Below are the quotes that were used in the video.

​President Henry B. Erying: “Their First exposure to the scriptures is going to be hard for them.  It may be tough.  It may be tough for them because they won’t get great insights right away….Your students are making another kind of judgment.  “Is the prize worth the effort?”  I simply bear you my testimony as a student-not as a teacher, but as a student-that it has been my experience in life that most of my gospel teachers didn’t prepare me quite for the effort that the prize takes….I have tasted sweetness in the scriptures, but it never came easily….and I know that the price of getting that sweet taste of the scriptures is tremendous effort.” (Improving Teaching, March 1983).

A few of the 'Whys' behind scripture study:

1. Avoid deception (JSM 1:37)
2. Overcome temptation (1 Nephi 15:24)
3. Will tell you all things you should do (2 Nephi 32:3)
4. Has a more powerful effect than the sword (Alma 31:5)
5. Helps one to have the spirit (D&C 11:21 & 1 Nephi 1:11-12)
6. Prepares one to teach the gospel (D&C 11:21)
7. Improves your memory (Alma 37:8)
8. Convinces us when we are doing wrong (Alma 37:8)
9. Gives us knowledge of the plan of salvation (Alma 37:8)
10. Converts one's soul (Psalms 19:7)
11. Gives you a testimony of Christ (John 5:39)
12. Will lead us to the Celestial Kingdom (Alma 37:44-46)
13. Helps individuals to avoid misery (Helaman 3:29-30)
14. Helps us to have faith and repent (Helaman 15:7-8)
15. Springboard to revelation (D&C 138:11)
16. Helps one to avoid pride (Deuteronomy 17:19-20)
17. Helps us to keep the commandments (Joshua 1:8)
18. Helps us deal with modem day problems (1 Nephi 19:23)
19. Is a tool for education (2 Nephi 4:15)
20. One can say they have heard Christ’s voice (D&C 18:34-36)
21. Heals the wounded soul (Jacob 2:8)
22. Makes one wise (2 Timothy 3:14-1 5) 23.Guides us thru life (Psalms 119:105)
23. Blesses us! (Revelation 1:3)
24. Will not suffer in ignorance (Mosiah 1:3)
25. Helps to understand the mysteries of God (Mosiah 1:5)

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “We need to be constantly reminded of the eternal reasons behind the things we are commanded to do…” (“The Why of Priesthood Service,” Ensign, May 2012, 68.)

Top 10 Reasons Why People Don’t Reach Their Goals

1. Creating vague goals.
2. Don’t know the whys.
3. Procrastinating.
4. Not taking personal responsibility.
5. Listening to people who discourage you.
6. Starting too many goals.
7. Magnifying our fears more than we do our abilities.
8. Not being committed.
9. Surrounding yourself with people who don’t reach their goals.
10. Too much screen time. (Adapted from: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/top-10-reasons-why-people-dont-reach-their-goals.html and https://www.huffpost.com/entry/10-reasons-we-fail-to-ach_b_7152688)

Brother Miller’s Tips for Setting Scripture Study Goals

1. Know why you are setting your goal.
2. Set SMART goals and use the K.I.S.S. principle.
3. Not too many for your circumstances.
4. 90% or 80% may be better than getting discouraged…
5. Patience…
6. Share your goal with someone you can be accountable to.
7. Celebrate successes.
8. Be flexible.

Principles of Effective Scripture Study
“I am grateful for emphasis on reading the scriptures. I hope that for you this will become something far more enjoyable than a duty; that, rather, it will become a love affair with the word of God. I promise you that as you read, your minds will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. At first it may seem tedious, but that will change into a wondrous experience with thoughts and words of things divine.”  (President Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 573 - 574.)

