Digital Only
14 Ideas to Make Your Scripture Study More Meaningful
Members around the world share what they do for more powerful scripture study.
In a world full of commotion and contradictory voices, peace can come through the Savior, who invites us to come unto Him (see Matthew 11:28) and listen to His words (see Doctrine and Covenants 19:23). By looking for “small and simple” (Alma 37:6) ways to improve our daily study, we can build a closer relationship with Jesus Christ that will help us withstand the challenges we face in our lives.
President Russell M. Nelson reminds us: “Daily immersion in the word of God is crucial for spiritual survival, especially in these days of increasing upheaval. As we feast on the words of Christ daily, the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face.”
The following principles can help as we look for ways to connect with Christ through the scriptures.
1. Start with a Prayer
“To make my study of the scriptures more meaningful, I like to start with a prayer. I ask Heavenly Father that I might have the Holy Ghost with me so I can be more receptive to the things He would have me learn. While reading, I try to ponder on the words of the prophets. I think about how their examples can apply to my life, how I can have more faith, and how I can trust in the Lord, like they did.
“As I do so, I can feel peace in my heart and the love of the Lord.”
Gabriela Pineda Portillo, La Libertad, El Salvador
2. Create a Lesson to Share with Others
“When I study the scriptures, I write the principles into a lesson so that I can share what I learned. If I learn something, I want to share it so that I can see my peers’ perspective on the lesson.”
Chester Chan, Singapore
3. Focus on a Theme
“Each year, I pick a specific theme to focus on. Right now, I’m looking at how people in the Book of Mormon asked for help and blessings and what the Lord’s reaction or action was to that.”
Heike Dröge, Germany
4. Keep a Journal of Your Spiritual Journey
“I have a set time every morning for my scripture study. I start with a prayer to open my heart to the Holy Spirit and feel closer to Him. Delving into the scriptures, pondering their significance, and sometimes revisiting passages multiple times align with the counsel in 2 Nephi 32:3 to “feast upon the words of Christ.” Scripture study is, for me, more than reading. It’s also writing down my thoughts and impressions so I can read them again and again and feast on it. It’s like keeping a journal of my spiritual journey. Talking with others about what I learn makes it even better. We share our thoughts and understandings, and it helps all of us grow spiritually. This way, my study becomes more than just reading words—it’s a way to build a stronger connection with Christ.”
Naima Glück, Germany
5. Pay Attention to Thoughts and Feelings as You Ponder on Truths
“I offer a prayer asking for inspiration from Heavenly Father to be able to feel the Holy Ghost so I can understand the message, comprehend it, and put into practice what I learned. In my study journal, I write my feelings and impressions of what I am reading. I underline key words or verses that can help me later and during my everyday life. I color in yellow the name of Jesus Christ and titles that describe Him, because they teach and testify of the Savior. I pause to ponder on what truths are being taught and pay attention to my thoughts and feelings of what Heavenly Father wants me to learn and understand. He knows us perfectly and knows each of our situations.
“I write small inspirational phrases from the scriptures and general conference and place them on the wall in my home so I can feel their guidance and strength.”
Yahaira Nuñez Periche, Chiclayo, Peru
6. Find What Works for You
“What I have come to realize is that the way in which we study the scriptures and general conference is something that is very personal and differs with each person. Some people make extensive notes, and some don’t. Some like to read scriptures; others like to listen or watch. What matters to me isn’t following any strict rules or methods of studying. It’s about understanding how the scriptures make me feel. By being able to approach studying by seeking answers to the questions I have in my life, it helps me to not just read or listen to the words but to really take meaning from them and understand how they matter in my own life. Doing so reminds me that I am known personally and that Christ cares for me as an individual. What greater feeling can there be than knowing that simple truth?”
David Haddock, York, England
7. Stay Consistent
“Family, school, work, and life commitments sometimes make it hard to have any, let alone meaningful, scripture study. Having both grown up working and living on dairies, we’ve found our best chance for success is 5:30 on school mornings—sometimes our measure of success is if everyone makes it out of bed! Above all, we’ve found that consistency is key, but that doesn’t give us more time. Finding ways to amend our learning is also important. Things we can do while driving or waiting, such as listening to good books, podcasts, and talks all enhance our understanding of gospel principles and strengthen our relationships with our loving Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, allowing us to keep our thoughts continually toward Them.”
Spencer and Sarah Parkinson, Iowa, USA
8. Overcome Distraction through Prayer
“For me, it is sometimes difficult to have meaningful scripture study because I find that I am easily distracted by my thoughts, my phone, other people, my to-do list, and so forth. However, I have found that when I offer sincere and heartfelt prayer before my scripture study, I am better able to concentrate and connect with Christ and learn from the Spirit. Prayer connects me to the powers of heaven and enables the flow of personal revelation as I study the scriptures.”
Morgan Green, Alaska, USA
9. Summarize and Save Important Messages
1. “Take notes while listening to conference talks.
2. Once the Liahona arrives, underline important parts as I read.
3. Summarize important messages and file them on the computer (include names, categories, and dates). About 16,000 important messages have been filed already.
4. Analyze themes and language usage.”
Ryuichi Inoue, Japan
10. Remember What You Learned—and Change
“Five years ago, my pre-MTC teacher shared with me something that someone had told him: ‘If your scripture study doesn’t make you want to change, you don’t study hard enough.’
“For me, it is about what I do after I have read in the scriptures. I try to remember what I read, throughout the day and my life. As I apply the principles taught in the scriptures, my views and desires change, and my understanding of who Christ is and what He has done grows.”
Maureen Dätwyler, Solothurn, Switzerland
11. Make it Personal
“I put my name in place of other names in the scriptures. I like to think that everything in the scriptures has its own personal meaning to me. I pick on every word, syllable, comma. Sometimes I’m a pretty slow learner and can only parse a few verses rather than the whole chapter. But for me, this method is more effective and helps me draw closer to Jesus Christ and keeps me thinking about Him all day long. Since my mission, I have made it a habit to listen to general conference in the mornings as I do my makeup, make my bed, brush my teeth, make breakfast, or travel to work. This makes my mind receptive to the right things. In the evening before I go to bed, I write down impressions and commitments inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Marina Kharlamova, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
12. Ask Others When You Don’t Understand
“I begin my scripture study with prayer. I write down questions about the gospel, or I focus on a particular topic that I want to learn more about. I begin to study that topic or question and write down other questions that come to mind. If I don’t understand something, I talk to my parents or friends or ask my Sunday School teacher.
“I like to study scriptures in the temple because it’s quiet and there are fewer distractions.”
Laura Dätwyler, Bern, Switzerland
13. Draw Near to the Lord
“The word of the Lord always fills me up for my day. In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where I live, the traffic is bad in the mornings, so I usually go to work early and use 30 minutes before work to do scripture study. I feel so close to the Lord when I try to spend time with Him. No matter how busy you are in a day, give your time to God as much as you can. If you try to draw near to Him, He will draw near to you (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). He will guide you and make your day more meaningful than you can.”
Mi Vo, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
14. Prepare Spiritually
“When I study the scriptures, I prepare spiritually through prayer and then I ponder on what I have studied.”
Yuberky Antonia Fernandez Cruz, Santiago de los Caballeros, Santiago, Dominican Republic