How do you study the scriptures (or anything for that matter?)

[LePeel]

I'm preparing to serve as a missionary. However, must confess something. I've never really sat down and "studied" something before. I've read the Book of Mormon, I've read many pages of gospel related material, I've listened to many hours of talks. I have a firm understanding of the Gospel. However this isn't enough, I need to learn how to study. I've attempted this a few times and really don't know what to do. Am I supposed to go in with a specific topic in mind? Without some kind of goal I don't see much difference between "studying" the scriptures and just reading them. Preach My Gospel helps somewhat but doesn't entirely answer my question. This may seem like an elementary question and I do feel kind of foolish for not knowing this at my age, but I need wisdom.

How can I develop a habit of study if I don't know where to begin? How is it done? 

 

 

 

[Vort]

1 hour ago, LePeel said:

Without some kind of goal I don't see much difference between "studying" the scriptures and just reading them.

Studying the scriptures means to read them with a desire to understand. Read them and ask questions as you go. Ask penetrating questions, not just obvious surface stuff. Why is Nephi talking about this? Why here? What else is going on? I'm not a big fan of using nonscriptural sources to study scriptures, but I have heard that The Book of Mormon Made Harder is an excellent companion to your Book of Mormon study, because it helps you ask these very types of questions. It doesn't tell you anything about the Book of Mormon; rather, it helps you ask the kinds of questions you need to be asking while you study.

Set aside 30 minutes every morning to read scriptures. Start and end with prayer. Is a half hour too long for you? Start with ten minutes and work your way up. (You will find that a half hour barely gets you started.) Mornings bad? Do it in the evenings before dinner, or right after. I suggest not waiting until bedtime, by which point you'll be tired. Too hard to squeeze in? Give up some TV/web surfing time. MormonHub will still be here, even if you're not reading it.

[zil]

The following technique has worked well for me - and it's a technique, so it may not work for you, so don't be afraid to tweak or explore to find your own technique - in fact, exploring and discovery are good goals with scripture study.  IMO, the pen/pencil and paper part is necessary (the brain behaves differently when writing versus typing), but if you just can't stand it, feel free to type your notes.  Anywho...

Pick a topic (the first time I did this, it was the Sabbath Day - you might want to try that out for your first go, simply because the total number of linked scriptures is fairly small).  I went to the Bible Dictionary and read everything (including linked scriptures) about anything with "sabbat" in it - Sabbath, Sabbath day's journey, Sabbatical Year.  I then did the same in the Topical Guide.  As I read, particularly the scriptures, I made a brief note of the verse(s) and what I learned.  This is not the same as summarizing what it said - I wrote what I learned.

When I was done with that, I began to categorize my notes, looking for similar ideas.  I then reorganized my notes - twice, I believe - into these categories - so I wrote it all down 3-4 times (the final time nice and clean so I could keep it and re-use it).  When I was done, I had 8 major categories with multiple citations in each noting what that citation taught me.

I was amazed at how much I learned (I figured I already knew everything there was to know about the Sabbath day, but I was wrong).  I also noted that more than any other approach, I lost track of time while doing this - if you don't lose track of time, you're not doing it right.

I think the key things to this technique are:

• I picked something I wanted to study
• I intended to study the whole thing and learn everything I could from it
• I made notes about what I learned, then organized and reorganized the notes, thereby solidifying what I learned
• I focused entirely on this until I was done (it was my personal scripture study)

And, of course, there are the usual things we know make scripture study effective - prayer, daily, eliminate distractions, acting on what you learn (repent, change), etc.

[Fether]

1 hour ago, LePeel said:

I'm preparing to serve as a missionary. However, must confess something. I've never really sat down and "studied" something before. I've read the Book of Mormon, I've read many pages of gospel related material, I've listened to many hours of talks. I have a firm understanding of the Gospel. However this isn't enough, I need to learn how to study. I've attempted this a few times and really don't know what to do. Am I supposed to go in with a specific topic in mind? Without some kind of goal I don't see much difference between "studying" the scriptures and just reading them. Preach My Gospel helps somewhat but doesn't entirely answer my question. This may seem like an elementary question and I do feel kind of foolish for not knowing this at my age, but I need wisdom.

How can I develop a habit of study if I don't know where to begin? How is it done? 

 

 

 

I biggest game changer for me was having an ingrained goal. I’m not talking about “Go sit down and write out some goals!” I’m talking about the day I realized I was sick and tired of not knowing the scriptures so I made a change. I go to the point, and still there, where one can read any scripture out of the Book of Mormon and I could tel you the exact chapter and the context of what was going on (except for most Isaiah chapters).

