Studying Your Scriptures Tips!

Growing up, I wasn't the best reader in the scriptures until I hit high school. I took a religion class that helped me enjoy reading in the scriptures. Today, I try to read everyday and listen to gospel talks to help keep my day moving along with the Spirit. If you struggle to read scriptures, these tips will hopefully help you fall in love with them again or help you get in a better habit. It's such a blessing to have these books and for the lessons we learn from them. 

Set a Goal: The first time I read the scriptures all the way through was when I set a goal to read them in a year. It gave me an end and motivated me to keep reading. I had a little countdown that said I read the scriptures and I filled in each chapter I read for the year. Anything, to help you see the timeline will help you stay on track. There are tons of programs and ideas on reading the scriptures in a year that could be a good option. This is my goal every year now and it's worked every time. 

Ask a Question: When I first start off the scriptures, I write down a question of what I want to learn and know for the year reading through it. It's been neat to see the things I focus on learning stand out so much in the scriptures during that time. I use a different color of colored pencils each year for each one of my questions. It has helped me learn so much on things I have wanted to know and things I already knew, but wanted a deeper study of. 

Journal Edition Scriptures: There are so many cool new books that have extra journal space on the pages with the scriptures. I use to write really tiny in the margins and it just got messy and my thoughts couldn't be fully written. Now, with the extra space on the pages I can write a whole thought out and still have room for more. It has been a game changer for my study. 

Write Notes: Either write notes in your scriptures or have a notebook next to you when you read. I found if I write out what I am learning and feeling prompted to write I had a better study that day. If you have thoughts while you're reading, it's most likely a prompting and if you write it down you'll remember better. It is always fun to look back on my notes to see what I learned and was prompted to do. I have found that each time I read a scripture, I don't always get the same lesson out of it! Write it down so you can remember. 

Phone Scriptures App: I like having the scriptures app on my phone for when I can't use my paper copies. It comes in handy during church, when you are trying to think of a scripture story you can search it right there, if you have a quiet moment while waiting on someone you can read, you can listen to the scriptures from the app and some people just learn better with technology items rather than pen and paper. I like that you can highlight and add notes in the app. 

Read a Talk: Sometimes the scriptures are hard to understand, so I like to find a talk that someone I trust has given about those chapters. This can be a podcast, conference talk, church talk, somewhere off the internet, an influencer you know... there are tons of books written on Gospel topics to help as well. I like to add little quotes in my scriptures from talks I have learned something from to go along with the scriptures. 

Pray: I always start with a prayer before I read the scriptures. What a better way to understand what you are reading than to ask God for help. He can make things clear in our minds when we need it to be. I also think a prayer invites the Spirit into your home and heart to allow for you to learn more and get more out of your readings. 

Pick a Topic: Another way to study is to pick a topic you want to learn about. Specifically read scriptures on the topic you want to learn more about. The topical guides in the back of the scriptures is a great resource to help you find the scriptures that go along with a topic. I have found that if you want to learn about something and you study with scriptures, it tends to make more sense and becomes more clear. 

Color Code: I use a different colored pencil for what I am doing in the scriptures. If it goes along with my question of the year then it's the same color all year and throughout the whole book. If it is something to do with our church reading then I do that in another color. If it has nothing to do with what my question is then I use a pen and underline, which shows a random thought and to know it was a prompting scripture. I love colored pencils, but crayons, highlighters, pens all work just fine, too! 

Start Fresh Yearly: Sometimes, I get side tracked and get lost in where I am reading in the scriptures. I found it helps me to start fresh either at the beginning of the year or whenever I am ready to get back on track with reading, especially if I want to read cover to cover. I learn better when I read the scriptures in order to understand the stories. If you are feeling lost of where to study, start fresh from the beginning and see where it takes you. 

Set a Time to Read: Read at the same time every day if you can. I don't get the exact time every morning, but it's the first part of my morning when I get up and get going. I use to read every night and I loved it, that is easier for me when I was younger. Now, the mornings work better for me. You can read on your lunch break, while you wait for the kids to do their activities, during breakfast, listen to them while you cook, just find a time that can be consistent. 

Listen to Scriptures: If you don't have time to sit down and read a paper copy of the scriptures, then listen to them! I feel like our phones can be tough on us, but they do have their good parts too. I love listening to gospel talks while I drive, cook dinner, while I work, or just at a quiet moment. There are so many apps to use that offer the read aloud version of the scriptures. 

Highlight Verses: Don't be afraid to mark up your book or on the app. I think back in the day it wasn't necessarily respectful to write in scriptures, but I think times have changed. I have seen so many peoples scriptures marked up with thoughts, quotes, answers to prayers, loved scriptures, light bulbs of things that finally clicked, and whatever else it is that spoke to them while reading. I love looking at my highlighted verses to see what has stuck out me while reading other times. This is definitely a preference thing, but I love it. 

