Why Should Families Study Scriptures Together?

Families, communities, and nations are stronger when parents gather their children together to study the scriptures. The beginning of a new year is an excellent time to develop a new scripture study habit. The family is the core unit of society, and the strength of the family determines the strength of the community and the nation.

The home is the best place for children to learn the gospel because individuals can learn in ways that are not possible in a meeting or class. The new Come, Follow Me – For Individuals and Families manual has numerous suggestions for enhancing family scripture study. 

Use Music: Sing songs that reinforce the principles taught in the scriptures….

Share Meaningful Scriptures: Give family members time to share scripture passages that they have found meaningful during their personal study.

Use Your Own Words: Invite family members to summarize in their own words what they learn from the scriptures you study.

Apply the Scriptures to Your Life: After reading a scripture passage, ask family members to share ways the passage applies to their lives.

Ask a Question: Invite family members to ask a gospel question, and then spend time looking for verses that can help answer the question.

Display a Scripture: Select a verse you find meaningful and display it where family members will see it often. Invite other family members to take turns selecting a scripture to display.

Make a Scripture List: As a family, choose several verses that you would like to discuss during the coming week.

Memorize Scriptures: Select a scripture passage that is meaningful to your family and invite family members to memorize it by repeating it daily or playing a memorization game.

Share Object Lessons: Find objects that relate to the gospel principles in the scripture passages you are reading as a family. Invite family members to talk about how each object relates to the teachings in the scriptures.

Pick a Topic: Let family members take turns choosing a topic that the family will study together. Use the Topical Guide, the Bible Dictionary, or the Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures. ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to find scripture passages about the topic.

Draw a Picture: Read a few verses as a family, and then allow time for family members to draw something that relates to what you read. Spend time discussing one another’s drawings.

Act Out a Story: After reading a [scripture] story, invite family members to act it out. Afterward, talk about how the story relates to the things that you are experiencing individually and as a family.

No family should expect to adopt all of the suggestions immediately. However, every family should be capable of selecting one or two suggestions to internalize each week. By utilizing the suggestions, a family can bring variety and even excitement into their scripture study.

President Russell M. Nelson said: “I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining” (“Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 113).

Since the family is the core unit of society, the most important thing to do is to strengthen it. One of the best ways to build strength in a family is to study the scriptures together. Parents can strengthen their family as well as their community and nation by gathering their children together for family scripture study. 

Scriptures and Temple

                As parents and grandparents, we can provide spiritual armor for our children and grandchildren by daily family scripture study and frequent temple attendance.  Our rising generation is growing up in a world with much more wickedness than it had in previous generations.  We must prepare the rising generation to face evils that we did not have to face.

                Elder Daniel L. Johnson of the First Quorum of the Seventy spoke at our stake conference last weekend.  He reminded us that we would not send our sons and daughters off to fight a war in a foreign nation without weapons and other equipment because we know they would not survive it.  He then spoke of the spiritual war raging on earth today, a war that started in our pre-earth life and continues in our day.  It is a war of evil against righteousness.  We won the war in heaven with righteousness and testimony.   The war in heaven ended with Satan and his followers being cast down to earth without the opportunity to ever receive bodies – and they want our bodies.

                The war continues on earth because Satan and his followers are miserable and desire misery to be the lot of all of us.  They wage war on us as individuals and as families.  Elder Johnson said, “If you want your children to be strong enough to survive the onslaught of Satan, you must send them out to battle with knowledge of the scriptures and a testimony of their truthfulness.  This is more important than anything else you can do.  They will not remember what you study, but they will remember that family scripture study was important to you.  Read the scriptures with your family every day.”  He added, we will not lose those who grow up reading the scriptures every day.  Let your children know that family scripture study is important to you.  Search the scriptures because you cannot know the Lord without studying the scriptures.”

                Elder Johnson then changed topics and said, “If you really want to know the Lord, go to the temple as often as you can to be taught by the Lord in His house.  He quoted a statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith with the promise that the eternal sealing of faithful parents will save their wandering children.  He closed his talk with four reminders:  (1) Read the scriptures with your family every day, (2) Go to the temple as frequently as possible, (3) Have an influence for good on your posterity, and (4) Pray for your wandering children.

