Family Scripture Schedule Goal

[Rob's missionary scriptures are top middle]

Since Rob intends to publish this blog every Christmas, I've gotten clear with myself about the purpose of our blog. My main focus is writing for our posterity, with one of the goals in mind of encouraging them to gain testimonies of the gospel. I love that I can also keep in touch with family and friends through blogging, but I worry that I get pretty personal and maybe gag-worthy, if you catch my drift. Try not to cringe if this post sounds self-righteous. Here goes....

It all started when President Hinckley challenged everyone in August of 2005 to read the Book of Mormon before the new year. Our family finally got on board in October, and I was hooked. A goal like that was all it took to motivate us to get down to business with the scriptures. So, when the New Year's deadline came and went, I suggested we each make a goal to read the New Testament before Easter. Then we could read the Pearl of Great Price before Mother's Day. Next we could read the Doctrine & Covenants before Pioneer Day, and then start over with the Book of Mormon until New Year's Day. All of the standard works except the Old Testament every year. Whoa, was I excited about that.

Excited? What, am I mental? Yes, yes I am. But, aside from that, I had read that the Church Education System did a study that found two major predictors in teen years of future church activity, temple marriage, and missions. Those two predictors were: 1) personal prayer and 2) personal scripture study. Those two were absolutely key to gaining personal testimony and commitment. That was huge motivation for me to get the kids on board with a scripture goal schedule to help motivate them and get them into a regular habit of personal study.

All of the readers at that time (Rob, M&M, and I) did it the first year, and mostly did it the second and third years. Since then, MK follows her seminary reading schedule instead, Mia is basically OVER it (but reads regularly—got to give her credit), and Getty and Cy have joined in with a revised goal to read about a third or half of each book. Cy reads Cam whichever scripture storybook we're on. It sounds a little overboard (just a bit! ha), but I found to my amazement that it was doable. At the most, it's about 4 pages a day. It's even easier listening to it on an ipod or in the car. What I love is, we've read more and longer than we ever would have without a goal (by a long shot), and now we know it's possible.

So grandkids and great-grandkids, figure a way to motivate yourself to study your scriptures and challenge yourself to make them a priority in your life. You can probably study more than you think you can.
And say your prayers.
And don't believe all the crazy stories your parents tell you about how I raised them :)