This is an LDS "how to study your scriptures" guide geared toward big kids, teens, or anyone who wants a little support in learning how to go from reading the scriptures, to studying them. This season we're diving into The Doctrine and Covenants and learning simple tips and tricks for how to study the scriptures on a beginner level with advanced results. And trust me when I tell you that even though a child can do it, you'll want to use these tips and tricks for the rest of your life! There are so many resources for studying the gospel, but be sure that your study includes PRIMARILY scripture.
Just as cheetahs are always hunting, Satan is always trying to get YOU! Plus, did you know that there's false doctrine in The Book of Mormon?! It's true! But it's there for a good reason - so that we can learn to identify the false doctrines that Satan is planting in the hearts of people all over the world. The trick is being able to recognize it! Come with Anna and me as we take a closer look at some of these false teachings, and find the real truth! We also talk about the protection that comes from staying close to the Spirit, and Anna shares one of her tried and true study tips!
Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!
Come Follow Me Old Testament Beginners Guide to Scripture Study The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints The Book of Mormon Doctrine and Covenants CFM 2026 Teens, Youth, Kids, Family Primary LDS Latter Day Saint Young Women Young Men Temple Aaronic Priesthood Scripture Study Study Tips
Cindy:
Hi friends. Welcome back to Primarily Scripture. I'm Cindy Young and today we've got Anna here. Hi, Anna. Hi. This is a beginner's guide to scripture study. I help show you how easy it is to study. In fact, it's so easy a kid can do it. I've got free worksheets available on my website. There's a link in the description. And this week we are in Alma chapters 30 and 31. Anna, do you know what's going on in chapter 30?
Anna:
This guy, Korihor, I think that's how you say it. Um,
Cindy:
it is.
Anna:
He's trying to teach people lies and the wrong things about Christ.
Cindy:
That's right. And so when Mormon put all these stories together, he put in a bunch of the things that Korihor said that are actually lies and wrong. Why do you think Mormon would include the wrong things in the Book of Mormon?
Anna:
So that we can know what was the right thing and what was the wrong thing. and Identify which one would help you in life more because the world does say a lot of things that Korihor did say.
Cindy:
They definitely do. One of the study tips that I have shared with you in the past is to look for doctrine, or in other words, look for eternal truth. Well, that's our goal today, too, but Korohor didn't teach true doctrine. He taught mostly false doctrine. So, how do we find the truth? That's easy. You can only identify a lie if you know the truth. So start by looking for the false doctrines. Remember, that's any teaching that is opposite of what the prophets and scriptures teach. And if you have found a false doctrine then the opposite of it is the true doctrine. the worksheet covers verses 12 through 17. So anybody who's following along, you can go ahead and open up your scriptures or print off those worksheets and let's look at it. The activity that goes with these helps us to identify the false doctrines, And then let's think about what is actually true. So let's do a couple of them. Do you want to just start at verse 12?
Anna:
"And this anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor... began to preach... that there should be no Christ...
saying:
O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do you look for a Christ?"
Cindy:
Okay, so let's look at that. What are the false things that he taught in those verses?
Anna:
Commandments limit you.
Cindy:
Yeah, he said, why are you worried about these things? Oh, you're bound down, like it's tying you down. Do you feel like the commandments tie you down?
Anna:
Well, sometimes. But really, commandments just lead you to the right way and try to limit you from the bad things.
Cindy:
That's right. It's like a safety fence, right? There's a fence there so you don't fall off the cliff. And when people go, oh, I can't believe there's a fence there. What if I wanted to go over there? Well,
Anna:
skydive.
Cindy:
Good idea. Okay, so on the worksheet, commandments limit you is the false teaching. We can fill that in. And then there's some space here that we can write in the truth. And you said, what did you say the truth is?
Anna:
Commandments lead you to the right.
Cindy:
I love that. Okay, let's keep going. And I'm gonna change to a different color of pen, that way my worksheet is very colorful, because I love to do that. Okay, verse 14. Do you want to read it, or should I?
Anna:
I'll read it.
Cindy:
Okay.
Anna:
"Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers."
Cindy:
Ah, what is the lie that he's trying to tell us there?
Anna:
Prophecies are old. And kind of like outdated or something.
Cindy:
That's the lie. What is the truth?
Anna:
Prophecies never get old, really. They happen over time. They don't happen right away.
Cindy:
I love the way you said that. Prophecies never get old. There are things that have been prophesied for thousands and thousands of years, and it hasn't even happened yet. We're still waiting on it. It's not an old fashioned prophecy. It was said a long time ago. But we're still waiting for it to happen and it is still true. We've seen a lot of prophecies that have happened. They've come true, right?
Anna:
Yeah.
Cindy:
Awesome. Can you think of a prophecy that has come true?
Anna:
Um, I remember that story when the Lord told Nephi to make a second set of plates because later, the one guy would lose it.
