This summer, our youth had the opportunity to participate in a super fun and kind of stressful activity. It was an "Iron Rod" activity that allowed the youth to step into Lehi's Dream from The Book of Mormon.
In Lehi's Dream there was an iron rod alongside a river that led to a tree. The iron rod represents the word of God and the tree represents God's love for us. In Lehi's dream there was a mist that covered the area so that they could not see. They would sometimes wonder away from the iron rod and become lost. The mist represents the temptation that we all face. There was also a large and spacious building. Some people lost their way and ended up in the large and spacious building which symbolizes the pride of the world. (This is my over simplification to set up the activity, but you can read here and here.)
The "iron rod" was a course of sorts made from a rope and wound from tree to tree. Several objects were placed in the way. Ropes that weren't part of the iron rod were also included to confuse the youth, so that they might go the wrong way and be led astray.
The Priests (16-18 year old boys) and their tricky leaders were in charge of the activity. The Young Men leaders served as "tempters" and the Young Women leaders served as "angels." Well, almost all of the YW leaders were angels. Anda served as a temptress to confuse them a little. For some reason they didn't think I would make a very good temptress. Whatever!!!
The youth were blindfolded and given a brick to carry at all times. The brick symbolized their trials. They were led to the iron rod where angels would help guide them through the course. They had to keep one hand on the iron rod at all times and hold on to their brick at all times.
While angels were doing angel work, the tempters were hard at work tempting. Some of the tempters would try to gain their trust. Others were just plain mean. Anda made me laugh, because she physically got into her job even though they couldn't see her.
Fred and Tony made me so mad. And, I'm not even joking when I say they made me mad. I literally mean they made me mad. They were squirting those kids and their angels with water. Tony started tying ropes on to the iron rod, so that they would think it was a "turn" they were supposed to take. I took my angeling seriously. No one fell away on my watch. I kicked obstacles away. Yelled at tempters. And, didn't let them even touch those pesky ropes. I thought all of that was crazy. Each time a new group of youth would come through, those men-- especially Fred and Tony would get trickier and trickier. It would make me more and more frustrated. They laughed and laughed. I wanted to cry. This is real stuff, people. I wanted to cry. I'm not even lying.
Leading these youth seriously stressed me out. You've heard of No Child Left Behind. No Youth Fell Off The Path on my watch. Which was not the point of the exercise. I get it. This mama's heart couldn't bear to have one of mine fall off the path. I wouldn't let it happen.
If they fell away, they were taken to the repentance box where they received counseling from Brother Reinsch and Brother Call.
Each time they came back from the repentance box, they were given another brick to hold. My heart broke for Cannon. He had two bricks and I was determined to get him through without having to go back to the repentance box again. We worked so hard together.
My own son had 3 bricks! He said that he had a defective angel in the beginning-- Brother Dwarf! That made me laugh. He meant Brother Dorff. Brother Dorff was a tempter, so he didn't have an angel at all! In the end, he had his mom, so he made it safely without having to add another brick.
The boys were easily tempted by the men, because they trusted their leaders. The girls instinctively knew to listen for the women and to block out the men. When they got towards the end, Bishop would make the angels stop helping. The youth would have to find their way by themselves. They would be so nervous without their angels. They would often call out, "I want Sister Fortenberry" or "Where is my angel?" That killed me and hurt every one of my feelings. I think I cried a little bit. Cute Cannon refused to take another step without me. Bishop finally told me that I needed to tell him that he should start moving. When they got to the very end, Bishop was standing there and said, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
I took a couple of things away that night. One is that as the night went on, the tempters got craftier and trickier. They got more and more cunning with each group that came through. The adversary is like that, too.
It was exhausting being an angel. I gave my youth so much direction that I didn't have a single one fall off the path. I didn't want to be responsible for a single one having to go to the repentance box. This is probably why the men got so crafty. I am this way in life. I want to be sitting on each of their shoulders helping them when they need me, but I can't always be there.
It also broke my heart when Bishop wouldn't let me help them. I know I've been in that situation with my own kids where I've had to let them spread their wings and fly, but they've wanted me to hold their hands. Or, in BYC, when I've had those cute Beehives and Bishop expects leaders to sit quietly while the Presidents do all the talking, representing and planning. I had one new Beehive President that was scared to death. I wanted to rescue her more than anything. By the way, she went on to be an amazing President.
Those tricky men and Priests put on an amazing activity that our youth (and leaders) will remember for a very long time.
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