Daily Reads

At the end of every month, we ask our faculty and missionaries to report the number of daily reads their students have reported for the month. Burdensome task? Yes. One more thing to do for a teacher? You bet. Should we do it? Absolutely. Why? Two reasons: 1. Because we have been asked to; and 2. We owe it to our students to facilitate their success in coming to love the scriptures the way someone else did, or should have done for us. 

The Gospel Teaching & Learning Manual for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion shares the following insight into what we are hoping to accomplish by encouraging daily reading of the scriptures by collecting daily reads. Wait! Before you read, please look for the blessings a young person might be blessed with by learning to read the scriptures daily:

"By fulfilling their role in spiritual learning, students manifest their willingness to be taught by the Holy Ghost. They are often more committed to and excited about the scriptures. They understand and recall saving doctrines and principles more clearly and are more likely to apply what they have been taught. As students discover gospel doctrines and principles, ask questions, and share responses, they also learn valuable skills for studying on their own.

"Through such participation, students will be enabled to teach the gospel more effectively to their families, friends, and others. They will also be better prepared to teach the doctrines and principles of the gospel in the future as missionaries, parents, teachers, and leaders in the Church."

Are there any blessings there we do not want our students to enjoy? 

I was raised as a Latter-day Saint, my father was a very busy government employee who traveled much. My mother was a convert who tried to help us (all ten of us) read the scriptures as a family. Our family scripture study efforts were usually as ugly as a sloppy-joe stain on a white shirt, but mom persevered in helping us to read the scriptures. I am so very grateful for her efforts, especially for the example she showed in turning to the scriptures and reading them, and showing us children where to turn for answers.

Far too many of our students have not been raised with the example I, or many of you were raised with. Dearest faculty and missionaries, let us not fail to encourage perhaps what may become one of the greatest blessings we could invite our students to have: the gift of love for the scriptures, but more than love, the gift of knowing where to find answers to their questions, concerns, challenges and problems: the holy scriptures! They need you to help them succeed in turning to the scriptures.