“Doctrinal Mastery Practice 9: Memorizing Key Phrases and Applying Principles of Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual (2026)
“Doctrinal Mastery Practice 9: Memorizing Key Phrases and Applying Principles of Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual
Jeremiah 31–33; 36–38; Lamentations 1; 3: Lesson 137
Doctrinal Mastery Practice 9
Memorizing Key Phrases and Applying Principles of Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge
Doctrinal mastery can help students build the foundation for their lives upon Jesus Christ and His gospel. This lesson can help students memorize the key scripture phrases in doctrinal mastery passages and apply the divine principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge.
Student preparation: Invite students to select one or two doctrinal mastery passages from the Old Testament and memorize the key scriptural phrase and reference. If they would like, they could also memorize the entire passage. Invite them to think how memorizing key phrases or passages could help them in their lives.
Possible Learning Activities
Doctrinal mastery review: Memorize
Show students the standard works of scripture: Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. (You could show physical or electronic copies, or you could use the picture above).
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Which of these books of scripture would the Savior have studied in His childhood, youth, and while He ministered on the earth?
If necessary, explain that the Savior would have had access to many of the scriptures in the Old Testament, the scriptures the youth are studying now.
Read one or two of the following scriptures, looking for how the Savior used memorized phrases or verses from the Old Testament: Matthew 4:2–4; 19:4–5; Mark 7:9–10; Luke 24:27.
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What did you find?
Students might point out that the Savior used memorized scriptures to overcome temptation, answer others’ questions, correct misconceptions, and teach others. If students would like to know the verses the Savior quoted, share that in Matthew 4:2–4 the Savior quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, in Matthew 19:4–5 He quoted Genesis 2:24, and in Mark 7:9–10 He quoted Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16.
Help students understand that as they memorize doctrinal mastery scripture passages or key scripture phrases and use them in their lives, they are following the example of Jesus Christ.
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What are some situations you have faced or may face in the future when a memorized scripture would have been or would be helpful?
Some examples might include when teaching a lesson or giving a talk, answering others’ questions, seeking a personal answer, and facing temptation.
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What are some things you do or could do that might help you memorize key scripture phrases or passages?
Answers might include repeating the phrases or passages, writing them down and erasing words, or using flashcards or the papers students created in Lesson 15: “Doctrinal Mastery Practice 1.”
Consider displaying or providing each student with the doctrinal mastery passages they have studied thus far. A list of the Old Testament doctrinal mastery references and key scripture phrases can be found in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document (2023).
Invite students to complete the following activity using a memorizing technique of their choosing. Some ideas include using the first letters of each word in the doctrinal mastery phrase or using the Doctrinal Mastery app. More ideas are listed in “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities” in the Appendix.
Take several minutes to memorize the references and key phrases of a few doctrinal mastery scriptures. (If you would prefer, you could memorize an entire passage in addition to the key phrase.)
Invite students to select one of the phrases or passages they memorized, and prepare to answer the following questions:
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How might this phrase or passage help you in your life?
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How might it help you become more like the Savior?
Invite several students to share and consider sharing your thoughts as well. Look for ways to encourage students to continue to memorize scriptures.
Learn and apply principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge
The remainder of the lesson focuses on helping students apply principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge to relevant situations. Before continuing, you could invite students to review these principles. Students’ ability to readily recall and apply these principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge will increase through repeated review and practice. Suggested review activities are in the appendix section titled “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.” Principle descriptions are in paragraphs 5–12 of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document (2023).
Share the following scenario with your students. You may also choose to adapt the scenario to your students’ circumstances, or you could ask your students how they may want to adapt it to make it more relevant to them.
Imagine your friend Mia says: “The way we’re supposed to spend Sundays is so boring and feels like a waste of time. Don’t you think our weekends would be so much better if we didn’t have to worry about keeping the Sabbath day holy?”
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What are some reasons Mia might be struggling with this commandment?
Consider asking why it may be useful to know why Mia may be frustrated.
Invite students to ponder how they might use the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge to help Mia move from her current feelings to understanding and feeling joy on the Sabbath day.
Students can do the following individually or in small groups:
Take several minutes to prepare what you think could help Mia, which might include:
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Scriptures, statements from Church leaders, or other divinely appointed sources. These may include doctrinal mastery verses such as Exodus 20:8; Isaiah 58:13–14; Mosiah 2:41; or other verses, such as Doctrine and Covenants 59:9, 13–15.
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Truths or doctrine you know that could help Mia see this situation with an eternal perspective (for example, how it may help us become more like the Lord [see Moses 3:3]).
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An example from scriptures, a general conference talk, or a personal experience that illustrates how someone may act in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to keep the Sabbath, which may include attending church and partaking of the sacrament. You also might describe how the Lord blessed them as they showed faith. (Some scriptural examples include Exodus 16:14–30 and Jarom 1:5–9.)
The following is one way that you could have students prepare to share their ideas with each other.
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Give each student a piece of paper. Have them divide it into three sections by folding it or drawing lines.
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Have them label each section with a different principle of acquiring spiritual knowledge.
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Choose a principle and have all students write on their papers one way that using the chosen principle could help Mia.
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Students can pass the papers and write about a different principle on a different sheet of paper. Have students continue passing and writing.
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When each paper has several ideas, invite students to keep the paper and read what was written.
Invite several willing students to answer the following questions based on what they read. You may want to ask students who do not normally participate to answer one or more of these questions. Some students might feel more comfortable sharing what someone else wrote.
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What is one thing you read or wrote that you feel would be especially helpful to Mia? Why?
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What might you add?
After several students have shared, consider asking if the class feels there is anything else Mia might need at this time. Is there a principle of acquiring spiritual knowledge you did not discuss that would be useful? Continue until the class feels Mia would receive sufficient help.
What have you learned?
In your study journal, write what you learned from this experience that you want to remember, which could include how using the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge could help you with any questions or concerns you have.