Shannon Foster of the Red Headed Hostess offers a straightforward solution for seeing the Savior in the Old Testament:
“All you have to do is ask yourself, ‘How would this story be different without Him?’ And suddenly you will see Him right there, right at the center,” she says. “We don’t have to go only to the stories where He appears to someone to find Him—He is in every story.”
Consider these examples:
- David without the Savior wouldn’t have been the David who faced Goliath and saved the people.
- Daniel wouldn’t have been a prophet or survived the lion’s den without the Lord’s guiding hand and protection.
- Joseph of Egypt’s story isn’t just a family drama—it’s a story of a young disciple who looked to the Savior and received strength, gifts, and guidance.
“Each story teaches what will happen when we trust in the Lord—He shows over and over that He will provide,” Shannon testifies.
What Happens When We Find the Savior
What we learn about the Savior will help us reach and teach those we love. For instance, Shannon says she was recently reading in Genesis when she found a fresh insight about preparing for the Second Coming—an insight that fit perfectly into a Relief Society lesson she attended the next day.
She was studying Genesis 18, which describes when three heavenly visitors tell Abraham and Sarah that she is going to have a baby in her old age:
“That’s usually the storyline that we might focus on and then move on,”
Shannon says. “But what I saw was something different. I saw that Abraham welcomed these heavenly visitors, and he did not want them to leave. He says, in effect, ‘Please stay. I’ll get you a morsel of food.’
“He runs to Sarah, and together, they arrange a feast. The scriptures say that she did three measures of fine meal, which is 20 cups of flour, for these three visitors. That would’ve been like 20 large pieces of flatbread, which is a grand offering.”
Sarah and Abraham’s response to these heavenly messengers led Shannon to reevaluate how she prepares for the Second Coming.
“Often when we talk about preparing for the Second Coming, we think, What can I stop doing?” she says. “What if, instead, we thought, What feast can I prepare? What if we focused on that holy urgency of wanting Him to come and to stay and of us giving our very best that we can offer?”1
Shannon’s insight came the night before the perfect chance arose to share it. That’s what happens when we search the scriptures: our insights naturally flow out to bless those around us at just the right moment.
You can find Shannon’s 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
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
More articles for you:
▶ 5 verses to love from the Old Testament
▶ An inspiring detail we sometimes forget about the Council in Heaven
▶ 4 strategies for having meaningful experiences in the Old Testament
Note:
1. Shannon Foster, “Getting the Gospel into the Hearts of Youth and Children,” Magnify podcast.