1. (D&C 136:32-33; JSH 1:73-74)  Invite the Spirit into your study of the scriptures by humbly praying before you read.  Keep a prayer in your heart while you read so that the Lord will speak to you through His word.
   • “The scriptures are to be comprehended by the power of the Holy Ghost . . . The more familiar (you) are with the scriptures the closer you become to the mind and will of the Lord."  (President Ezra T. Benson, Seek the Spirit, Ensign, April 1988, 4.)
2. (Alma 37:38-42)  Read the scriptures in faith believing that the Lord will help you understand what you are reading.
3. As you read the scriptures, read slowly and carefully, pausing after each significant word, phrase or sentence.  Give time for the written text to sink into your soul by pondering what you are reading.
   • “Invite your students to read slowly and more carefully, and with more questions in mind.  Help them to ponder, to examine every word, every scriptural gem.  Teach them to hold it up to the light and turn it and look and see what is reflected and refracted there.  For some student on a given day with a given need, such an examination may unearth a treasure hidden in a field—a pearl of great price, a pearl beyond price.  Walt Whitman once described reading as a gymnastic struggle, one in which if we do it right our mental and spiritual muscles are stretched and strengthened forever . . .” (Elder Jeffery R. Holland, C.E.S. Video Conference, June 20, 1992.)
   • “Precious jewels are buried throughout the scriptures and if you ever find them you will have had to have sought them out and prayed to understand them.  There is no other way!         . . . those things which are most sacred are buried the deepest and it is done to keep them from the eyes and ears of the ungodly and those who would treat them lightly.” (Elder Gene R. Cook, Search the Scriptures, Video taped address given on November 13, 1988.)
4. Develop a daily habit of reading the scriptures for a set amount of time.
   • “Those who delve into the scriptural library find that to understand requires more than casual reading or perusal—there must be concentrated study. It is certain that one who studies the scriptures every day accomplishes far more than one who devotes considerable time one day and then lets days go by before continuing. Not only should we study each day, but there should be a regular time set aside when we can concentrate without interference. . . .
   • “We should not be haphazard in our reading but rather develop a systematic plan for study. There are some who read to a schedule of a number of pages or a set number of chapters each day or week. This may be perfectly justifiable and may be enjoyable if one is reading for pleasure, but it does not constitute meaningful study. It is better to have a set amount of time to give scriptural study each day than to have a set amount of chapters to read. Sometimes we find that the study of a single verse will occupy the whole time."   (President Howard W. Hunter, The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, 53.)
5. Write impressions that come to you during your scripture study in the margins.  This preserves sacred moments when the Lord has communicated with you that can be recalled and remembered later.
   • “As you seek spiritual knowledge, search for principles.  Carefully separate them from the detail used to explain them.  Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances.  A true principle makes decisions clear even under the most confusing and compelling circumstances.  It is worth great effort to organize the truth we gather into simple statements of principle.”  (Elder Richard G. Scott, Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge, Ensign, November 1993, 86.)
6. (1 Nephi 19:23)  Study the scriptures as if you were the actual participants involved in the story.
   • “There is an exciting way to read the scriptures to make them come alive.  Read them as though the events were occurring today.”  (Elder L. Tom Perry, I Confer the Priesthood of Aaron, Ensign, November 1985, 46.)
7. (1 Nephi 16:29)  Always assume that the Lord packed more into a verse, chapter or book of scripture than you have unpacked.
   • “As I read the Book of Mormon, however, something strange seems to happen to me. Passages of scriptures that I have read many times in one light seem to change—and suddenly there is a new meaning to that old and familiar scripture. I like to think that the Book of Mormon is truly like the Liahona of old. Not only does it point us in the way of the Lord and to the Lord according to the faith, diligence, and heed we give it, but if we are interested enough to read it again and again, from cover to cover, there are times when a "new writing"—plain to be read—seems to appear.” (Elder Robert E. Wells, Doctrines of the Book of Mormon: 1991 Sperry Symposium on the Book of Mormon, 13.)
   • “What a scripture in the Book of Mormon meant to me when I first read it at age sixteen is not conclusive upon me as I read it at age sixty.  With the benefit of my life’s experiences and with my greater familiarity with revelation, I can learn things by reading the scriptures that were not available to me yesterday.” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Scripture Reading and Revelation, Address given by a B.Y.U. Studies Academy Dinner, January 29, 1993.)
8. Mark your scriptures with a purpose, either to clarify meaning or to help you find things faster.
9. Read the scriptures with an attitude of inquiry, frequently asking questions and searching for answers
10. Stop during your study to summarize blocks of key passages into your own words by answering these questions:  What this means to me is?  What this is saying is?
    • “Determine now to read the scriptures.  Yes, read them as the word of God.  Read them with pencil in hand, marking them and drinking of their eternal truths.”
    • (President Gordon B. Hinckley, The Wonderful Thing That Is You and the Wonderful Good You Can Do, Address given to Young Women in 1998, 7.)
    • “I find that all I need to do to increase my love for my Maker and the gospel and the Church and my brethren is to read the scriptures. …I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns. I find myself loving more intensely those whom I must love with all my heart and mind and strength, and loving them more….”  (President Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball,  135.)

