The first letter helps, which you will find on all SEALING TOUCH memory books, are a proven mnemonic for memorizing for many people, including me. In the 1980s I read in a book from the library in my classroom that writing the first letters of words helped to learn more quickly. By this time I had been memorizing Scripture for several years. I tried the technique and immediately sensed quicker success in learning. Instead of writing verses, as I had always done, I now wrote the first letters of verses on 4- by 6-inch cards, carried them on my walks, and seemed to learn much more easily.

To use the first letters, you must read through the verse with words two or three times. After reading, attempt to recite with first letters until you can quote the verse without any help. The first letters give clues to the words, plus they usually prevent omission of words. They assist in memorizing because they show repetition and unusual arrangements of letters. Sometimes a real or make-believe acronym can be found in the helps, which immediately brings the words to mind. In Isaiah 61:10, “joyful in my,” becomes “jim.”

The first letters make review easier. Instead of looking at the words of the verses you are reviewing, quote the verses by reading from the first letters. This practice seems to hasten the placement of verses in the permanent memory bank.

First letters are especially valuable for children and young people. The verses can be read quickly with first letters, which makes the young enthusiastic about memorizing. The first letters are helpful for new readers to give them additional practice in learning beginning sounds of letters.

A teenage girl proudly told me only a few days after I assigned 18 verses to her to learn, that she could quote the whole study with first letters. She proceeded to display her success. I asked her to recite the study with no helps. She laid her book aside and amazed herself and me by quoting the verses almost perfectly. I have found that almost all young people are encouraged in learning by using the first letter helps.