Ideas to Improve Your Family Scripture Study

Regular family scripture study is a powerful way to help your family learn the gospel. How much and how long you read as a family is not as important as being consistent in your efforts. As you make scripture study an important part of your family life, you will help your family members come closer to Jesus Christ and build their testimonies on the foundation of His word.

Consider the following questions:

• How can you encourage family members to study the scriptures on their own?

• What can you do to encourage family members to share what they are learning?

• How can you emphasize the principles you are learning in the Book of Mormon in everyday teaching moments?

Remember that the home is the ideal place for gospel learning. You can learn and teach the gospel at home in ways that are not possible in a Church class. Be creative as you think of ways to help your family learn from the scriptures. Consider some of the following ideas to enhance your family scripture study.

Use Music

Sing songs that reinforce the principles taught in the scriptures. Appendix D in this resource includes music related to the doctrines in each weekly outline.

Share Meaningful Scriptures

Give family members time to share scripture passages that they have found meaningful during their personal study.

Use Your Own Words

Invite family members to summarize in their own words what they learn from the scriptures you study.

Apply the Scriptures to Your Life

After reading a scripture passage, ask family members to share ways the passage applies to their lives.

Ask a Question

Invite family members to ask a gospel question, and then spend time looking for verses that can help answer the question.

Display a Scripture

Select a verse you find meaningful, and display it where family members will see it often. Invite other family members to take turns selecting a scripture to display.

Make a Scripture List

As a family, choose several verses that you would like to discuss during the coming week.

Memorize Scriptures

Select a scripture passage that is meaningful to your family, and invite family members to memorize it by repeating it daily or playing a memorization game.

Share Object Lessons

Find objects that relate to the chapters and verses that you are reading as a family. Invite family members to talk about how each object relates to the teachings in the scriptures.

Pick a Topic

Let family members take turns choosing a topic that the family will study together. Use the Topical Guide, the Bible Dictionary, or the Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to find scripture passages about the topic.

Draw a Picture

Read a few verses as a family, and then allow time for family members to draw something that relates to what you read. Spend time discussing one another’s drawings.

Act Out a Story

After reading a story, invite family members to act it out. Afterward, talk about how the story relates to the things that you are experiencing individually and as a family.

Elder David A. Bednar taught: “Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results” (“More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 19–20).