Cindy:
Right, that it would be needed, right? Nephi wasn't told, the plates will be lost, but he said, it's a wise purpose, you need to do this, it's gonna be needed. And that came true, that definitely we needed it. Prophecies never get old. Oh, I love that! Okay, let's go on. Verse 15. Can I read this one?
Anna:
Yeah.
Cindy:
Okay."How do you know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ." Oh, what is the lie there?
Anna:
You must see to believe it.
Cindy:
And that's one that we hear these days too. People just really want proof. If you give me proof, then I'll believe. Is that God's way?
Anna:
No.
Cindy:
Is there anything that you believe that you've never seen?
Anna:
Uh, nothing comes to the mind immediately.
Cindy:
No? What about Jesus?
Anna:
Oh, yes.
Cindy:
Unless maybe you've seen him. Have you seen him recently?
Anna:
No, but I can feel him.
Cindy:
Me too. Me too. Never seen him, but I definitely feel him and I know that he's real. How do you feel him?
Anna:
When I went to the temple and we walked around for activity days, it felt really peaceful there and it definitely felt good. I can't wait till I get to go. I'm almost there! I've got two years left.
Cindy:
Plenty of time to prepare. And when you do go, it's going to be awesome! The temple is one of my favorite places on earth. So good. I was just there last night. And it always brings me peace. And there's no way to describe it, right? The world will tell you that you need scientific proof. And I can't prove to you what is in my heart. But guess what? I can't scientifically prove that I love my kids, and I can't scientifically prove that I love popsicles, and I can't scientifically prove a lot of things. But it's still true. And Jesus is real, even though Korihor says he's not. He really is real. All right. That's three different lies that we've found so far, right? That the commandments limit you, and prophecies are old fashioned, and you have to see in order to believe. So, how is studying these helping you learn the gospel?
Anna:
It helps me recognize what was a lie, and which one was the truth.
Cindy:
So if you didn't take time to think about what the truth actually is, Would it be as helpful?
Anna:
No, because he wouldn't recognize what he did wrong and what was right and how he was kind of like going away from the one thing.
Cindy:
He was definitely doing the opposite of what was true. At the bottom of page two on the worksheets, there's a quote from Elder Bednar. I like to put quotes from General Conference on every single page. And, this one is from October of 2019. It's in pink at the very bottom. Do you see it?
Anna:
Um, oh!
Cindy:
Will you read that for us?
Anna:
"Understanding the intent of an enemy is vital to effective preparation for possible attacks."
Cindy:
In this talk that Elder Bednar gave, he talked about cheetahs, that he and his wife were in Africa. And they watched the cheetahs hunt. How they were always trying to track down the other animals and catch them and stuff. And then he used that as an example that Satan is the same way. Always, always trying to get us. Even if he's doing it in sneaky ways, Satan is always trying to get us. So if we can understand what Satan is doing, like telling us these lies, then we'll be ready to fight back.
Anna:
I heard this one story of the lion and like, the bulls, or was it oxen? The oxen would stand in a circle with their horns facing out so that the lion couldn't get them. But when they split up, the lion could get them easier.
Cindy:
So what does that teach you?
Anna:
If you stick together, you will, um, survive from Satan, spiritually. Because he's constantly trying to get us, but if we depart from the spirit and we don't feel it as strong, we'll let our guard down and he'll get to us.
Cindy:
That's right. And now it's time for a scripture study tip from Anna. Alright, so what else do you do when you read the scriptures? Is there anything that you do?
Anna:
Whenever I have family home evening on Mondays with my family, I like to take my scripture crayons and underline the stuff about the lesson that we're learning.
Cindy:
Marking scriptures is one of my favorite things to do! Favorite! Because it helps me stay focused. My mind will just kind of wander. If I read without marking it, then I don't remember nearly as well. But when I mark it, then I have something to go back to.
Anna:
My last family home evening, it was about being tools or instruments in the Lord's hands. And I did that one in orange. And I have red, yellow, blue, green, and purple crayons, and I use them for different lessons.
Cindy:
Oh, so then it's like color coded, so you know if it's orange, then it's all about this lesson that we did as a family.
Anna:
Yeah.
Cindy:
That's fantastic. Well, I love sharing tips with people so that they can see how easy it is to read scriptures. Maybe you can come back another time.
Anna:
I hope so.
Cindy:
All right. You guys, remember there are so many ways to study the gospel, but whatever other resources you use, be sure that your primary resource is the scriptures. There are messages for you in there, but you have to go read in order to find them. I'll see you guys next time. Bye. Bye, Anna.
Anna:
Bye.
Cindy:
Thanks for tuning in to Primarily Scripture with Cindy Young. Don't forget you can subscribe to the newsletter and download free worksheets on the website PrimarilyScripture. com. And if you like the channel, be sure to subscribe, like, share, and leave a review. See you next time! And we're done.
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