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This week we're diving into gospel principles — the "WHAT" of the gospel — and how they're rooted in eternal doctrine. Using Elder David A. Bednar's teachings, we break down how to spot gospel principles in scripture, then apply that method to 2 Kings 16–25, focusing on King Josiah's covenant in 2 Kings 23:3–4.

📖 This week's reading: 2 Kings 16–25

Sources:

• Excerpt from Elder Bednar’s book, “Increase in Learning”: https://religion.byu.edu/eternal-family/doctrines-principles-and-applications
• Elder Bednar’s conference talk, “The Principles of My Gospel”: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/56bednar?lang=eng
• Cindy’s incomplete list of gospel principles: Agency * Accountability * Benevelonce * Charity * Chastity * Consecration * Diligence * Discipleship * Education/Knowledge/Learning * Enduring * Faith * Fasting * Friendship * Forgiveness * Gratitude * Hope * Honesty * Humility * Integrity * Leadership * Love * Ministering * Missionary work * Modesty * Obedience * Patience * Prayer * Progress/Become * Repentance * Reverence * Sabbath Day observance * Sacrifice * Scripture study * Service * Tithing * True (we believe in being) * Unity * Virtuous * Word of Wisdom * Work

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
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This week we’re focusing on doctrine. What is it? How can you find it? And why it’s so important.

📖 This week's reading: 2 Kings 2-7

Additional Resources for you:

• Elder Bednar teaches about doctrine: https://religion.byu.edu/eternal-family/doctrines-principles-and-applications
• Seminary manual lists the basic doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/new-testament-seminary-teacher-manual/appendix/basic-doctrines?lang=eng
• Liahona article, “How is Doctrine Established?” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2013/09/how-is-doctrine-established?lang=eng

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
CFM 2026
Teens, Youth, Kids, Family
Primary
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Have you ever wondered why we have all these stories in the scriptures? This week, Cindy breaks down three essential things to look for every time you read: 1) learning about Jesus Christ, 2) His doctrines (eternal truths), and 3) principles (things we can do).

Using the story of Elijah and the widow woman from 1 Kings 17, Cindy walks through how to apply this framework to any scripture story — and shows how even one short passage can teach us about the Savior's care, the role of prophets, and the principles of faith and obedience.

📖 This week's reading: 1 Kings 12–13 and 17–22

In this episode:

• Why we read the scriptures in the first place
• The 3 things to look for in every story
• A deep dive into Elijah and the widow woman
• A journaling challenge to make your study more meaningful

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
CFM 2026
Teens, Youth, Kids, Family
Primary
LDS
Latter Day Saint
Young Women
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Scripture Study
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After several weeks of a break, Cindy Young is back with the third and final segment of her Power of the Pencil series, where she teaches you ways that writing can elevate your scripture study. In this episode she talks specifically about 2 different approaches to journaling - one that you can do as you study, verse by verse, and the other at the end of your study sessions. She encourages you to listen to the Spirit either way, and to prayerfully ask, "what should I be learning today" as you write your thoughts.

Note - the episode number indicates which week of the Come Follow Me curriculum each episode aligns with. Due to planned and unplanned circumstances, episodes of this podcast jump from 15 to 26. This is not a mistake and you are not missing out on the episodes in between - there are none. Thank you for understanding that life gets crazy sometimes. <3

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
CFM 2026
Teens, Youth, Kids, Family
Primary
LDS
Latter Day Saint
Young Women
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In part two of “The Power of the Pencil,” Cindy Young teaches how annotating scriptures—writing short notes, single words, tags, or questions in the margins—can turn passive reading into active study. She explains tagging story sections at the top of pages to quickly find and review specific scripture stories, and highlights this week’s reading in Exodus 14–18, including the Red Sea crossing and manna. Cindy shares simple annotation ideas such as writing “WOW,” naming unnamed principles like faith or courage, using digital tags for quick annotating, and writing questions beside underlined phrases, using Exodus 14:13 (“stand still”) as an example. She encourages starting small, suggests sticky notes, bookmarks, and wide-margin editions, and points viewers to a free worksheet on her website.

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
CFM 2026
Teens, Youth, Kids, Family
Primary
LDS
Latter Day Saint
Young Women
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Cindy Young introduces part one of her “Power of the Pencil” series on Primarily Scripture, explaining that while some people choose not to mark their scriptures, marking can help turn reading into studying by increasing interaction, retention, and recall. She shares childhood experiences with a red pencil, then gives beginner-friendly ways to start: use multiple colored pencils (with or without a strict color-coding system), switch colors to track ideas, and mark selectively by underlining or highlighting key words and phrases rather than whole verses. She also suggests using symbols like hearts, stars, and question marks to note love of God, memorization candidates, and questions to ponder over time, emphasizing that marking methods can change and should prioritize spiritual learning over aesthetics.

To see the video with Elder Bednar’s advice for marking scriptures: Gospel Library App > Books and Lessons > Seminary > Old Testament Student Manual > Scripture Study Skills > Annotating Scriptures > 2nd video down, under Marking Scriptures

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
CFM 2026
Teens, Youth, Kids, Family
Primary
LDS
Latter Day Saint
Young Women
Young Men
Temple
Aaronic Priesthood
Scripture Study
Study Tips

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In this final part of her Understanding the Scriptures series, Cindy Young explains three types of scripture passages you’ll encounter—informational, stories, and sermons—how to identify them, and how to approach each. Informational sections (like genealogies, land descriptions, and laws) can be list-heavy and difficult, so she suggests skimming or even skipping long informational chapters if you’re not ready for a deep dive. Stories are easiest to follow, so she recommends retelling the events, looking for messages and character choices, noticing sequence, and applying principles to your life. Sermons focus on doctrine, commandments, warnings, and promises from prophets or the Lord, so she advises looking for truths taught, personal application, and what they teach about Jesus Christ. Come back next month to learn all about how using a pencil can enhance your scripture study.

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
CFM 2026
Teens, Youth, Kids, Family
Primary
LDS
Latter Day Saint
Young Women
Young Men
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Scripture Study
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In part 4 of her understanding the scriptures series, Cindy Young explains the power of “replacing” words to improve understanding. She teaches three ways to do this: first, identify antecedents by replacing confusing pronouns with the nouns they refer to; second, replace unfamiliar or old-fashioned terms with modern synonyms, noting that “my lord” can mean “you” respectfully and that “lord” can refer to a person while “Lord” refers to Jehovah or God; and third, insert your own name and life experiences into passages, using Joseph’s words in Genesis 45:4–5 to apply lessons about forgiveness, trials, and seeing God’s hand in difficult situations.

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And if you've found this helpful, then please Subscribe, Follow, Like, Share, and leave a review. =o)

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Don't forget the parable of the snowball: listening to someone else talk about the gospel is like having snowballs thrown at you. Reading the scriptures is like making your own snowball. Taking the time to search, ponder, and pray about what you've read is like rolling the snowball around and around so that it grows and grows. So don't just listen to me - please go read for yourself so your knowledge and testimony can grow and grow!!

Come Follow Me Old Testament
Beginners Guide to Scripture Study
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
CFM 2026
Teens, Youth, Kids, Family
Primary
LDS
Latter Day Saint
Young Women
Young Men
Temple
Aaronic Priesthood
Scripture Study
Study Tips