Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 – Understanding Isaiah
Chapter 2 – Leaders and Role Models 
 Chapter 3 – Gangs
Chapter 4 – Fasting
Chapter 5 – Victims of bullying
 Chapter 6 – Bullying 
Chapter 7 – HomosexualitY
Chapter 8 – DatingIntroduction.htmlChapter_1.htmlChapter_2.htmlChapter_3.htmlChapter_4.htmlChapter_5.htmlChapter_6.htmlChapter_7.htmlChapter_8.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_7shapeimage_2_link_8shapeimage_2_link_9
Chapter 9 – Chastity
 Chapter 10 – Obtaining Joy and Satisfaction
Chapter 11 – Fashion  and Modesty
Chapter 12 – Rebellion 
Chapter 13 – Church Meetings
Chapter 14 – Hypocrisy (Sunday-only Mormons)
Chapter 15 – The Sabbath
Chapter 16 – Pornography Chapter_9.htmlChapter_10.htmlChapter_10.htmlChapter_11.htmlChapter_12.htmlChapter_13.htmlChapter_14.htmlChapter_14.htmlChapter_15.htmlChapter_16.htmlshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2shapeimage_3_link_3shapeimage_3_link_4shapeimage_3_link_5shapeimage_3_link_6shapeimage_3_link_7shapeimage_3_link_8shapeimage_3_link_9
Chapter 17 – The Media 
Chapter 18 – The Word of Wisdom 
Chapter 19 – Responsibility
Chapter 20 – School and Learning 
Chapter 21 – Friends and Peer Pressure
Chapter 22 – Stewardship
Chapter 23 – Idolatry
Chapter 24 – Consecration
PDF VersionChapter_17.htmlChapter_18.htmlChapter_19.htmlChapter_20.htmlChapter_21.htmlChapter_21.htmlChapter_22.htmlChapter_23.htmlChapter_24.htmlhttp://scriptorium-blogorium.freehostia.com/pdf_version.htmshapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1shapeimage_4_link_2shapeimage_4_link_3shapeimage_4_link_4shapeimage_4_link_5shapeimage_4_link_6shapeimage_4_link_7shapeimage_4_link_8shapeimage_4_link_9
 

     Without exception, in every Sunday school class I have attended, the Book of Isaiah has been taught in the very same way:  The teacher always looks incredibly uncomfortable, and the attitude of the class is usually, “I don’t understand this stuff, but maybe I’ll learn something.” 

     The teacher begins with, “Well, today’s lesson is on the teachings of Isaiah”, they moving on to a “Isaiah is hard to understand” statement, and then skim on to reading statements Christ has made in commanding us to study Isaiah, and then Nephi’s words about delighting in Isaiah.  The teacher seems to make every effort to spend the majority of class time upon this preliminary discussion and little to no time on what Isaiah actually says and means.  If the class happens to discuss any Isaiah, it is inevitably in the very broad terms - themes, such as “the scattering of Israel” and “the gathering of Israel” and “the destruction of the wicked” and “Messianic prophecies”. 

     Hardly ever does the class get instruction on how to understand some of the strange phrases Isaiah uses to build up these grand themes.  The result is that those who don’t understand Isaiah are reinforced in their belief that he is impossible to understand and that he has nothing practical to say about how to live a good life, and those who might know a little bit have no chance to explain what they know to others. 

     This is very bad, because Nephi says people will know when Isaiah’s prophecies are being fulfilled.  “But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my plainness; in the which I know that no man can err; nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to pass.”  (2 Nephi 25:7) While I have seen some of Isaiah’s prophecies fulfilled, most Latter-day Saints seem no closer to understanding Isaiah than before.


     I have certainly had my share of puzzlement over the segments of Isaiah included in the Book of Mormon.  My family read the scriptures at the dinner table every night, each person taking a turn reading several verses.  Reading Isaiah seemed like running through quicksand; our ability to understand seemed to sink out of sight from the very first verse, and only emerged when the Isaiah stuff was over.  Our understanding of the scriptures stopped when Isaiah began and began when Isaiah stopped.  The flow of the sentences was even uncomfortable to read.  

     At BYU I was excited to see there was a class that was entirely devoted to Isaiah.  I expected that the class would teach me what everything meant, but it didn’t, because there wasn’t time, and there were a lot of things to cover.  I learned a lot of background history, a lot of which I have forgotten.  However, we did gain an understanding of how to decode the meaning little by little.  We learned that Isaiah is written in poetry.  Except it isn’t poetry  in the European manner with rhyme, it is poetry in the ancient Hebrew manner, with repetition and images full of symbolism.

     Since the time I took that class I have read the book of Isaiah and the Nephi-quoted Isaiah over and over again, each time absorbing something new and understanding a little more.   Sometimes it comes easily, sometimes it comes hard.  Sometimes I struggle with a verse and give up for a while.  Then when I come back the next time, I get it.  Or I get it after three or four or five more reads through.

