Why Memorize scriptures with children?

These are the days. They are good days, but they are busy days. I'm sure I'll blink and they'll be over, which is why I am just taking it all in...and just hanging on for the ride.
It's neat, though, to see time pass, and to mark that passage of time by not only how much children have grown, but how much they are learning, and more importantly, how much their testimonies are growing. It's becoming their own. And that's a beautiful thing.
At the beginning of this year, we started memorizing the Book of Mormon ABCs together as a family. We write them on a piece of paper that we can all read together (or sing together) each morning. Steve likes to make up funny rhythms to make each verse more memorable. Sometimes we sing them to familiar tunes. And we've gotten surprisingly far. From time to time, we quiz each other to see who can remember the corresponding scripture and verse for each letter. It's kind of a fun game.

Another thing we like to do to "reward ourselves" is to listen during General Conference for any references to our memorized quotations (whether it be a scripture verse or the 13 Articles of Faith, or My Gospel Standards, or quotes from previous General Conferences, etc.) We keep a large sheet of paper on the wall during Conference and record any mentions of our memorized verses. (We actually ended up with a few more before the end of the weekend.)
It is always amazing to me how many of our verses are quoted in General Conference. It is an awesome feeling when our "enduring friends that do not weaken with the passage of time" are quoted. After each session, we usually hand out a piece of candy for each memorized scripture that was mentioned.
Although the candy is sweet, the reward of putting the work in to make these verses our own is sweeter, and watching my children embrace these truths is priceless.
I encourage you to start memorizing scriptures with your children today. You can follow along with our Book of Mormon ABCs, shorten them a bit, or make up a list of your own. It will take work, but can be fun, and will be rewarding!

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