Study Guide Videos: Find a Youtube video, study guide, podcast, or group to help read scriptures with you. I have found a few podcast/youtubers that teach on what they have studied for the week that have helped me understand passages so much better. There are tons of study guides out there, especially the ones your church gives to you to study for the year. It all depends on where you look to learn and what you prefer that will help you find guides to help you study. This is one of my favorite things to ask people for who they listen to for scripture studies. 

Stickers: My sister bought me scripture stickers one year and I have really enjoyed using them. There are so many different options. You can get stickers that depict the scripture stories that show you right away about what you are reading. There are stickers that just state that it is a loved scripture, a lightbulb kind of verse or just that you liked it. I have a lot of heart stickers on verses that I have fallen in love with. It is a fun way for kids to read through the scriptures, too! 

Words or Themes: There have been a few times I have read through the scriptures looking for a specific word or theme. For example, I wanted to learn more about Christ, so I highlighted every name of Christ and another year I did attributes of Christ. Those have been really powerful studies for me. I believe if you look for it you will find it. The scriptures are amazing how they can teach you something new every single time you read through it.  

Write Your Testimony: After I finish reading the scriptures from cover to cover I like to write down my testimony at the end of the book. It has been really neat to read through all my testimonies over the years and see how I have grown in the gospel. I wish I would have done this when I was younger too but it is never too late to start. It is really neat to sit down and really think about the things you learned and were prompted about during your study for that year. It's been my favorite thing about finishing the scriptures. 

Write Start Date and End Date: Every time I start the scriptures to read the book cover to cover I write the start date at the front of the book. I did this the very first time I read the scriptures and thought it was so cool to see when I first read the books cover to cover. I have continued on the tradition every time I restart the scriptures. I have also added the end date to them now. It's a good way to help me keep on track with my goals and just a fun thing to look back on. 

Favorite Scriptures List: My favorite thing to do is to keep a favorite scripture list. I have them at the front of my scriptures, in my notes journals, and some on my phone. It is so neat to go back through them and re-read them often. It is a good quick study on day's I don't have a lot of time to read I go through the list I have written out. The older I am getting the longer my list is getting. It will probably be the same size as the book soon. There are too many good verses and stories. 

Memorize Scriptures: If you want to have scriptures pop into your head throughout the day, then memorize them. I am the worst at memorizing, but I know when I practice and pray about it those are one's that stay in my head. If you review them often that helps, too. I need to get back on the trend with memorizing, but I use to work on memorizing scriptures while I was getting ready in the mornings. I want to start doing that again. It's just nice being able to think of a scripture in your head during stressful times or sad moments especially when you don't have the scriptures available. 

Talk About What You Learn: My husband and I ask every time, "What did you get from that today?" Anytime we read, listen to a talk, go to church, podcast or anything uplifting we always ask each other that. It is a great way to see what others got out of it, which sometimes makes an aha moment to learn even more. My husband is really good at remembering what he heard and having it connect to his life so it's a way for me to learn more about him. I think we remember lessons more, too when we talk them out. 

Just Start: One scripture a day is better than none. Start today reading as much as you can. I know if you do that God will bless you with new insights, answers to prayers, more patience during the day, peace, tender mercies and overall I know He will help you understand and love the scriptures more. 

Church or Study Group: It helps learning with others when you can discuss the topics. Church for me, is where I learn a lot of the history and facts of the scriptures. It's also, a good opportunity to share what stuck out to me during my reading. I don't share the very personal tender moments from the things that have stuck out to me, but it is important to discuss what you can about what you have learned. 

Remember, It's Okay To Not Be Perfect: This is major tip! We are human. If you miss a day of reading, start again today. Don't dwell on yesterday, but fix it now when you think about it. I use to be so sad on days I missed and then it'd take away from my experience the next time I picked up the scriptures. I try not to miss days of reading and I know that if I do that it's okay, just don't let it become a habit. Put reminders in your phone if you really don't want to miss. I tend to climb into bed at night and it will hit me that I missed it that morning. Start fresh everyday and know that your heart will begin to crave it daily and it will be hard to miss a day then. 

Habit or Because I Love It: It's okay to start out with a habit to get into the scriptures. If I would of never set a goal to read the scriptures when I did then I don't know how many more years it would of taken me to read it. It's a way to start if you aren't reading daily or it's hard to want to read, but don't stay there. When you start reading and learning and feeling the Spirit I hope it turns into a love for the scriptures rather than a to-do in your life. A daily feast forever in your life will happen because of your desire to know God more and will last over just a habit of getting in the read for the day. Just wanted to put my thoughts in here on that because I have thought a lot about purposeful reading and wanting to make sure that is why I am reading daily. 

I know it can be hard to find time for scripture study, but I know that if you put God first He will bless you. These studying your scriptures tips have been ones that have motivated me to be a daily reader and have helped me fall in love with reading scriptures. I have learned so much about Christ and the gospel through reading and have had so many prayers answered, peace brought into my life and guidance when I have needed it. I hope as you study the scriptures you can feel that, too. 

What has helped you study better in the scriptures? What are your favorite scripture verses?