Keep it Brief

Since our children have started getting more active scripture study has gotten a little harder to do. One thing that really helped us was to keep it short and to the point.

For example:

One of the very first scriptures I remember reading with my boys was 1 Nephi 3:7.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

With this scripture we actually only focused on the bolded words and not the entire verse. So feel free to get to the heart of the scripture. If their attention and ability is anything like their picky and sometimes tiny appetites as toddlers (I don't know about you but mine that don't like to eat;) then give them a bite-sized scripture. Sometimes the bigger words or multiple ideas in a scripture can make their heads spin when they are so little. And this way you can focus on simple principles like obedience or faith. Later you can build on that and talk about God's commandments promises.

Rosemary M. Wixom shares the experience of how another family found that having each child read just one scripture each day was a good method as well.

"One such family with four young children writes: “We decided to start small because of our children’s short attention spans. Our oldest child was not yet reading, but she could repeat our words, so we began reading the Book of Mormon, just three verses each night. My husband and I would read one verse each, and then Sydney would repeat a verse. We progressed to four verses and then five verses as the boys began to repeat their own verses. Yes, it was tedious, but we kept going. We tried to focus on consistency instead of speed. It took us three-and-a-half years to finish the Book of Mormon. It was a great feeling of accomplishment!” Oct Conference 2010 -


Here is a little list on how to keep it brief:


Focused on only one scripture at a time
Study the same scripture for a few days or even a week
Give them a bite-sized scripture by focusing on a small portion of an important scripture
Focus on one simple principle in the verse
Have each child read or repeat just one scripture each

When to Start Scripture Study?

Start from birth! There is no better time to start, except for now, of course, if you haven't started yet. Make it part of your every day routine. Get in the habit now and when they are older they will never know differently. The habit will be established and they will love it. Especially those first few years before they know how to rebel;) It is priceless.

Make it your family scripture study whenever that might be or include it in their bedtime routine. When they are infants you can read the scriptures out loud.  Babies are often comforted by the sound of your voice.  We know that they may not understand what you are reading about, but you do! And honestly, you never know when they might start feeling the spirit.

Even before my son knew how to speak well I knew he felt the Spirit. We were reading from the Book of Mormon and he looked at me and said, "Happy," pointing to his heart. 

So start early and don't give up. Even when they start to move around and be more active stick with it! We used to just shut the door to the nursery and let our son roam around while we read. Whatever works, right? And honestly, they are listening and by consistently doing it you are showing them it is important. 

Training Up a Child to Love the Scriptures

Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

As a mom of 4 little ones, ages 6, 4, 2 and 10 months old, I am constantly trying to find ways to get the kids excited about reading the scriptures! And it is no easy task! With all of them just bursting with energy it can sometimes feel like my effort is being ignored as they tumble and do cartwheels across the room as I try to get their attention. 

But it is so important, especially in the world that we live in, for them to learn the scripture stories and to love them. They are God's divine map to keep us on the straight and narrow path that will lead us to Christ and help us return to Our Father in Heaven one day. My hope is that through the scriptures they will choose to follow Him. It's just getting them to scriptures that has been the challenge. And while I am not the most seasoned mother, I wanted to share what has worked for us in the hopes that maybe it will work for you too! 

I would absolutely LOVE to hear what has worked for your family! So, please feel free to comment, share your thoughts, your successes, and even your failures if you need a place to vent.

Remember, you are not just raising a child, you are raising a child of God; they are still His and He will help you because you are His child too!