Lesson 171: Scripture-Study Skills

Annotating Scriptures

Marking and Adding Notes

student marking scriptures on paper

This lesson can help students mark and add notes to their scriptures in a way that makes their study more meaningful and brings them closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Student preparation: As part of their daily scripture study, invite students to mark what is meaningful to them, especially words or phrases that help them understand or feel the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They could come prepared to share what they marked and why.

Possible Learning Activities

Making scripture study more meaningful

Invite students to share a few ideas of activities they might do casually and, in contrast, more meaningfully. Examples may include greeting and talking to a classmate, sending a thank-you note or text, and studying the scriptures.

The Savior commanded us to not casually read the scriptures but to “search,” “study,” and “feast upon” His words (Doctrine and Covenants 1:37; 11:22; 2 Nephi 32:3). Through the scriptures we can come to know Him and feel His love (see John 5:39; Jacob 3:2).

Invite students to take a moment to evaluate their scripture study, including if or how they feel it is helping them come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

What are some of the things you have done (or could do) to make scripture study more meaningful for you?

Listen carefully to students’ responses and write them on the board. Consider explaining the following in your own words:

Define: Marking scriptures

One way to make scripture study meaningful is to mark and add notes to your scriptures. As you study this lesson, look for ways you may want to mark your scriptures to help your scripture study bring you closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Model: Marking scriptures

Show students a few examples of how people might mark their scriptures like the videos or images included here. Students could even share ways they mark their scriptures. Invite students to identify possible reasons for the markings they see.

marking scriptures

marking scriptures electronically

“A Marking System That Works for You” (1:56). In this video, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shows how he marks the scriptures.

“Marking Scriptures” (1:45). In this video, President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency shows how he marks the scriptures.

• What are some reasons people mark their scriptures?

• How do you think marking your scriptures could help you?

Practice: Marking scriptures

Consider writing or displaying the full text of the following verses on the board. Or, if available, show the electronic version of these verses from the Gospel Library. You could replace these verses with another doctrinal mastery passage or another verse or verses of your choosing.

For students who use digital scriptures, you might want to spend some time demonstrating how to mark scriptures in the Gospel Library app. For instruction on how to do so, see the “Help” section of the Gospel Library App, including: Gospel Library User Guide (iOS) and Gospel Library User Guide (Android) under the heading “Marking Content.”

To practice marking, read Doctrine and Covenants 68:5–6 and mark what is meaningful to you. You may want to pay special attention to what you learn about the Savior and how He feels about you.

If the verses are displayed on the board, consider inviting students to use markers to re-create their markings on the board and ask them to share why they marked what they did.

• What words or phrases did you mark? Why did they stand out to you?

• Do you feel any differently about your scriptures after you’ve marked them? Did it affect your feelings for the Savior? If so, why?

It may be helpful to point out to students that when scriptural phrases stand out to them, it could be one way the Lord is communicating with them through the Holy Ghost.

Define: Linking or grouping verses

It can also be useful to study additional verses on a topic and link or group these verses together.

Model: Linking or grouping verses

• What are some ways you could link or group verses together about the Savior’s love for you?

  Listen to students’ answers and consider adding any of the following possibilities. You might use Doctrine and Covenants 68:5–6 and Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–11 as examples of verses that help us feel the Savior’s love. The following list has some ideas that students might mention or that you could add to what students share.

• Write the references on the blank pages at the beginning or end of your scriptures, or in a scripture journal.

• Beside a verse in the margin, write the reference(s) to a related verse.

• When using the Gospel Library app, use the linking or tagging feature.

If necessary, explain that linking will connect two scriptures, while tagging will allow you to group many scriptures under the same topic. Consider modeling this skill on the Gospel Library app or inviting a student to do it. If possible, it would be helpful to display on a larger screen rather than on a phone what you or a student is doing. For instructions on how to do this, see the Help section of the Gospel Library app. You can access this section by selecting the three dots in the top right corner. (Note: You can also link or tag paragraphs in general conference talks or any other material on the Gospel Library app.)

Practice: Linking or grouping verses

The following activity can encourage students to group and link scriptures. If you selected a different passage for students to study earlier in the lesson, you may also want to select different verses on the same subject to replace the verses below.

Read at least three of the following scriptures and consider linking or grouping them as verses that help you feel the Savior’s love: Doctrine and Covenants 18:10–11; 34:1–3; 45:3–5; 49:26–27; 68:5–6; 138:3; Isaiah 49:15–16; John 15:13; Romans 8:35–39; 1 John 4:19; 1 Nephi 19:9.