Scripture Study Tools and Methods

1. Word definitions: Some of the words that prophets used are not familiar to us. The Bible Dictionary, footnotes in the scriptures, and a regular dictionary can help us learn the definitions of words and recognize synonyms to those words.
   • Example: the word Messiah in 1 Nephi 10:4–17.
2. Name substitution: To help yourself apply the scriptures in your life, substitute your name for a name in the scriptures.
   • Example: 1 Nephi 1:1 (see also 1 Ne 19:23).
3. Cross-referencing: Link scripture passages to each other to clarify meaning and unlock understanding.
   • Example: In the margin next to 3 Nephi 12:28, you might write a note to see Doctrine and Covenants 42:23.
4. Cause and effect: Look for if-then and because-therefore relationships.
   • Example: 2 Nephi 1:9.
5. Key words: Words and phrases like behold, wherefore, because, nevertheless, or thus we see are invitations to stop and look for specific messages.
   • Example: Helaman 6:35–36.
6. Scripture lists: Prophets often gave lists of warnings and challenges. When you find lists, consider numbering each element.
   • Example: Alma 26:22.
7. Setting: In scripture accounts, determine who is speaking, the person or persons he or she is speaking to, what he or she is speaking about, and when and where the event is occurring.
   • Example: The setting for Alma 32:21–43 is found in Alma 31:1, 6–11 and 32:1–6.
8. Contrasts: The writings of prophets often show contrasts in ideas, events, and people. These contrasts emphasize gospel principles. Look for contrasts in single verses, in chapters, and across chapters and books.
   • Example: 2 Nephi 2:27; Alma 48:1–17.
9. Visualization: Look for descriptive details that can help you create a mental picture as you read. Imagine being present at certain events.
   • Example: Enos 1:1–8.
10. Symbolism: Words such as like, as, or likened unto help identify symbols. Look beyond a symbol by exploring its nature and pondering its attributes. Footnotes, the Bible Dictionary, and the Topical Guide can help with the interpretation of some symbols.
    • Example: Helaman 8:14–15, including the footnotes to those verses.
11. Pondering: Pondering includes thinking, meditating, asking questions, and evaluating what you know and what you have learned. Pondering often helps us understand what we need to do to apply gospel principles.
    • Example:  JSH 1:11-12

President Gordon B. Hinckley: “Determine now to read the scriptures.  Yes, read them as the word of God.  Read them with pencil in hand, marking them and drinking of their eternal truths.” (The Wonderful Thing That Is You and the Wonderful Good You Can Do, Address given to Young Women in 1998, 7.)

​President Gordon B. Hinckley: “I am grateful for emphasis on reading the scriptures. I hope that for you this will become something far more enjoyable than a duty; that, rather, it will become a love affair with the word of God. I promise you that as you read, your minds will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. At first it may seem tedious, but that will change into a wondrous experience with thoughts and words of things divine.”  (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 573 - 574.)

A Christmas True or False Quiz

Can you separate fact from fiction in the Christmas story? Test your knowledge by answering "T" or "F" to each statement based only on the scriptures.

____1.  There are no records of Joseph speaking in the Christmas story.
____2.  The wise men were three kings from the orient.
____3.  The little drummer boy came to the manger after the other shepherds.
____4.  The star did not appear above the manger.
____5.  Christ was born December 25, 1 A.D.
____6.  The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary first and then he appeared to Joseph.
____7.  Mary rode a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
____8.  Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem because of a decree by Caesar Augustus.
____9.  The wise men followed the star as it moved from their eastern land to Israel.
____10. The wise men did not arrive on the night of Jesus' birth.
____11. God sent a choir of chubby angels with wings to announce Jesus' birth to the shepherds.
____12. Shepherding was considered a very noble occupation.
____13. Both Joseph and Mary were told that the baby was to be named "Jesus."
____14. The wise men found Jesus lying in a manger in the town of Bethlehem.
____15. A manger is a feeding trough.
____16. After the angel’s announcement the shepherds went straight to Bethlehem to see Jesus.
____17. Joseph married Mary immediately after the angel appeared to him.
____18. Some of the shepherds doubted and refused to believe the message they heard from the angels.
​

President Russel M. Nelson:  "“The greatest gift you could give to the Lord at Christmas, or at any other time, is to keep yourself unspotted from the world, worthy to attend His holy temple.” (“Wise men and Women still adore him”)