2-35: making wise choices

Here's the manual lesson, which I used as a framework.
Here is the lesson from you guys:

What are some decisions you made this morning?

• what to wear - not as trivial as it initially sounds

what group of people do I want to fit it with?
am I going to dress modestly?
what is my intent/what reaction am I going for?

• what to eat
• am I going to go to church
• will I listen to the lesson/talk/participate in class
• will I be kind - or not - to siblings
• will I be helpful

What are choices you make during the week?

• will I do my homework
• should I study for that test
• will I practice my instrument/sport
• who will I be friends with
• who will I talk to
• what kind of person do I want to date - eventually. :)
• what kind of person do I want to be

What decisions determine who you are?

• will I get angry with my brother
• am I a 'Sunday' Mormon
• what language do I use
• am I going to pray
• do I choose to read my scriptures
• do I gossip - being silent when others are gossiping is often viewed as agreeing with them
• do I drink/do I live the Word of Wisdom
• do I smoke

We are free to choose our actions. The consequences are not up for debate.

Can you pick up just one side of a stick? (or in our case an eraser?)

Some decisions have obvious physical consequences. If you choose to smoke, then you are also choosing to damage your body.

There isn't an obvious physical consequence to choosing not to pray. You won't get sick if you don't read your scriptures. Many of our choices change our relationship to the Spirit. Bad choices lead to a loss of the Spirit. One bad decision doesn't blast us for forever, but it makes it that much easier to make more bad choices, because we have removed ourselves from the influence of the Spirit.

What helps you make good choices? What physical things do you do that help you have the Spirit?

What do you do if your friends say, 'Do this or we're not going to hang out with you anymore.'

What keeps you strong?

Write in your journal about specific things that help you make good choices.

2-16: journals

Go have a read.

First, we talked about different ways that the Spirit talks to people. He speaks to each of us in different ways, and not always loudly, so it's important to figure out how he talks to us individually and recognize how it makes us feel.

These are just a few examples from the scriptures of how the Holy Ghost operates.

D&C 8:2 - Holy Ghost will tell you in your mind and in your heart

D&C 9: 8-9 - study and ask. right = burning feeling; wrong = stupor or confusion of thought

Moroni 8:26 - if we're humble then the Holy Ghost can 'fill us with hope and perfect love'

Galatians 5:22-23 - a list of feelings the Holy Ghost can bring us; the 'fruits of the Spirit'

John 14: 16-17 - Holy Ghost = Comforter = Spirit of Truth

The Holy Ghost talks to each of us differently. Some people cry. That's an obvious outward sign. But just because you DON'T react that way to the Spirit doesn't mean you're not feeling it. You have to figure out how it works for you.

JOURNALS

There are lots of things that we could write about. And there are lots of things that happen to use that are so important and make such an impact, we think we will never forget them. Our memories are faulty.

Think about recording times when you have felt the Spirit. What were the circumstances? How did you feel? Who was there? What were you doing? Did the Spirit prompt you to do anything? To change anything?

Everyone wrote for a few minutes about a time when they felt the Spirit.

Use that to figure out what you need to do to feel the Spirit again. Record times when you felt the Spirit. Read them again to bring back those strong feelings.