DEFINING SCRIPTURE MASTERY - LDS Seminary

DEFINING SCRIPTURE MASTERY

“Scripture mastery” means finding • Take a little time each day for
scripture verses, understanding their scripture mastery review.
meanings, and applying them in our lives.
There are 100 scripture mastery references • Work on scripture mastery when a
(25 in each scripture course). As the lesson is shorter than planned.
teacher you should help students master
these scriptures by reviewing them in class • For the first part of the year, assign
and encouraging students to learn them students to organize devotionals
on their own or even memorizing them. around scripture mastery verses.

Success in meeting this objective will • Have bulletin board themes based
depend largely upon your attitude as the upon teachings from scripture
teacher. For example, you can master the mastery references.
scriptures, devote some time in class to
help your students feast upon them, President Howard W. Hunter, then
and apply them to life's situations and President of the Quorum of the Twelve
problems. Also, expecting your students to Apostles, said, “We would hope none of
learn the scripture mastery passages can be your students would leave your classroom
a key to successfully motivating them to fearful or embarrassed or ashamed that
do so. they cannot find the help they need
because they do not know the scriptures
Be mindful, however, that scripture well enough to locate the proper passages”
mastery only supplements, not (Eternal Investments [An Evening with
overshadows, daily sequential study of the President Howard W. Hunter, Feb. 10,
scriptures. Be wise in the time you allot 1989], 2).
to scripture mastery, giving the regular
curriculum priority. Home-study teachers Ideas for Helping Students
must be particularly careful that the Find Scripture Mastery Verses
weekly class does not turn into a weekly
scripture chase. Some ideas on when to do • Show students where to find the
scripture mastery include: contents page at the front of the
Bible, Book of Mormon, and Pearl of
• Plan time to effectively introduce Great Price. Then have them find
scripture mastery verses as you come several of the mastery verses by using
to them in the sequence of scripture. the contents pages.

• Take some time one day each week to • Help students learn the references of
work on scripture mastery. the scripture mastery verses and any
important words or phrases that will
help them remember those references.

• Practice finding scripture mastery
verses. For example, you could read

D EDF IENF I N GI N SGCSRCI PRTI UP TRUE RME AMS TAES RT YE R Y 1

part of a mastery reference aloud to verses or chapters before and after the
your students and let them find or tell mastery verses and how those verses
where the verse is located. You could or chapters help explain the setting.
also show an object or a picture and
then ask questions about a reference. • Have students write the verses in their
own words, write questions about the
Ideas for Helping Students verses, or draw a picture about
Understand Scripture Mastery Verses something in the verses.

• Read the scripture mastery verses • Encourage students to memorize
with your students to help them scripture mastery verses and then
understand difficult words or phrases write or say them from memory.
(see “During Reading” in the
corresponding student study guide Ideas for Helping Students Apply
on page 3 or 4). Scripture Mastery Verses

• Use the teacher resource manual’s • Have students write what they think
teaching idea and the student study the mastery verses mean. Discuss
guide's activity for the mastery verses how the verses can help students
to assist in understanding the find answers to their questions and
doctrine taught. problems (see “After Reading” in the
corresponding student study guide,
• Teach students how to use the p. 5).
scripture study helps, such as the
footnotes and Topical Guide (or The • Help students look for any cause and
Guide to the Scriptures), and how to effect relationships.
find other verses of scripture that help
explain the doctrines and principles • Have students give short talks in class
associated with the mastery verses. or in Church meetings using the
Students could write cross-references scripture mastery verses they have
in the margins of their scriptures (see learned.
“Cross-References” under “Study Helps
in the Latter-day Saint Editions of the • Have students tell how they could use
Scriptures” in the corresponding a mastery verse to teach another
student study guide, p. 2). person about the gospel.

• Show students possible ways to mark • Have students tell how scripture
their scriptures (see “During Reading” mastery verses have been used in talks
in the student study guide). they heard in Church meetings or in
general conferences.
• Ask questions about the verses to
help students understand them. For • Encourage students to teach mastery
example, ask students who was scriptures in family home evening.
speaking in the verse, whom he was
speaking to, what the main idea is, • Have students make posters for their
and what the writer might have been homes or for the classroom using
feeling. mastery verses that have special
meaning to them.
• Discuss the historical setting (the
people, place, or time) of the verses; • Divide the class into two groups.
discover what is happening in the Have each group write down real-life
situations, problems, or questions that
can be answered by using scripture

2 DEFINING SCRIPTURE MASTERY

mastery verses. Have the groups The Savior said, 'He that hath the
exchange papers and try to find the scriptures, let him search them, and see . . .'
appropriate scriptures that answer (3 Nephi 10:14). The Lord has promised
the questions or problems posed. that if you will search, you shall see
marvelous spiritual truths that will
• Review the scriptures your students persuade you to turn to Christ as your
have learned in previous years so that great exemplar. You will be strengthened
fourth-year students are conversant in your desire to make covenants with the
with the entire list of 100 scriptures Lord, to receive the ordinances, and to
when they graduate. serve” (A. Theodore Tuttle, in Conference
Report, Apr. 1984, 32; or Ensign, May
Conclusion 1984, 24).

“Few things sponsor spiritual growth
more than studying from the scriptures.

© 2005 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. English approval: 1/05. 00086

DEFINING SCRIPTURE MASTERY 3