So what do you want out of your study? How badly do you want it? Now go get it

[Anddenex]

These two scriptures have been at the heart of my scripture study:

1) 2 Nephi 33: 6

2) 1 Nephi 10: 17, 19

As others have shared - have a question - and be willing to wait patiently on the Lord for the answer to this question. I had one particular question, and after a year the Lord revealed to me the answer to my question.

Use lds.org to help with study topics. Elder Bednar provided an excellent talk on studying scriptures: A Reservoir of Living Water, and here is a quote from the speech:

Quote

I now want to review with you three basic ways or methods of obtaining living water from the scriptural reservoir: (1) reading the scriptures from beginning to end, (2) studying the scriptures by topic, and (3) searching the scriptures for connections, patterns, and themes. Each of these approaches can help satisfy our spiritual thirst if we invite the companionship and assistance of the Holy Ghost as we read, study, and search.

 

[Traveler]

16 hours ago, LePeel said:

I'm preparing to serve as a missionary. However, must confess something. I've never really sat down and "studied" something before. I've read the Book of Mormon, I've read many pages of gospel related material, I've listened to many hours of talks. I have a firm understanding of the Gospel. However this isn't enough, I need to learn how to study. I've attempted this a few times and really don't know what to do. Am I supposed to go in with a specific topic in mind? Without some kind of goal I don't see much difference between "studying" the scriptures and just reading them. Preach My Gospel helps somewhat but doesn't entirely answer my question. This may seem like an elementary question and I do feel kind of foolish for not knowing this at my age, but I need wisdom.

How can I develop a habit of study if I don't know where to begin? How is it done? 

You may know more about this than you realize - perhaps I can help a little.  Suppose you received a phone call today from President Nelson and he called you to speak at conference on some scripture.  What you do between now and conference concerning that scripture would be what you already understand and would do to study scripture.  You may pursue any method you like.  One of my first efforts - that began before I served as a missionary was to sit down with an notebook and wright down why I believe each verse was preserved by G-d as sacred scripture.  It took 11 years to complete this particular study and to this date I find the reading of these notes to be informative. 

 

The Traveler

[Chilean]

Cant help you there, I'm reading the Book of Mormon, and I just had to skipped Isaiah (Well 2Nephi's Isaiah's quoting).  I'm a failure.

Edited September 13, 2018 by Chilean

[JohnsonJones]

An easy way to do this would could be to buy or download the Institute student manuals and read them along with your scriptures study.

They can be found here

https://www.lds.org/si/institute/manuals?lang=eng

[zil]

21 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said:

An easy way to do this would could be to buy or download the Institute student manuals and read them along with your scriptures study.

They can be found here

https://www.lds.org/si/institute/manuals?lang=eng

I like the institute manuals for reference (though the old ones are better for that than the new ones), but as @Vort's post hints - if you read along with it, you maybe limiting yourself to a more passive experience and to what it teaches rather than what the Spirit wants to teach you specifically.  I think if you're going to use the institute manual, some of the following may help you avoid falling into a passive routine:

1) Go to the end of the chapter and review the questions it asks (or find them in the middle if that's where they are these days).  Consider whether they're the questions you want answered.  Add your own questions (perhaps based on chapter headings), or pick and choose which of the questions you do want answered.  Write down these questions separately, so you can have them in front of you the whole time (instead of having to scroll / flip around to find them).

2) Use the manual for reference to help you learn, for example, the meanings of words, or Hebrew traditions, or historic context, but not otherwise.

3) Do your own study first, then use them to see if you missed something.

Basically, don't just read along - set goals, take notes, plan actions - sort of like when you take a class.  I found that just reading along made me think I was studying - it told me lots of interesting and useful information, so I felt good about what I was doing, but looking back, it wasn't nearly as good as if I'd had the goals, more note taking (not summarizing what was said, but noting what I learned), and action planning at the end.

FWIW.

Edited September 13, 2018 by zil

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

You have been given a lot of great advice already.     I don't think there is any one way to study, the point is to take time to read and ponder.  I have found that the way I study the scriptures is different at different times of my life, and I think that is to be expected since my needs vary at different times.  Sometimes I read straight through.  Sometimes I study by topic.   Recently, I decided that I would like to know all the stories of the Book of Mormon as will as I know the story of Lehi and his family leaving Jerusalem.  Most of us know that story well because we start reading and then we get intimidated in 2 Nephi and stop.  Later we start again, so we read 1 Nephi over and over.   So I started in Mosiah and read to the end, and then started in Mosiah again.  As I'm reading, I usually have something I am particularly keeping a look out for...right now it is anything about angels or gifts of the Spirit.   One of my favorite topic studies, by the way, has been about the names of the Savior.   There are so many, and studying them has helped me understand Him and His mission, and role in our life so much better.

