1995
Scriptures by the Month
October 1995


“Scriptures by the Month,” Ensign, Oct. 1995, 71–72

Scriptures by the Month

With four very young children, it was a challenge to read the scriptures together as a family every day. Then I found a system that works just right for our preschool-age children. I choose a single gospel subject as our study topic for the month. Then, using the Bible’s topical guide to find scriptures that relate to the month’s subject, I write scripture references on the squares of a large calendar hanging in the kitchen. Every evening at dinnertime, right before we ask a blessing on the food, we read and talk about the day’s scripture. We often discuss the scripture in depth during dinner. Monthly topics our family has studied include love, friendship, obedience, and nature.

As I write the scripture references on the calendar, I jot down ideas for related activities that the children can do that month. These activities help keep the topic fresh in our minds and also help the children learn practical applications of the gospel principle. Our children have enjoyed making collages about the topic, coloring pictures, and participating in many other related activities.

By concentrating on one topic each month, our preschool-age children have gained a deeper understanding of the principles of the gospel. Our activities have helped our children begin to develop love for and excitement about the scriptures.—Terri D. Jenkins, Yokota Air Base, Japan