What is Gospel Literacy? Is it to read the Gospel? Yes...but it means so much more.
Krista Miner explains, "Today, besides focasing on literacy, Relief Society leaders are also empahsizing the importance of teaching gospel literacy, meaning the ability to gain gospel knowledge through prayer, searching the scriptures, and writing down what is learned." (Ensign Jan. 2001, 78)
In the learning process, we learn not only by what we read but also by what we are taught through the spirit. The spirit teaches us through prayer and personal revelation (searching the scriptures). These "teaching tools" lead us in our gospel literacy path towards knowledge. This knowlege can then be written down for our benefit and for the benefit of others.
Have you thought about why we have the scriptures? The scriptures contain the teachings of God. They contain His words as spoken by the prophets. Such tremendous effort has been made to preserve and protect them for our use today. They were so important Lehi sent his sons to go back and get the brass plates. They were so important for Joseph Smith to keep them away from the wrong hands. They were handed down from one generation to the next to the next. They were carefully translated for us to have and read in these the latter days. Why? Why are they so important?
We read in Moses that Adam and Eve were created by God. He also gave them their language. Using this language, angels taught Adam and Eve the gospel (Moses 5:58). They wrote what they were taught, and they were taught to write "according to the pattern given by the finger of God." (Moses 6:46)
Writing gave mankind the ability to use symbols to record thoughts and teachings. Adam and Eve used this ability to write in a book of remembrance. They then used this book to teach their children how to read and write (Moses 6: 4-6). These writings came to be know as the scriptures. We can use the scriptures to teach and learn how to read and write about the things of God. (taken from "Ye Shall have my Words" teacher's guide)
Adam and Eve were created and taught the Gospel. They were given symbols to use and record with them. They then shared these truths with their posterity. These teachings were recorded to make it possible for everyone to learn for themselves how to return back to their Heavenly Father. The purpose of the scriptures is to lead us back to His presence. To learn what we we already knew in the pre-mortal existence and to demonstrate that we submit our will to Him. We can demonstrate that we want to be like our Eternal Father. We read the scriptures and come to understand how to do that.
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Hopefully, over a period of time we can experience our Gospel Literacy journey together and learn to embrace the gospel in a fuller way through reading the scriptures and writing the impressions we receive while searching the scriptures.
