My name is Rebecca. I am 38 years old and have been married for 13 years to my husband Steve. We have three children (ages 11, 9, and 6) and live in Arizona. My hobbies are reading, writing, drawing, and blogging. I went to Brigham Young University (BYU) and have both a BA and a MA in communications from there. I served a mission from 1991-1993 (England London South). I work part-time from home as a marketing research analyst. I have also started writing books.

One of those books is about family scripture study. My interest in the topic grew from feeling dissatisfied with the way my kids reacted and behaved during our family study time. I could tell by their actions and eyes they were not interested, but I really wanted them to be. So I started experimenting with different techniques to hold their attention and get them excited about scripture study time. The result was a book I wrote/illustrated called Adventures with the Word of God. When I have kids asking me when it is time for family scripture study then I know it is successful. I have followed up my first book with another called Home Evening Adventures with the Word of God [“Home Evening” refers to a weekly family night that most Mormons hold on Mondays, where we discuss gospel principles, have fun activities, eat together, and just enjoy each others’ company as a family]. And I am currently working on a third book about temples.

I am grateful for the gospel, and grateful to know that God is there and answers prayers. This past January my kids and I traveled to Denver to visit my younger brother and his family. While there, my brother’s family dog, Daisy, escaped the house and took off. Daisy had a bad track record doing this and then getting herself so lost she was unable to return home on her own. My brother and sister-in-law would have to comb the neighborhood for an hour or two on foot to find her. So the fact she escaped was bad news. An hour or so later they found her, but she escaped again shortly thereafter, sending stress levels up very high. To make a long story short, the kids (my own and my niece and nephews) and I knelt in prayer to ask that Daisy could be found. Shortly thereafter my brother walked in the front door carrying Daisy. I felt strongly this was an answer to prayer.

Being a Mormon Woman means expanded horizons to me. I feel my faith in Christ and His gospel/leaders has provided me with answers to some life questions in a way that helped me to make the best decisions possible. I followed counsel to get an education, which has tremendously blessed my life. I served a mission to London and had incredible opportunities there and continued blessings since. Getting married and having children has brought a rainbow of experiences that I would never give up. Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I had not followed His counsel and made these good choices–I don’t think it would be as full. My horizons are broader and greater than they ever would have been otherwise. And I am excited to see what life brings me in the future as I choose to follow Him.

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Inside are our family scripture study materials. Every night at the dinner table we study the scriptures while we eat. It was hard to find another time when everyone was home and awake so during dinner time I pull down the treasure box from atop the fridge and we discuss one scripture a night. My kids are still very small, so I found that focusing on one scripture a night allows us to keep their attention and have time to start a lively discussion about gospel principles. My oldest daughter is seven, so we have her try to find the highlighted verse in the actual scriptures so she can get a feel for how to use the scriptures. I placed our scripture study materials into a treasure box to reflect the truths in the following scriptures:

Treasure up in your minds the words of life. D&C 84:85

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matt 6:21

Treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love. D&C 6:20

Right now we are studying in the Book of Mormon. I use the Scripture Mastery scriptures from the Seminary program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for our study material. I printed each scripture on a different piece of colored paper to pull from each night. This is what our study print outs look like, but the picture below is from the New Testament scripture mastery program.

Since my children are still small, they are very receptive to my husband and me teaching them the scriptures. After reading the scripture aloud, and putting the meaning into our own words, we ask them to think of real-life examples that apply to the principle taught in the scripture. I have been astonished by the wisdom and understanding of my children.

Dinner time is still crazy. Milk gets spilled all over the floor regularly. Somebody always complains about the menu and our baby is always climbing on top of the table to grab food off of a sibling’s plate. But adding family scripture study to our family dinner has helped us “feast upon the words of Christ” and has brought us closer together as a family.

Modern-day prophets and apostles have stressed the importance and benefits of family scripture study. Here are some quotes that helped me decide that family scripture study was worth introducing into my home.

Scripture study as individuals and as a family is most fundamental to learning the gospel. Daily reading of the scriptures and discussing them together is a powerful tool against the temptations of Satan. This practice will produce great happiness and will help family members love the Lord and his goodness. Home is where we become experts and scholars in gospel righteousness. President Spencer W. Kimball

Do you understand that we emphasize the teaching of the scriptures because they are the constant? From them we learn the purposes of life, the gifts of the Spirit. From them we learn about personal revelation, how to discern good from evil, truth from error. The scriptures provide the pattern and the basis for correct doctrine. From doctrine, we learn principles of conduct, how to respond to problems of everyday living, even to failures, for they, too, are provided for in the doctrines. Elder Boyd K. Packer

Never let a day go by without holding family prayer and family scripture study. Put this, the Lord’s program, to the test; and see if it does not bless your home with greater peace, hope, love, and faith. I promise you that daily family prayer and scripture study will build within the walls of your home a security and bonding that will enrich your lives and prepare your families to meet the challenges of today and the eternities to come. Elder L. Tom Perry

If you would like to read more about our beliefs about the benefits of family scripture study, please follow the following links.

Family Scripture Study

How to Make Family Scripture Study Fun, Interesting

A Discussion on Scripture Study – Elder Henry B. Eyring

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