Want to dive deeper into the scriptures but not sure where to start?
Shannon Foster, founder of the scripture study blog the Red Headed Hostess, shared a method that might help. She recently joined an episode of the Magnify podcast and spoke about this framework designed to draw out more personal revelation as you read.
“I grew up really admiring certain [gospel] teachers,” Shannon says. She wondered how they could so easily find deeper meaning in the scriptures. “I didn't think I was capable of that, and then I learned how to do it.”
Shannon says her process for gleaning scriptural insights isn’t the only one out there, but she wants to share it with others since it’s been helpful for her. She calls it the 1, 2, 3 Method.
The 1, 2, 3 Method for Scripture Study
The 1, 2, 3 Method is intended to help readers slow down, understand what they are studying, and extrapolate life lessons and revelation from the scriptures. And it’s simple:
- Read the verses. It doesn’t have to be a whole chapter. Start small if you need to. Get familiar with the scriptures’ words, with the goal of understanding the basics of what’s happening.
- Seek understanding. Reread the verses and look for the deeper meaning behind the passage’s words and phrases. Pull in other resources, like podcasts, commentary, scholarly analyses, Bible translations, and dictionaries (the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary is especially useful when reading the Book of Mormon, because it has the meaning of words used at the time the book was translated).
- Seek revelation. Now, look for what the Lord might be trying to teach you through the passage. Ask Heavenly Father, “How does this relate to me? To my life? To my children’s lives?” Because you’ve been studying more deeply, things might stand out to you that you might’ve missed otherwise. Write down the impressions you receive.
Shannon says the third step is especially crucial because that’s when “we open up our hearts and our minds expecting revelation, and it will pour down.” Although we might not receive guidance in that very moment, we might eventually, because when “we've set these truths on our hearts, … the Lord can work with them in miraculous ways.”
An Example of Using the 1, 2, 3 Method
Shannon shared how she and a group of women applied the 1, 2, 3 Method to studying 1 Kings 17.
In this chapter, the Lord sent the prophet Elijah to take refuge with a widow in the city of Zarephath during a drought. He found her gathering sticks outside her home. He asked her for a drink of water, which she gave him, and a morsel of food, which she didn’t have. She told Elijah she was gathering two sticks to prepare her and her son’s last meal, and then they would die.
In verse 13, Elijah tells the woman, “Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.” He then promised a miracle, saying that her meal and oil would not fail until the end of the drought.
Verse 15 says, “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.”
Shannon worked through these verses with her group, slowing down to ensure they understood the context and any unfamiliar words. Then, she invited the women to consider what personal meaning they found in the verses.
Applying the Scriptures to Your Life
Shannon says talking about the passage together “was really electric.”
One woman shared that she’d been wondering, “How can I turn my faith from courageous to fearless?” After their discussion, she told Shannon, “I love that Elijah told the widow to ‘Fear not: go and do.’ I feel that I need to stop wondering how and just start doing.”
Shannon says another woman pointed out the beautiful example of consecration in these verses: “The widow of Zarephath gave all, which would be so hard, but especially when it seemed that her beloved son's life was at stake.” She was touched that the woman in the story “acted even before she knew that the promise would be fulfilled” and wanted to do the same.
“Every woman took what she needed to hear,” Shannon says.
And this was just one story. The same method can be applied to any scripture passage. As you slow down and try to deeply understand what the Lord is trying to teach through His scriptures, you can receive personal revelation and deeper learning for your life as well.
Hear more scripture study tips from Shannon on the full Magnify episode.
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▶ The touching way thousands of youth ministered to Michigan stake after tragedy
▶ The scripture we hear so often we may not fully appreciate
▶ A simple way to find Jesus in every Old Testament story
Where to Get Your Guidebooks
You can find the Red Headed Hostess Old Testament guidebooks exclusively at Deseret Book and DeseretBook.com. Read more about the structure and benefits of the adult, teen, and kid guidebooks below. Preorder yours today!
SEEK, for adults
- A stunning piece of commissioned or licensed artwork
- Insightful background on each section and key historical context
- Simple timelines and “people to know” for deeper understanding
- Guided questions and space to write, reflect, or draw
- Thoughtful prompts to help you slow down and record what the Spirit teaches you
Available exclusively at Deseret Book and DeseretBook.com.
Faith 52, for teens
- Bold artwork, typography, or photography designed to speak to teens
- Maps, timelines, and helpful context to deepen understanding
- Space to write or draw thoughts, impressions, and personal insights
Mighty Kids!
- A graphic novel-style story from the Old Testament
- A scripture-marking activity that helps kids engage directly with the Old Testament
- A hands-on activity for each week
- A weekly focus on a Christlike trait