     The impetus for this book was a discussion we had with the ward missionaries over dinner in our home.  When the conversation was on religion class, my husband mentioned I really liked the class on Isaiah at BYU, and one of the missionaries said to me, “If you understand it, you have a HUGE responsibility!”  It stuck me that he was right.  My responsibility was to share what I had learned so that more people could start figuring it out too, and teach it to their children, instead of rushing through it or skipping over it.  It came to me that the youth of the church were the ones to tell, because then the youth could have a few years to read and reread Isaiah and build up a nice little store of insights and experiences to tell others 1) in Sunday School classes  2) in family scripture study 3) in institute or religion classes  and 4) to their children someday, which would give them an early start on understanding Isaiah on their own.  And what teenager doesn’t dearly love to teach adults stuff?  Also, there is stuff in Isaiah that encourages and inspires, and which is relevant for teenagers



     It was really interesting to see people’s reactions when they found out I was writing a book about Isaiah for teenagers.  They’d blink and then say, “Wow.  I’ll have to read that.  Then maybe I’ll be able to understand it!”   This happened without fail, and each time I would feel encouraged that my book would be useful.  But, to the adults who are reading this right now, I have to make it clear that this book is written to teenagers, relating Isaiah to teenagers. 




     I am going to go by topic and quote all kinds of different verses from Isaiah that are applicable to that topic.  The topics are issues LDS teenagers face in our topsy-turvy world and all kinds of temptations that relate to it.



     One danger in likening scriptures to ourselves is that we may get a little too enthusiastic and end up wrenching it clear out of context, or “wresting the scriptures” to give them a meaning that seems to justify what we want to do, even though what we want to do is contrary to the commandments.  For instance, Jacob had to chastize the Nephites for using the scriptures about David and Solomon and their many wives to justify themselves in committing whoredoms.  I want to stay far away from any wrenching and wresting.  Wrenching and wresting is not our friend.  Likening, good.  Wrenching and wresting, bad.  

     Understanding Isaiah may be dangerous to your spiritual standing.  Once you begin serious study of Isaiah and begin receiving your own insight into its meaning, you will probably realize you are far ahead of most Latter-day Saints around you when it comes to discussing Isaiah.  It will be terribly easy to become proud about it and  begin looking down on others not so enlightened.  (This is another way that Satan try to tempt you.)  You must be extremely careful to guard against pride. I know what I’m talking about here, because I found myself starting to be proud of how much I was understanding.  Remember to thank the Lord often for guiding you to a better understanding of Isaiah.  Ask Him to help you learn more.  Ask Him to help you become an instrument in His hands to help others understand Isaiah too. Doing these things helped me escape pride and it will help you too.


     What is this book you’re holding in your hands about?  Quite simply, it takes modern-day issues and temptations that you teenagers face and it pulls spiritual insights out of the Book of Isaiah that will help you resist those temptations.

 Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1 – Understanding Isaiah
Chapter 2 – Leaders and Role Models 
 Chapter 3 – Gangs
Chapter 4 – Fasting 
Chapter 5 – Victims of bullying
Chapter 6 – Bullying 
Chapter 7 – HomosexualitY
Chapter 8 – DatingIntroduction.htmlChapter_1.htmlChapter_2.htmlChapter_3.htmlChapter_4.htmlChapter_5.htmlChapter_6.htmlChapter_7.htmlChapter_8.htmlshapeimage_6_link_0shapeimage_6_link_1shapeimage_6_link_2shapeimage_6_link_3shapeimage_6_link_4shapeimage_6_link_5shapeimage_6_link_6shapeimage_6_link_7shapeimage_6_link_8shapeimage_6_link_9
 Chapter 9 – Chastity
 Chapter 10 – Obtaining Joy and Satisfaction
 Chapter 11 – Fashion  and Modesty
  Chapter 12 – Rebellion 
Chapter 13 – Church Meetings
Chapter 14 – Hypocrisy (Sunday-only Mormons)
 Chapter 15 – The SabbathChapter_9.htmlChapter_10.htmlChapter_10.htmlChapter_11.htmlChapter_12.htmlChapter_13.htmlChapter_14.htmlChapter_14.htmlChapter_15.htmlshapeimage_7_link_0shapeimage_7_link_1shapeimage_7_link_2shapeimage_7_link_3shapeimage_7_link_4shapeimage_7_link_5shapeimage_7_link_6shapeimage_7_link_7shapeimage_7_link_8
 Chapter 16 – Pornography 
 Chapter 17 – The Media
 Chapter 18 – The Word of Wisdom 
 Chapter 19 – Responsibility
 Chapter 20 – School and Learning 
 Chapter 21 – Friends and Peer Pressure
Chapter 22 – Stewardship
Chapter 23 – Idolatry
Chapter 24 – ConsecrationChapter_16.htmlChapter_17.htmlChapter_18.htmlChapter_19.htmlChapter_20.htmlChapter_21.htmlChapter_22.htmlChapter_23.htmlChapter_24.htmlshapeimage_8_link_0shapeimage_8_link_1shapeimage_8_link_2shapeimage_8_link_3shapeimage_8_link_4shapeimage_8_link_5shapeimage_8_link_6shapeimage_8_link_7shapeimage_8_link_8