As a class or in small groups, invite students to share how they grouped verses and why it may be meaningful to them. They can also share ideas of how they might want to use grouping or linking in their own scripture study.

Define: Adding Notes

Another way to come closer to the Lord through scripture study is to add notes about what you are learning.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the value of recording notes when studying the scriptures:

Elder David A. Bednar

Writing down what we learn, think, and feel as we study the scriptures is another form of pondering and a powerful invitation to the Holy Ghost for continuing instruction. (“Because We Have Them before Our Eyes,” New Era, April 2006, 6–7)

Model: Adding Notes

Demonstrate or help students recall from pictures and videos earlier in the lesson that they can add notes by writing in the margins of their scriptures, on small pieces of paper they put in their scriptures, in a scripture journal, or electronically using the Gospel Library app.

Practice: Adding Notes

Conclude this lesson by writing your thoughts and feelings about at least one of the passages you studied today.

You might demonstrate how to add notes in digital scriptures by highlighting a phrase, selecting Note, and typing in text.

After students have had time to practice adding notes, invite a few to share what they wrote if it is not too personal. You may also ask how students might want to mark their scriptures in the future and why.

Additional Resources

Why should I mark my scriptures?

President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

President Boyd K. Packer

There are a number of plans for underlining scriptures. They vary somewhat and should suit the individual. The important thing is to underline them and make marginal notes of some kind so you can find them again. …

I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent going back to try to locate something I could have found very quickly if I had regularly followed this procedure. I do much better now than I did before. (Teach Ye Diligently [1975], 166)

Supplemental Learning Activities

An alternate beginning to the lesson

Consider beginning class by inviting students to self-evaluate their scripture study. You may want to display or read the following. You could also have students close their eyes and show how they would rank themselves by raising the appropriate number of fingers.

On a scale of 1–5 (1 = never and 5 = always), ponder how true the following statements are for you:

• Studying the scriptures is meaningful for me.

• Studying the scriptures helps me understand and feel the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

• I can stay focused when I study the scriptures.

• I can remember and find scriptures that are important to me.

Without sharing any individual student’s numbers, consider sharing, in general, ways class members are succeeding in scripture study and ways they might want to improve. Reassure students that they can learn skills that will make scripture study more meaningful and help them feel the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Additional ideas on how students can mark their scriptures

The following are additional ways to mark scriptures you can share with your students:

Use colors: Use different colors to mark different topics or patterns, like using one color for traits of the Lord, another color for promises He gives, and another for ways we can exercise faith in Him.

Mark scripture lists: At times scriptures include lists that may be helpful to mark. For example, the qualities of an elect lady in Doctrine and Covenants 25, the components of the whole armor of God in Doctrine and Covenants 27:15–18, or the gifts of the Spirit in Doctrine and Covenants 46.

Draw: If studying with paper scriptures, make a simple drawing to illustrate a verse or the symbolism used in a verse, like a rock beside Helaman 5:12.

Additional ideas on how students can tag or group verses

Students can group or tag verses according to topic, like faith, repentance, forgiveness, and revelation. If it would be useful for students to practice this skill, invite them to find verses on a doctrinal topic in Guide to the Scriptures or Topical Guide and group them.

Students can also group verses in personal topics, such as “Verses That Help Me Find Answers to My Questions” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:5; 8:2–3; 9:8–9; 88:63, 118; John 7:17; James 1:5–6; 2 Nephi 32:3, 8–9; Mosiah 4:9; Moroni 10:4–5) or “Verses That Comfort Me in Difficult Times” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:36; 10:4–5; 19:23; 58:4; 121:7–8; 122:5–8; 123:17; Matthew 11:28–30; John 16:33; Philippians 4:13; Helaman 5:12; Alma 36:3, 27). If it would be useful for students to try either of these groups, the verses in parentheses may be useful.

Marking and grouping doctrinal mastery verses

It may be useful to invite students to mark and group doctrinal mastery verses. The following are the references: Joseph Smith—History 1:15–20; Doctrine and Covenants 1:30, 37–38; 6:36; 8:2–3; 13:1; 18:10–11, 15–16; 19:16–19; 21:4–6; 29:10–11; 49:15–17; 58:42–43; 64:9–11; 76:22–24; 82:10; 84:20–22; 88:118; 89:18–21; 107:8; 121:36, 41–42; 130:22–23; 131:1–4; 135:3.