A Revvvvving Review
By C.S. Bezas

As seminary teachers, we hold a potent position in the lives of our youth. Not only do they watch what we do, both inside and outside of the classroom, but our classroom activities can affect them for a lifetime — be those good or bad.

Scripture Mastery days can be the same. They can be full of upbeat moments, yet empty of value. They can be full of value, but dry and boring. Or they can be somewhere in between. Trying to find that balance can be a tricky thing.

Next time during a scripture mastery day, why not try a "Revvvving Review." Its purpose is to get the students into their scriptures and to begin to feel that the required scripture mastery verses are becoming more and more “theirs.” In other words, these verses become easy for them to find and simple for them to understand.

Feel free to modify the “Revvvvving Review” activity for your needs, but this is how I do it. I have the kids take their scriptures, a paper and pencil, and race through the scriptures, “revving” their engines for all the mastery scriptures we've memorized thus far.

Here are the specifics:

• The kids individually flip open their scriptures to find the very first scripture mastery passage as swiftly as they can. They then write down the reference on their own papers with a few associated key words (they later use this "cheat sheet" with each other for the second half of the game).
• They flip to the second scripture mastery (chronologically) and write down the reference and key words (they pick the key words themselves — whatever speaks to them).
• They continue to do this until they finally reach the most current scripture mastery we've been working on. The goal is to do this as quickly as possible. I like to do this at least four or five times a year to give the students a good grasp on "the lie of the land" in their scriptures and where/how to find their mastery scriptures. It also helps them to find their own way of thinking about these important teachings and in determining their own key words to the verses.
• Once everyone has arrived at the most current scripture we are studying, they divide up into teams of two each (adjust according to whether your class has an even or odd number of students).
• The kids then swap cheat sheets with their partner. Taking turns, Student A will look at the cheat sheet Student B created and call out Student B’s key words for one of the mastery scriptures.
• Student B grabs his own scriptures and tries to find the scripture within 15 seconds. If he is able to do so, he earns 100 Brigham Bucks (or whatever point system you determine).  If Student B is not able to find it, Student A circles that reference on the "cheat sheet" Student B created.
• Now the teammates switch places. Student B now calls out a different scripture mastery from the sheet Student A created.  Student A then gets 15 seconds to find the verse(s) in his own scriptures. If he is able to, he earns 100 Brigham Bucks. If not, Student B circles that mastery scripture on the sheet Student A created.
• This continues until you run out of time (or they've finished quizzing all the scriptures). Once done, they swap papers and are able to take home the sheet their partner helped finalize for them. This way, they know which scriptures need the most focus. They can work on learning those targeted references while they are waiting for the bus, before bed, or at other opportune times.

The kids seem to enjoy this and to appreciate the effort they provide each other to become familiar with their scripture mastery skills! It's a kick to see even some of the most reluctant of students participating, heads bobbing up and down, as they race through their scriptures working to improve their own lives.

Scripture study is potent. Elder Bednar states:

Coming unto Christ is not a single event with a fixed point of beginning or ending; rather, it is a process that develops and deepens during a lifetime. As an initial step in the process, we certainly must obtain knowledge and learn about Jesus and His life, teachings, and ministry. But truly coming unto Him also requires consistent obedience and striving to become like Jesus in our thoughts, motives, communications, and actions.

As we “press forward” (2 Ne. 31:20) on the pathway of discipleship, we can draw near unto the Savior with the expectation that He will draw near unto us; we can seek Him diligently with the hope that we shall find Him; we can ask with confidence that we shall receive; and we can knock anticipating that the door shall be opened unto us (see D&C 88:63).

One of the best ways to draw near unto Him and to both learn about and become more like the Lord Jesus Christ is to consistently study the holy scriptures — to daily “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Ne. 32:3) (David A. Bednar, “Because We Have Them before Our Eyes,” New Era, Apr. 2006, 2).

Our students need the strength the scriptures bring. This “Revving” scripture mastery game is a way to bring them to this in a fun and upbeat way. By becoming more familiar with the “lie of the land” within the text of the scriptures, the scriptures begin to feel more and more “theirs.” Feel free to vary this in any way you feel important. Of course, you may feel inspired to utilize completely different approaches with your students. However that or those ways may be, may the Lord bless us all as we serve these great and important youth.

Look for C.S. Bezas new book, Powerful Tips for Powerful Teachers: Helping Youth Find Their Spiritual Wings, in LDS bookstores and online at http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4977585