Scripture Memorization

Our family has been using this system for a year and a half or so. We get the scripture box out each morning as part of our morning routine, and each evening as part of our evening routine.



Jaren has memorized the most scriptures. Jude (age 2) is now starting to join in. Jenea and Jolie don't usually actively participate, but it's amazing how they are familiar with the scriptures anyway.

To date we have memorized all 13 Articles of Faith. Now we are working on memorizing “Family, A Proclamation to the World”, http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html. It’s amazing in how just a few minutes two times a day we can learn and retain so much.

Step one:
Get an index card box with 41 tabbed dividers in it.

Step two:
Label the dividers as follows and place them in the box as follows:
• 1 divider — Daily
• 1 divider — Odd
• 1 divider — Even
• 7 dividers — Days of the Week (Sunday, Monday, etc.)
• 31 dividers — Numbered 1-31

Step three:
Copy onto index cards any verses your family already knows; place them behind the numbered dividers. Next write on index cards verses your family wants to memorize. Pick one to memorize first and place it behind the Daily divider. Place the rest of the verses in the back of the box.

Step Four:
Each day you will say together the verses behind four dividers. Remember, in the beginning you may just be saying the daily scripture until more are memorized.
• Daily
• Odd or Even
• Day of the Week
• Date of the Month

For example, if today is Tuesday, the 3rd, you will say the verses behind Daily, Odd (because 3is an odd number), Tuesday, and 3. The next day (Wednesday, the 4th), you will say the verses behind Daily, Even, Wednesday, and 4. Keep in mind that only the verse behind Daily is a new one that you are memorizing; all the others are just review.

Step Five:
As you master the verses behind the Daily divider, advance that card and move the replaced verses farther back in the box. So when you have memorized a Daily, move it behind either the Odd or Even divider. Move the verse that was in that Odd or even slot back to a Day of the Week slot. And move the verse it replaces in the Day of the Week slot back behind a numbered divider. You can then put a new verse or passage to memorize behind the Daily divider and you’re ready to go again.
In this way, you will review a new verse every day, and then graduate to every other day, once a week, and finally, once a month. Use the system every day of the month and you will review all the verses you know every month of the year!
When you have advanced enough verse cards that you have one placed behind each numbered divider, start at 1 again and add another card to each. Soon you’ll have several cards behind each numbered divider.

We really enjoy this system. It’s great fun to have a visual of how much we’ve learned. For more on this visit www.simplycharlottemason.com