                I know that family scripture study can prepare the rising generation to face the evils of our world today.  I know that frequent temple attendance blesses and strengthens families.  I know that we can strengthen our families, communities and nations by studying the scriptures in our families and going to the temple as frequently as our schedules allow.

Safety in Our Day

                Families, communities, and nations are strengthened when parents teaching the rising generation the importance of staying strong in turbulent times.  We live in a world that becomes increasingly wicked as time passes.  Actions that were seldom seen or even discussed in my youth are now openly supported.  We must teach our children and youth how to survive these times.

                The Apostle Paul described our day in a letter to his friend Timothy:  “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

                “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

                “Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

                “Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

                “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:  from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

                President Boyd K. Packer, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke about our world today and said that all the conditions listed by the Apostle Paul are currently present.  He also said that Moroni, an ancient American prophet, spoke of the wickedness of our day and left us a warning:  “When ye shall see these things come among you … ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation….

                “Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved” (Book of Mormon – Another Witness of Jesus Christ, Ether 8:24, 26).

                President Packer gave counsel about how we can be safe in these “perilous times” (Paul) or “very precarious times” (President Packer).  “Parents today wonder if there is a safe place to raise children.  There is a safe place.  It is in a gospel-centered home.  We focus on the family in the Church, and we counsel parents everywhere to raise their children in righteousness….

                “The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection.  They contain the doctrine and laws and ordinances that will bring each child of God to a testimony of Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer….

                “Make scripture reading a part of your regular routine, and the blessings will follow.  There is in the scriptures a voice of warning, but there is also great nourishment.

                “If the language of the scriptures at first seems strange to you, keep reading.  Soon you will come to recognize the beauty and power found on those pages. 

                “Paul said, `All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness’ (2 Timothy 3:16).

                “You can test this promise for yourself.

                “We live in perilous times; nevertheless, we can find hope and peace for ourselves and for our families…. Righteousness is more powerful than wickedness.

                “Children taught an understanding of the scriptures early in life will come to know the path they should walk and will be more inclined to remain on that path.  Those who stray will have the ability to return and, with help, can find their way back….

                “Paul and others warned about the trials of our time and the days yet to come.  But peace can be settled in the heart of each who turns to the scriptures and unlocks the promises of protection and redemption that are taught therein.  We invite all to turn to the Savior Jesus Christ, to His teachings as found in the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

                “I bear certain witness of the scriptures as a key to our spiritual protection….”  (“The Key to Spiritual Protection,” Ensign, November 2013, pp. 26-28).

                I have quoted the words of several prophets and apostles on how we can survive well in these “perilous times.”  I encourage parents everywhere to pay attention to their counsel and provide safety for themselves and their children in these “precarious times.”  Our nations, communities, and families will be strengthened as we strengthen the rising generation.

Scripture Study

                Individuals and families grow stronger as we spend time and make efforts to study the word of God.  There is something about the word of God that reaches all sincere students of it.  I do not understand how it is so, but I know that the scriptures are written in such a way that children can understand the principle taught and adults can gain more understanding.  Each time I study the scriptures I learn something more or read things that I did not see previously.

                There is a difference between simply reading the scriptures and actually studying them.  One summer I spent time in the scriptures in three different ways and learned that there is a big difference in how much I learned.  I listened to the scriptures on CD as I jogged, I read a chapter each day, and I spent time searching for principles.  As I listened, I heard what was being said, but I did not internalize it.  Reading helped me internalize the scriptures more than simply listening to them, but there were no “hooks” on which to hang the things I read.  When I was searching the scriptures, the principles were the “hooks” on which to hang the stories and statements.

                Lori Fuller suggested three ideas for enhancing our scripture study.  The ideas can be personalized and adapted to our own needs. 

1) Approach scripture study with a question and search for the answer.  2) Choose a specific subject or topic to study.  3) Search for specific guidance for self and/or family (“Scripture Study for Family Strength,” Ensign, Aug. 2013, 20-21). 

