Creative Scripture Study

By Andrea Cartwright

You can find great stories and learn terrific lessons from the scriptures, but sometimes it’s hard to concentrate on what you’re reading or to find the time for scripture study. Here are a few tips for getting more out of your scripture study.

Want to try something new?

Read a lot of chapters quickly. This will help you get the big picture of what is going on.
Make the stories come alive by acting them out with your family.
Make a list of the main characters you are reading about and some things you learn about each of them. You could draw pictures of what you think they might have looked like.
Organize a family scripture chase. Learn one another’s favorite scriptures, and then race to look them up. Have each person tell why that scripture is their favorite once you’ve looked it up.
With a friend, make a reading schedule, and read the same verses or chapters each day. Talk about what you have read.

Don’t want to mark your scriptures?

Write on sticky notes. These give you room to put your thoughts next to certain scriptures, but you can take them off or move them later.
Buy an inexpensive copy of the Book of Mormon and write your thoughts in it. Later, you can transfer to your other scriptures only what is valuable to you.
Tack a scripture of the week to your wall or mirror or, each Sunday, pick a new scripture and write it on an index card to look at throughout the week.
Find a notebook that fits in your scripture case. Decorate the notebook’s cover to make it unique, and use it to write your thoughts in as you read.

Can’t find the time?

Get a small, military-size copy of the Book of Mormon. It fits just about anywhere—in your locker, backpack, or purse. Read it during your break at school or work, on a bus, or in a long line.
Read while you’re eating breakfast. Instead of staring at the back of the cereal box, pull out your scriptures and start your day out right.
Make an “appointment” with your scriptures. If you have a specific time picked out for scripture study, it is easier to follow through.

Illustrated by Shauna Mooney Kawasaki; photograph by Christina Smith