This book is designed to aid families in their study of the Doctrine and Covenants together. The book is divided into chapters corresponding to each section of the D&C, beginning with a preface that details the purpose of the book and explains the approach used to help expand family scripture study. There are five icons used to head paragraphs in the book that detail different methods of expanding the content under study. There is an insight icon, an object lesson icon, a quotation icon, a story icon, and a writing and scripture marking icon. These suggested tools are used throughout the book to assist in understanding and encouraging discussion of the gospel topics being read about in D&C.

Here is a sample of one section study beginning:

Doctrine and Covenants 53:1-2: Are some commandments difficult for you to obey? [Insight Icon] Read the following list to your family, ask each person to rank each task (on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being very easy and 10 being very hard) according to how difficult it would be for them to accomplish that task: Do ten pushups, Run one mile, Eat a bowlful of food you do not like, Share your testimony in church, Teach a Sunday School class, Serve a mission. Read D&C 53:1-2 and then the biographical sketch of Algernon Sidney Gilbert to your family. Ask them to identify what command he though was especially difficult. Ask: Even if something is difficult, do you think the Lord still expects us to obey? Why? What did the Lord remind Brother Gilbert about before asking him to preach the gospel? (That the Lord was crucified for the world--see D&C 19:18.) How could remember the sacrifice of Jesus help us keep His commandments?

The book is well-written and skillfully adapted to help guide families in thinking about what they are reading together. Obviously a lot of thought, prayer, and work has gone into writing this book.

My husband and I have been using this book in our nightly scripture study and it has definitely enhanced our study, which normally consists of simply reading the verses while half-awake. The stories, quotes, and object lessons have helped us think more about what we are reading. This book relates what was happening in Church history at the time the section was revealed and encourages us to think about how those revealed words apply to us now. While some of the questions posed in the book have seemed redundant to us at times, I know they would be more especially helpful to children because they reiterate and help clarify gospel principles read about in the verses of the D&C sections. I highly recommend this book as an aid in family study of the Doctrine and Covenants. There is enough material to give parents flexibility in choosing what tools would help their children understand the verses they are studying, yet the amount of material isn't overwhelming.

Cayenne DaBell
March 12, 2005