Doctrinal Mastery

Last year, for Seminary, the Church Educational System replaced the focus of Scripture Mastery to Doctrinal Mastery. I was very excited about this change, as the focus of Scripture Mastery was to memorize the scripture and it's reference. Doctrinal Mastery is about understanding the doctrine of the scripture. I found that when the students were "memorizing" the scriptures, they were only remembering it as long as it took to pass it off, and then they couldn't remember it again after that. I wanted to dig a little deeper, so when we studied Scripture Mastery, once a week I went into more detail with them.

Our study of the scriptures began like this:

... which was fine, because we were looking for the meaning behind the scripture and ways to apply it.

Then Doctrinal Mastery was introduced, and once a week we would study one of the Doctrinal Mastery scriptures in a little more depth than we had before:

... which was also great, because we were digging even more into the doctrine and meaning.

This year, I think we are really getting into the purpose of Doctrinal Mastery study, as we more thoroughly immerse ourselves all week long:

On Mondays:

• we decide which Doctrinal Mastery topic the scripture covers
• find a hymn that relates to the Doctrinal Mastery topic that we will sing for the week
• talk about the context in which the scripture was given/recorded

Tuesdays:

• we go through the scripture and underline the things that stand out to us
• we look in the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document for a paragraph or a sentence that supports the scripture
• we define words that perhaps a new member or an investigator of the church might not understand
• we state the scripture in our own words

Wednesdays:

• we decide where this scripture falls in the Plan of Salvation
• we look for cross-references 

Thursdays:

• We look for quotes from the prophet and apostles from the recent General Conference Ensigns
• find an example of this scripture in the stories in the scriptures or from Church history

Fridays:

• we look for object lessons we could use to explain the scripture
• we list ways that we can apply this scripture in our lives
• then the students either write in their journals:
• how they are personally going to apply this scripture
• or their testimony of the scripture and it's doctrine
• or, if they were a missionary at a dinner appointment and it was their turn to share the spiritual message and they were using this scripture, what would they say about it?

I also have them write a quote each morning from all different sources that apply to the scripture we are studying. 

I really feel that this focus on Doctrinal Mastery is going to be a huge blessing in the lives of these youth as they talk to their friends who have questions about their beliefs, give talks in church, head off to college, serve missions, receive callings of their own, and teach their own families.