Following the Spirit and Lehi's Dream Devotional

I haven't been posting much because I have been really trying to follow the Spirit this last month and, until now, it hasn't directed me to post anything here. I try to wait before I record or post anything because it is easy for me to get sucked into the "who or how many people are viewing or reading this?!" trap...such a time waster and not the reason to get online :S.

Anyway.  It's been amazing.  Pulling back in some areas, moving forward in others.

The big "follow the Spirit" prompting is to finally prioritize and do those "basics for Mom" every day...even if I don't do them in the morning.  Do them. I try to be careful to only plan those on Sunday or in moments of spirituality.  My list is crazy long but I have been doing them for almost a week (missing a few things here and there, but striving more valiantly) and it has been incredible.  There really is time when you put in those rocks first!

Alright, so onto today's devotional.

I read in 1 Nephi 8 this morning as part of my Spirit-led reading and it was Lehi's dream.  Funny.  The Spirit directed me to read a specific number of chapters and I almost reasoned my way out of the last one, which was chapter 8.  Wow!  I would have missed an amazing discussion and experience!

Here is what we did.

Studio C first and it tied in very well!

We then did our flag song and pledge and then I brought up an idea I had from a friend.  When she was a kid her mom didn't do a lot of things with them, but she did read to them almost every day.  The kids loved it and the mom would give them two warnings if they were goofing off and for the third warning she would close the book and not open it again.

An interesting comment surfaced when I introduced this new trial method to our devotionals and reading time.  Liliputian(13) leaned over the Chugger-dude (11) and said something about how this foiled their brilliance in blaming others in the past so no one would get in trouble and I would keep reading.  They know when they are doing something wrong.  I am not being merciful by not following through when they are unpenitent...but that is a thought for another time. :)

We then started the official devotional by reviewing Lehi's Dream with the following link:
Chapter 6: Lehi's Dream

We then did a type of picture study observing this painting on our wall:


while listening to the following:
Lehi's Dream and You

We stopped so much for discussion and I only had to give out one warning!!
We wrapped it up with the final short message from Elder Holland:
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-08-1110-the-rod-of-iron?lang=eng

We closed after some more great discussion and sang "The Iron Rod" to the music on lds.org.  We sang three verses (sped up), had prayer and then did reflection time...again, all interlaced with ah-has and connections!  It was powerful.  We listened to:

and then shared some final thoughts.  Pipalicious (9) pointed out a hymn I don't remember reading before and it was powerful.

Trust the Spirit.  Speak of it.  Follow it.  Wonders will follow.

Lyrics

1. 1. School thy feelings, O my brother;
   Train thy warm, impulsive soul.
   Do not its emotions smother,
   But let wisdom's voice control.
   School thy feelings; there is power
   In the cool, collected mind.
   Passion shatters reason's tower,
   Makes the clearest vision blind.
2. (Chorus)
   School thy feelings, O my brother;
   Train thy warm, impulsive soul.
   Do not its emotions smother,
   But let wisdom's voice control.
3. 2. School thy feelings; condemnation
   Never pass on friend or foe,
   Though the tide of accusation
   Like a flood of truth may flow.
   Hear defense before deciding,
   And a ray of light may gleam,
   Showing thee what filth is hiding
   Underneath the shallow stream.
4. 3. Should affliction's acrid vial
   Burst o'er thy unsheltered head,
   School thy feelings to the trial;
   Half its bitterness hath fled.
   Art thou falsely, basely, slandered?
   Does the world begin to frown?
   Gauge thy wrath by wisdom's standard;
   Keep thy rising anger down.
5. 4. Rest thyself on this assurance:
   Time's a friend to innocence,
   And the patient, calm endurance
   Wins respect and aids defense.
   Noblest minds have finest feelings;
   Quiv'ring strings a breath can move;
   And the gospel's sweet revealings
   Tune them with the key of love.
6. 5. Hearts so sensitively molded
   Strongly fortified should be,
   Trained to firmness and enfolded
   In a calm tranquility.
   Wound not willfully another;
   Conquer haste with reason's might;
   School thy feelings, sister, brother;
   Train them in the path of right.