Do you know your scriptures? Do you know how to find certain stories, doctrines, testimonies? Could you teach, at any given moment, something doctrinal and pull out the best references? Do you feel confident with the Word of God?
Well, I thought I did, until I played a simple game with my recently returned missionary son. For Family Home Evening, he had us get our scriptures and we played something missionaries often play together. Someone thumbs through the scriptures while the others tell when to stop; to read the right or left page; and to read the right or left column on the page. While reading down the page the rest are to listen for clues, find the same spot, and begin reading along with the Reader. Simple, right? I guess I need to start reading my scriptures all over again, and memorize my little guts out.
I think I’ll start by finding my favorite stories and memorizing where they are in the scriptures. There are some sermons that are particular favorites of mine that I’ll have to hunt down as well. And when it comes to marking…I’ll just highlight everything I see. Gee, maybe I need to get another Book of Mormon and mark it up fresh. Do you think my memory will hold up?
I believe, with all my heart, that it is most important to feel the Spirit when I read the scriptures. But, gosh darn, I’m going to learn how to find things in them too…FAST, FASTER, and FASTEST than my kids. Competition is good for the soul.
When my kids were young, we used to play Book of Mormon Trivia. I would ask a question from the scriptures (questions from Family Scripture Reading are fresh in their little minds). If they get it right, they get a point and a chance at making a basket (rolled up socks thrown into the laundry basket). My kids were always incredibly smart with the answers, I humbly state. And of course, I always knew more, because I was coming up with the questions.
Now that they’re older, I’m the dumb one. Ouch, that hurts. Okay! Seriously, I’m gonna get smart. Really I am!
When Joseph turned the key for the women of the Relief Society, he said that knowledge and wisdom would flow through the women to learn and teach all those who would listen. I don’t need a pronouncement made to tell me to use my mind for good, but I do run out of excuses when the prophet makes a point of opening our door to the scriptures.
Maybe some of you have heard of scripture journals. As you read the scriptures, record the feelings you get as you read certain passages. Especially record the promptings the Holy Ghost gives you while your mind is open to accepting truths you need to hear.
As an addendum to this journal, you might record particularly meaningful phrases, quotes, songs, poems, verses, etc. We don’t want to replace the scriptures when we need comforting words, but a journal can be a reminder, and draw us back, to the scriptures we have now grown to love and depend upon.
Great post! That game sounds pretty similar to Scripture Golf, which I once played with some missionaries using the Book of Mormon. Scripture golf was a little more tricky though. When one person reads a verse, you have to try to name what book and chapter it is in.
One of my goals is to become a “minute man” teacher, meaning, I want to be able to instantly substitute teach if ever needed. I’ve actually seen a “minute man” teacher in action. He was asked to sub in gospel doctrine class just as class started and he took about five minutes of prep time and taught a fabulous lesson that I still remember today (and it was on Luke 2 too!) He’s a seminary teacher by profession, but that doesn’t stop me from aspiring to be able to do what he did. It just means I need to immerse myself in the scriptures as much.
I love that! A “minute man” teacher. I can swing that for Primary (without resorting to hangman), but gospel doctrine would concern me a little.
I’m with you. Goal: Study by Immersion.