So study in whatever way is comfortable for you, the important thing is that you read and ponder from there the Spirit will guide you. 

[zil]

1 hour ago, LiterateParakeet said:

Recently, I decided that I would like to know all the stories of the Book of Mormon as will as I know the story of Lehi and his family leaving Jerusalem.  Most of us know that story well because we start reading and then we get intimidated in 2 Nephi and stop.  Later we start again, so we read 1 Nephi over and over.   So I started in Mosiah and read to the end, and then started in Mosiah again.

As I was reading this, the idea struck me that you could stop at the end of each story and write a short synopsis of it, which would go even further to solidify the story in your mind.  (And give you a chance to use your fountain pen and some Clairefontaine paper. )  I might try this after I'm released from my current calling - only with all the works of scripture (except the D&C which really doesn't have stories like the others do).

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

1 hour ago, zil said:

As I was reading this, the idea struck me that you could stop at the end of each story and write a short synopsis of it, which would go even further to solidify the story in your mind.  (And give you a chance to use your fountain pen and some Clairefontaine paper. )  I might try this after I'm released from my current calling - only with all the works of scripture (except the D&C which really doesn't have stories like the others do).

Great idea!  I have made some notes and diagrams, but I really like the synopsis idea.  Thanks! 

[Guest]

On 9/12/2018 at 8:34 PM, LePeel said:

I'm preparing to serve as a missionary. However, must confess something. I've never really sat down and "studied" something before.

I think you have:  See -- 

On 9/12/2018 at 8:34 PM, LePeel said:

I've read the Book of Mormon, I've read many pages of gospel related material, I've listened to many hours of talks. I have a firm understanding of the Gospel.

That's fantastic.  The first step to studying the Book of Mormon is reading it.  Don't try to separate "reading" from "studying".  Reading is a part of studying.  You just have to do more.

On 9/12/2018 at 8:34 PM, LePeel said:

Am I supposed to go in with a specific topic in mind?

This is a commonly suggested method.  And it certainly has it's place.  If you're looking to increase your knowledge of a particular topic then you'll want to look up the topic and any synonyms or related topics in the "Study Helps".  It will really help you put together thoughts from several sources and see how they all work together or provide differing perspectives for different situations.

On 9/12/2018 at 8:34 PM, LePeel said:

How can I develop a habit of study if I don't know where to begin? How is it done? 

• First, remember that any useful study of scriptures must be guided by the Spirit.  Pray for it.  Seek it out.  Reach for it in your studies.  Keep a pocket of your mind open to the Lord as you read.  He's you're greatest study guide.
• Second, develop a sense of "I wonder".  As you read, always be asking questions.  Always want to know the story behind the story.  If you see something that seems rather odd, pursue that topic as you wonder "why is that?"
• Third, have a thirst for knowledge.  As an example, whenever I wonder about something, many times, I'll go look it up.  I am usually not satisfied with simply not knowing.  As things get very complex, I may just decide, "Ok.  This is expert level information that I simply don't have time to learn."  Then I will drop it. But at least I try.  And some things are worth pursuing for years until I understand it.
• Fourth,  pray about things you read.  If you're thinking this is just a story, then you're missing out.  There are messages, truths, & doctrines discussed in those pages.  Consider them.  Wonder why.  What doctrines did that story just relate?  What do those doctrines motivate me to think and do? Ask in prayer how it all works.
• Finally, put it all together.  Take concepts from one part and try to cross reference ideas.  Look at the cross references in the footnotes.  Look up vocabulary.  Look up synonyms and etymology.  If you speak a foreign language, read it in the foreign language and compare.  It's interesting how the meaning in a different language brings additional nuances to understanding.

[JamesZA]

On 9/13/2018 at 8:22 PM, Chilean said:

Cant help you there, I'm reading the Book of Mormon, and I just had to skipped Isaiah (Well 2Nephi's Isaiah's quoting).  I'm a failure.

You're not a failure! I've read the BoM many times and though I usually plough through these chapters, I seldom get much out of them.

Even simply reading the BoM is a victory in many ways. For the most part the truths therein are plain and precious.

[Sunday21]

On 9/13/2018 at 2:22 PM, Chilean said:

Cant help you there, I'm reading the Book of Mormon, and I just had to skipped Isaiah (Well 2Nephi's Isaiah's quoting).  I'm a failure.

Good job! Skipping Isaiah is an excellent way to get through the BOM! When you have time you might want to read Ridges Isaiah Made Easier. I bought a used copy through Abe Books.