The Scripture Study Lesson - What I Did

So I decided this week to do the youth Sunday School lesson on scripture study.  As I was planning and thinking about my lesson, I kept feeling like I should introduce the students to the idea of keeping a scripture journal.  Years ago, I saw one of my EFY counselor roommates keep one, and I liked the idea, but I hadn't ever implemented it in my life for some reason. 

Then, when I was on this blog a couple of months ago, I saw some scripture journals that the authoress of the blog created and now sells.  Her journals aren't expensive at all - only $11, I believe, but I decided to take a test run and make my own journal out of a spiral notebook.  If I liked it and felt that it helped, then I would invest in a scripture journal from her.

And I have to say, keeping a scripture journal has made all the difference in the world in my scripture study.  I just write down my thoughts, ideas, questions...I make comparisons, I make goals, whatever I feel as I write.  I think it's been a great way to receive personal revelation, but also, it helps to keep my mind from wandering.  I'm the kind of girl that, if a lot is on my mind, or I'm tired, I'll read five or six verses and then go, "Wait.  What did I even just read about?"  This helps.  I'm a fan.

So I made temporary scripture journals for my students.  I used old scrapbooking cardstock I had on hand and made flowery ones for the girls:

 And nautical-themed ones for the boys:

 Inside, I only have eight pages on which they can write their thoughts and impressions as they read:

If they don't use them, oh well.  If they use this temporary booklet, which should last them about a week, and they like it, they can do it on a more permanent basis.

Again, the lesson manual online suggested that we prepare for this lesson by reading several scriptures and a couple of articles or talks by general authorities.  One of the articles was this one by Elder Henry B. Eyering.  The following activity that I did in conjunction with the article was actually one suggested online.

The article was an interview of Elder Eyering, and it had ten questions.  The manual suggested writing the questions up on a poster or on the board:

Then cutting the answers to each question apart:

 And then giving each student an answer to a question and have them decide which answers go to which question:

The kids loved this activity.  Imagine how bored they would have gotten if we had just had them read the questions and answers.  I want to try to implement this activity with some other lessons this year.  It was a fabulous idea.