5 Steps of Scripture Study- The Red Headed Hostess

Growing up, I was that girl in seminary class who sat on the back row and didn’t want to be called on because I did NOT know the answer.  I was that girl who was terrified of praying in front of other people.   I was that girl who knew she should study her scriptures – but didn’t know how.  I was that girl…but didn’t want to be.

I remember trying to overcome my fears and inadequacies.  I remember volunteering to pray and watching the clock tick closer to the time when it would be my turn.  I remember volunteering to participate in seminary in places and positions I felt comfortable and trying to stretch myself from there.  And I remember making a scripture study corner in my room, at my desk, with all sorts of colored pencils and study guides where I would attempt to read my scriptures and actually understand them.  And I remember starting that process over and over again, always ending up overwhelmed and feeling not as smart as some of my peers who seemed to be reading a set of different books than I had.  Did I have the more advanced version?  The A.P. set?

So – one day my prayers were answered.  My prayer to learn HOW  to study my scriptures.  Not WHY I should study them – I had already grasped that.  But HOW.  Someone please show me HOW.   One day – over 10 years ago, I was in training to be an EFY counselor.  And they had brought in a BYU professor to speak to us.  And he spoke to us about 5 steps to studying our scriptures – and I knew that I was learning something that would impact my life.

After a few years of putting these steps into practice, it started to pay off in so many ways.  Ways I had not anticipated.  And I truly learned for myself the value of the scriptures, about how we learn”line upon line”, and how that light and truth we gain effects every aspect of our lives.  And I learned the importance of learning how to learn – and that when we learn that -our “line upon line” grows so much faster and we progress in light and truth at a greater rate than we had previously.

  After a while, people started asking me to come and give firesides about these 5 steps – and eventually it became one of my EFY talks when I used speak  for them.

So now, I am going to give it to you.  This is my version of the 5 steps and the scriptures and quotes that I have gathered through the years that give further insight.   I hope it blesses your life as it blessed mine.

As you look at it, you may want to visit my other post about scripture journals to understand step #4 better.

This is in a bookmark form so you can print it (front and back), and then laminate it.  I really hope this helps you!

 5 Steps of scripture study

11 comments

  1. This is so awesome! I’ve always struggled with having meaningful scripture study and implementing these 5 steps will help so much. And I am also going to start a scripture journal!

  2. This is so amazing! I’ve never found an effective way to study and this makes so much sense. This is going to help so much with my goal of “drinking deeply of living waters” as Elder Perry has encouraged us to do. I’m printing them off for my family too.

  3. I just want to let you know that all of these posts about your scriptures and how to study and all of these amazing things are preparing me for my two year mission. I’m s excited and than kyou so much. I’m only in April of 2010 of your posts and I’m already just amazing at what you have accomplished. Thank you so much for spending the time to do this = )

  4. Thanks so much for the insight. I too always wondered exactly how to go about scripture study, as opposed to just reading them. I had finally started journaling about my study a bit, but I also really appreciate your post on how to set up a scripture journal, I’m much more organized now!

  5. This is me I am that girl, only I am 35. I am going to use this and teach my daughter too as I learn. I love all this info. Thank you.

  6. I love your ideas for scripture study and am excited for all I can learn. I am thankful to you for sharing ideas of how I can learn from the scriptures myself and not just rely on what others have found.

    I have a question about the 5 steps of scripture study. Step 2 has 2 Nephi 38:30. I’m wondering if I am seeing that wrong because my scriptures don’t have a 2 Nephi 38:30.

    Thanks again for sharing all your ideas.

  7. Michele already pointed it out, but is there anyway you can quickly change Step 2 – 2 Nephi 38:30 to 2 Nephi 28:30?

    This is so wonderful! Thank you so much for all you do! Thank you for walking us through the steps you go through when you do something. It is so helpful and not condescending in anyway.

    (Sending happy baby waves in your direction!!!!)

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