“[There is a] divine source of strength. It is a source often underestimated, yet it can be used daily to lighten our load and guide our precious children. That source is the guiding gift of the Holy Ghost.” – Mary R. Durham from April 2016 General Conference

Ways to Talk About “A Child’s Guiding Gift”

by Mary R. Durham from April 2016 General Conference:

(Quotes listed here are from that talk unless otherwise noted.)

• Read, tell, or watch the story at the beginning of this talk about the man who starts to sink while swimming across a lake. His wet shoes were weighing him down.
• Play or show a video of President Monson speaking (like this one), then start adding distractions (a loud song or a show playing, kids role playing an argument, etc) until they are loud enough that you can’t hear President Monson anymore. Discuss ways to make sure you don’t let the noise of the world overcome the voice of the Spirit

“We live in ‘a noisy and busy world. … If we are not careful, the things of this world can [drown] out the things of the Spirit.'” (Mary R. Durham quoting Joseph B. Wirthlin)

• Have someone hold their arms straight out. Stack books on their arms. For dramatic effect you may want to place the books on their arms one at a time. (Choose the size and amount of books depending on the person who will be doing this activity. An older child can probably hold more.) Don’t add too many they can’t hold it, but add enough that they’ll get tired quickly and need to stop. You can always add another book or two if they don’t get tired quickly enough.
  • As they are getting tired, ask the person and the group what would help them be able to hold the books longer…
    • One idea would be to take some books away (go ahead and take some away, but not all of them).
    • Another idea might be to support their arms somehow (go ahead and let them support their arms, not by bending them, but by resting them on something like someone’s shoulder or the back of a chair or by having other people support the person’s arms with their own hands).
    • Listen to other ideas that people suggest. Try them out if they would work with the message you are presenting.
  • Discuss how that support is helpful.
  • Use quotes or other ideas listed here to connect this experience to life:
    • The books are weighing him/her down. Discuss what things weigh us down every day.
    • Sometimes the Holy Ghost helps us know how to set those weights down. But we still have to hold other weights, bear other challenges, so He helps and supports us as we hold them.

“Feeling and recognizing the Spirit will bring spiritual capacity into our children’s lives, and the voice they come to know will become clearer and clearer to them. It will be as Elder Richard G. Scott said: ‘As you gain experience and success in being guided by the Spirit, your confidence in the impressions you feel can become more certain than your dependence on what you see or hear.’”

• We can increase our capacity to receive help from the Holy Ghost.
  • If you use the book experience above, you could point out that just as an older child would be able to hold more books because he/she has grown stronger, with time and effort we can also increase our capacity for receiving the Holy Ghost and knowing how to use that skill. It is something we can learn and develop and improve.
  • With young kids, discuss things that they have learned how to do (dress themselves, tie shoes, read etc). Being able to hear and recognize the Holy Ghost is something they can learn too. And the more they practice the easier it will become.
• We can make the effort to learn to recognize His voice.
  • Samuel learns to hear the voice of the Lord. (1 Samuel 3:4-10 or the summary from this talk)
  • “Sometimes…[children] don’t realize that a recurring thought, a feeling of comfort after they cry, or remembering something at just the right time are all ways that the Holy Ghost communicates [with them].”
  • Use any of the stories, scriptures and songs below as examples of how the Holy Ghost can speak to us.
  • A book like “The Holy Ghost Is Like a Blanket” by Annalisa Hall could be used to talk to kids about what the Holy Ghost might feel like to them.

To Consider

Parents, remember that we are trying to teach our children these skills so they will understand them and know how to use them on their own.

“How do we as parents increase the spiritual capacity of our little ones? How do we teach them to kick off worldly influences and trust the Spirit when we are not with them and they are alone in the deep waters of their lives?”

Here are 3 things to help us do that: “First, we can bring to our children’s attention when they are hearing and feeling the Spirit….Second, we can prepare our homes and our children to feel the still, small voice….Third, we can help our children understand how the Spirit speaks to them. “

Resources

• Scriptures
  • Mosiah 24:12-15 – The Lord lifts the burdens of a righteous people in bondage.
  • 3 Nephi 27:20 – The Holy Ghost sanctifies and cleanses us.
  • Moroni 10:4-7 – By the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things.
  • John 14:26 – The comforter will teach all things and bring all things to your remembrance.
  • D&C 9:8-9 – Study out a decision in your mind and go to the Lord for confirmation. If it is right, you will have a warm feeling and know it is right.
• Songs
  • The Holy Ghost – Children’s Songbook, 105
  • The Still Small Voice – Children’s Songbook, 106
  • Let the Holy Spirit Guide – Hymns, 143
  • I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus – Children’s Songbook, 78
• Articles & Stories
  • Yichen prayed when she was scared. The Holy Ghost removed the fear from her mind. “I Felt the Holy Ghost” by Yichen, Age 6, Taiwan in the Friend, June 2014.
  • A young girl and her friend find a wallet on the sidewalk. Instead of returning it they spend some of the money. The Holy Ghost helps the girl do the right thing by sending feelings of guilt and sorrow. “Lost and Found” by Shyrl L. Sevey in the Friend, July 1995.
  • As a young boy, Elder Cardon feels the Holy Ghost with overwhelming emotion. “The Holy Ghost is Real” by Elder Craig A. Cardon in the Friend, December 2007.
  • Melissa gets baptised and realizes that the Holy Ghost can help her do better in school. “My Companion” by S. Melissa Ochsenhirt in the Friend, May 2006.
  • A young woman feels the prompting of the Holy Ghost in a recurring thought/idea. “What if I don’t Feel a Burning in the Bosom?” by Rachel Nielsen in the New Era, June 2014.
  • Elder Clark’s Mission President felt the Holy Ghost to send him to another area at the end of his mission. He just felt the decision was right. Elder Clark was needed to help a mother find her daughter. “Becoming What You Want to Be” by Elder Don R. Clarke in the New Era, January 2011.
  • Renee heard the Holy Ghost speak, “Stop!” She listened and was kept safe from a falling snow pile. “Stop!” by Barbara J. Jones in the Friend, February 1998.
• The footnotes of the talk reference several other articles. Check those out for more information and inspiration.

As always, TAKE & TWEAK these ideas to fit your needs.