1988
Sharing Time: Hold to the Rod
June 1988

“Sharing Time: Hold to the Rod,” Friend, June 1988, 24

Sharing Time:

Hold to the Rod

By Pat Graham and Laurie K. Hutchinson

Press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end (2 Ne. 31:20).

Living the teachings of Jesus Christ will keep us on the strait and narrow path that leads to eternal life and happiness. In a dream, the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi saw an iron rod that helped people find happiness. Those who held on to the rod, who lived according to His teachings, were happy.

Here is a game based on the meaning of Lehi’s dream. The game can be played by one or more players or by teams. Play it with your family.

Instructions

  1. Mount game board on lightweight cardboard.

  2. Each player or team should select marker (button, rock, coin, etc.) and place it on Prayer at edge of Dark and Dreary Waste.

  3. When it is his turn, each player rolls die and moves his market the number of spaces indicated. Unless there are directions to be followed immediately, arrows on spaces show direction to go on next turn.

  4. If a three is rolled, it may be used at face value or, if player is in Mists of Darkness, Fountain of Filthy Water, or Great and Spacious Building, a three is signal that player has repented, and he moves his market to adjacent Forgiveness Exit.

  5. When player reaches Tree of Life, he eats some of its fruit (on each subsequent turn, he looks up one of the scripture references listed on game board and reads it aloud.) Game ends when all players have reached Tree of Life.

Sharing Time Ideas

  1. Prepare copies of January 1983 Sharing Time (Friend, January 1983, page 39). Have children cut and paste while you explain parts of Lehi’s dream.

  2. Read following scriptures for (a) Iron Rod: 1 Nephi 11:25 [1 Ne. 11:25], 15:23–24 [1 Ne. 15:23–24]; (b) Tree of Life: 1 Nephi 11:21–22 [1 Ne. 11:21–22], 15:21–22 [1 Ne. 15:21–22]; (c) Mists of Darkness: 1 Nephi 12:17 [1 Ne. 12:17]; (d) Fountain of Filthy Water: 1 Nephi 12:16 [1 Ne. 12:16], 15:26–29 [1 Ne. 15:26–29]; (e) Great and Spacious Building: 1 Nephi 11:36 [1 Ne. 11:36], 12:18 [1 Ne. 12:18].

  3. Discuss importance of free agency in plan of salvation.

  4. Sing “I Want to Live the Gospel” (Sing with Me, B-65).

Dark and Dreary Waste (See 1 Ne. 8:7–8.)

Fountain of Filthy Water [Depths of Hell] (See 1 Ne. 8:13; 1 Ne. 12:16.)

Mists of Darkness [Temptations of the Devil] (See 1 Ne. 8:23; 1 Ne. 12:17.)

Large and Spacious Field [The World] (See 1 Ne. 8:9; Matt. 13:38.)

Great and Spacious Building [Vain Imaginings and Pride of the World] (See 1 Ne. 8:26, 33; 1 Ne. 12:18.)

Tree of Life [Love of God] (See 1 Ne. 8:10; 1 Ne. 11:8–9, 21–25; Gen. 2:9; Rev. 2:7.) (Illustrated by Shauna Mooney.)