’s eScriptures download to?
May 5th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
They are stored in the “/var/root/Media” directory. Does anyone know if this changed with the new version of “Books”?
May 12th, 2008 at 12:50 am
yes devin i think it has changed… books is broken for me now.
the localhost lightttp server seems to be a better alternative.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:00 am
You may also consider this resource for having scriptures natively: http://hiarmen.googlepages.com/
May 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I only found the BOM, OT, NT, and D&C, is the Pearl coming? or am I experiencing an error?
May 27th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
To your response on may 5th i just loaded a text reader and the link has not changed i can get the the D&C but I did not see the the Perl of great Price was available for download. Please respond.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
When is apple going to ‘officially’ allow downloads, etc. to the Touch?
May 27th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
June 6th is the magical date. If there is not an LDS program that has all the standard works and a bunch more, I’ll write one. I know that readscriptures.com will be coming out with a version. Can’t wait? Check out http://hiarmen.googlepages.com/, he did the same thing I did, but has a working books program.
July 27th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Hey Devin. Are you going to make a fee downloadable scripture app for apples app store? It appears the readscriptures.com person will be charging $15 for the download. Kind of stinks if you are used to having it for free. Also, how about a version of scriptures for the new cydia app when you pawn 2.0? There is already a book reader that works with .HTML books.
Thanks
August 4th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Hey Devin. Appreciated your repository for installer. I’m now 2.0 and haven’t seen anything up in Cydia. However using SSH one can simply place the eBook files in /var/media/eBooks/ provided one has the files!
Any chance of you providing a link or download of the eBook files themselves? I’ll do the rest. Of course a Cydia install would be nice too!
In regards to the recently released scriptures app I was hoping for a far better version for a native app not just a rehash of the webapp. Hopefully this will improvec. Or the other scripture app being developed may do this as well.
August 4th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Yes, I’ve downloaded “scriptures” from the apps store — great….
I’ve also downloaded some items from the LDS ‘handheld’ archives. I saved the ‘eReader’ pdb files and uploaded them to my free eReader account. I then downloaded those files to my iPod touch. They are now on my ‘bookshelf’. available offline..
August 10th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I appreciate what you are doing in providing the scriptures for people to download and I’m sure you have put a lot of work into it. However, if I were you, I don’t know how comfortable I would be making money by selling the words of the Lord or the doctrine of the church. In my mind it comes dangerously close to the priestcraft line. Though I am a capitalist through and through, the church isn’t about making money. It’s about service.
August 11th, 2008 at 5:27 am
You make a good point. I agree that the church is about service. I would never want to make money off the scriptures. It’s not my work. This is why I’ve decided not to provide the scriptures at all because it’s better for me to just work at my regular job then to charge people for my time in putting an application together and having people assume I’m making money by selling the scriptures. I should probably phrase the question a little different. It should say, “How much would you be willing to pay for someone for their time to provide the programming, testing, and development of an application that would include information like the scriptures?”
I suppose the same point goes for those people that put together a Book of Mormon that includes commentary and additional pictures and then sell that at a local bookstore. Are they practicing priestcraft by making a profit on their work?
The current LDS app is getting a lot of heat for not being free. There’s another one coming out which I’m a beta test for. I know the developers have put in hundreds of hours in development in it, but no one sees that, they only care about the price and if the developers are make a “profit” and not providing service.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:04 am
I too am part of the beta testers for the new scriptures app and it does take a lot of time to put together. I couldn’t do the work either.
August 16th, 2008 at 7:37 am
With the iPhone platform readily becoming a standard, does the church have any plan to provide the app in a church approved format like they have for Pocket PC and Palm? This would solve the entire “we can’t afford to do this for free” issue and would let us have the Church’s stamp of approval on the materials. eReader app would be just fine if the scriptures were available for download in that format from the church site. (in the meantime, thanks for your time you have spent on this whole thing)