Lesson 4 - Chapter 2, part 2 (Janine Thompson)

Some scripture study tips that we discussed from the manual include:

-always begin with prayer
-think about others that you want to teach as you read
-liken the scriptures to yourself
-be alert!
-sit at a desk or table
-study by topic


On page 25 of the manual, it has a list of questions to rate the effectiveness of our scripture study.  The ones that we found most relevant were:

1.  Do I think about the people I'm teaching as I study?
2.  Throughout the day, do I think about what I studied in the morning?


We talked about how we can keep the scriptures in our mind.  In 2 Ne 4:15-16 Nephi says, concerning the scriptures, that his heart pondereth the things of the Lord continually.

Pondering scriptures is a way to keep our sacrament covenant where we promise to always remember Him.  Keeping a scripture in mind helps us feel the spirit.  We all have a default setting -- a place where our mind goes when we have nothing to think about.  Let`s all try to make the default a scripture or a spiritual thought.

We also talked about the importance of memorizing scriptures.

2 talks for reference:

1.  My Heart Pondereth Them Continually by Elder Durrant
2.  The Power of Scripture by Elder Scott


Finally, we also did an exercise to show how we can always find more insight from scriptures - even when they seem so familiar.

Step 1 - choose a scripture and as you read it, underline or circle any words or phrases that stand out.
Step 2 - write in your journal your thoughts about why you chose those particular points.
Step 3 - write three questions from this scripture.  Make them open-ended -- What did the Lord mean by....How does this apply in my situation...How can this lead to...What is the relationship between...
Step 4 - pick at least one question, and using all study resources (topical guide, bible dictionary, conference talks, lds.org) find answers to those questions.