                Of course, there are some things we should do no matter which approach we take to studying the scriptures.  We should always begin our scripture study with prayer, asking for help understanding the principles being taught and finding the answers we need.  We should highlight the scriptures that mean something to us.  We should make notes in the scriptures themselves or in a separate notebook.  We can use the topical guide to find specific information or the Bible Dictionary to define specific words and gain greater understanding.

                President Henry B. Eyring, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared how he enhanced his personal scripture study.  “When I came into the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Richard G. Scott suggested I buy an inexpensive set of scriptures and mark the insights and revelations I would gain in my new calling.  So I did.  But I went a little further.

                “I asked Heavenly Father what He would have me do as an Apostle.  I wrote down what I felt His answers were.  I typed, color coded, and pasted those answers in the front of my scriptures.  For example, the first [answer on the list] was `I am to be a witness that Christ is the Son of God.’  Then I read my scriptures looking for ideas that taught me how to witness that Christ is the Son of God.  Every time I came to something I marked  it in blue.  Soon I developed my own topical guide around what I thought the Lord wanted me to do.  I have learned much through this process.

                “Going to the scriptures to learn what to do makes all the difference.  The Lord can teach us.  When we come to a crisis in our life, such as losing a child or spouse, we should go looking in the scriptures for specific help.  We will find answers in the scriptures.  The Lord seemed to anticipate all of our problems and all of our needs, and He put help in the scriptures for us – if only we seek it” (“A Discussion on Scripture Study,” Ensign, July 2005, 24). 

                Studying the scriptures as a family is a bit trickier than studying individually.  When my children were very small, I would carry them from their beds to the living room each morning and read scriptures to them as they were waking.  As they grew, scripture study was more challenging.  Even though I kept trying, I never found a way that worked real well for our family.

                Somehow my children got the message that families should study the scriptures together.   Each of them gathers their family around them, and each member of the family takes a turn to read a verse or two.  The children who know how to read take their turns reading; one or the parent helps the children who do not yet know how to read by reading a few words and having the child repeat the words.  As I have participated with them in their family scripture study and prayer, I sense that the children enjoy the experience very much.  I believe children can internalize much of what is read and hear during scripture study.  I also believe that children become better readers as they read the scriptures; I am always pleasantly surprised at the “big words” my grandchildren seem to automatically know.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reminded us that “our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results.”

 “As our sons were growing up, our family … had regular family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening….

“Sometimes Sister Bednar and I wondered if our efforts to do these spiritually essential things were worthwhile.  Now and then verses of scripture were read amid outbursts such as `He’s touching me!’  `Make him stop looking at me!’  `Mom, he’s breathing my air!’  Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling and poking.  And with active, rambunctious boys, family home evening lessons did not always produce high levels of edification.  At time Sister Bednar and I were exasperated because the righteous habits we worked so hard to foster did not seem to yield immediately the spiritual results we wanted and expected.

“Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they would answer.  They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development.  What they would say they remember is that as a family we were consistent.

“Sister Bednar and I thought helping our sons understand the content of a particular lesson or a specific scripture was the ultimate outcome.  But such a result does not occur each time we study or pray or learn to together.  The consistency of our intent and work was perhaps the greatest lesson – a lesson we did not fully appreciate at the time” (“More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 20).  

I was listening to the Glenn Beck radio program for a few minutes recently.  At the time, Glenn was explaining the importance of studying the scriptures together as a family.  He described the difficulty his family had trying to find a good time to sit down together to study the scriptures.  One day he said to his family:  We eat dinner together as a family every day.  We are going to combine dinner and scripture study.  He said that his family reads and discusses a chapter in the scriptures as they eat dinner each day; he also said that he can sense that his children and family are growing spiritually.

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) said, “When individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, other areas of activity will automatically come.  Testimonies will increase.  Commitment will be strengthened.  Families will be fortified.  Personal revelation will flow” (“The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 81).  

President Howard W. Hunter, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught:  “When we follow the counsel of our leaders to read and study the scriptures, benefits and blessings of many kinds come to us.  This is the most profitable of all study in which we could engage.” (“Reading the Scriptures," Ensign, Nov. 1979). 

I know from personal and family experience that scripture study helps us to grow stronger as individuals and families.  I encourage you to begin a program of scripture study!