Shannon Foster knows what it’s like to struggle with scripture study.
“I grew up in a part-member home where the gospel wasn’t really taught, so I know the doubts people feel about scripture study,” Shannon says. “I learned how to work through them until the scriptures became living water to me.”
Shannon taught seminary full time for 13 years. She stopped when her first child was born and began sharing what she’d learned about scripture study on a blog called The Red Headed Hostess. She was surprised at how hungry Latter-day Saints were for what she was sharing.
In the years since, Shannon’s approach to scripture study has helped families achieve the at-home gospel learning they’ve always wanted. Parents, teens, and kids alike are falling in love with the scriptures using the Red Headed Hostess resources. And as they do, testimony-building conversations arise naturally at home.
So what is the secret? Family members do self-guided scripture study on their own using age-specific guidebooks. When individuals discover exciting insights and feel instantly successful, it keeps them coming back for more.
How to Help Your Family Fall in Love with Scripture
“All we’ve done with the guidebooks is find ways to help people slow down as they study,” Shannon says. “That’s the great secret. When you slow down, you have more time to think, ponder, and ask questions. You have more time to let things sink in. And the Spirit has more time to instruct. That’s it. What we have seen is that when people find personal meaning, consistency naturally follows.”
While podcasts or commentaries on scriptures may be helpful, Shannon has discovered that what people really need are their own discoveries from the Spirit.
The Red Headed Hostess has three guidebooks that follow the Come, Follow Me schedule—one each for adults, teens, and kids. The books enable everyone to make discoveries as they study the Old Testament at their own level.
Parents could invite members to use their guidebooks alone and then come together and discuss what they learned. Or, families might designate a scripture study time, turn on music, put out treats, and study on their own in the same room.
Why This Works
This approach has been a paradigm shift for many families. Rather than each person reading a verse around the dinner table or children listening to a parent’s prepared lesson, everyone learns on their own. Gone are the days of parents feeling overwhelmed or underqualified by the challenges of conflicting schedules and teaching multiple ages.
Families come together, excited to share what they’ve already learned. Even children and teens.
“Everybody has the capacity to learn and receive great insights. Invite your children to learn on their own—because they can,” Shannon says.
Inviting children to learn on their own will have a bigger impact than any lesson.
“I don’t want my kids to think that they need me to learn the scriptures,” Shannon says. “My job is to help them learn the scriptures for themselves, so I want to give them tools to create habits in their life. If they can learn on their own, at their own pace, we’re setting them up for a lifetime of success.”
How to Start
To implement this new approach in your home, Shannon recommends you begin with yourself.
“My biggest advice is that parents learn for themselves first. When a parent sits down and discovers the story of Gideon, maybe for the first time, they’ll want their children to know that story. Their excitement will shine through. Children will sense that excitement, and they will listen differently.
“If you’re a fountain that needs to give water, the water needs to come in first, and then, you’ll have it to give. So, let yourself fall in love with each story, then it will naturally flow out of you,” Shannon says.
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.
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
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