Stimulating More Personal Revelation in Your Ward With the Gospel Library App | An Interview with Richard Bernard

Richard Bernard, the author of Digital Scripture Study for The Busy Latter-day Saint, has taught classes on using the Gospel Library for BYU Education Week and has also been a guest speaker in Utah, California, Arizona, and Texas. He recently taught three classes on journaling at RootsTech 2021. Richard is also the host of the Busy Latter-day Saint podcast, interviewing church members throughout the United States about their approach to studying the scriptures. In April 2021 he was called to serve an indefinite mission as a consultant in the Priesthood and Family Department, helping the Gospel Library and scripture study become more prominent in the lives of church members. In this podcast, Richard and Kurt talk about the powerful tools in the Gospel Library app and how leaders can help stimulate revelatory study experiences. Highlights 10:50 General Church leaders have two purposes for the Gospel Library app. Provide members with digital offline access to scriptures, hymns, and talks. Facilitate revelatory experiences and get them recorded. 12:00 The point of scripture study is revelation. If you want revelation you have to study and you have to write. Elder Scott said, “Your pen is the antenna to revelation.” 13:00 Everyone has different circumstances and time to study. God will bless you for your effort and the time that you can put in. Put in the time to get daily revelation. 14:15 How can we make our scripture study effective? Start with a prayer Come with a question Pay attention to words that pop out to you. Slow down your study. Read for understanding 17:00 The Gospel Library is a very powerful tool. All your resources are in one place. It’s a personal Liahona. 20:15 Important features in the app Make notes Tagging Linking Screens (like tabs) Notebooks 24:00 The importance of tagging. Tagging is a way to take a scripture and assign it to a topic. 31:00 You can link conference talks to scriptures or videos. 32:10 The app also has a notebook section to take notes and create talks. 33:40 Leaders should be using the Gospel Library and model for others. The way to get others to use it is by leading by example. 37:00 How do you help the youth use the Gospel Library? 38:15 Richard gives advice to youth leaders and ways to use the Gospel Library app in their classes. 40:45 The key with the youth is not to take the device away but to use the devices to get them more involved with the gospel and receive revelation. 55:30 Widgets for the Gospel Library app. Links The Busy Latter-day SaintDigital Scripture Study for The Busy Latter-day Saint Email questions or request to Richard at [email protected]