IRON ROD ACTIVITY

STRING A ROPE ACROSS THE GYM OR BETWEEN TREES IF OUTSIDE. EVERYONE STARTS AT ONE END, HOLDING THE ROPE (IRON ROD). THEY ARE TO REMAIN SILENT AND FOR ANY "YES" ANSWER THEY TAKE ONE STEP FORWARD, FOR ANY "NO" ANSWER THEY TAKE ONE STEP TO THE SIDE. OR THEY FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON CERTAIN QUESTIONS. MAKE SURE THEY TAKE REGULAR, SOMEWHAT SMALL STEPS.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO POINT OUT THAT NOBODY SHOULD WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHERS ARE ANSWERING AND SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY COMMENTS OR LAUGH AT ANYONE ELSE, AND TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS HONESTLY.

WE DID THIS AS A BISHOP'S FIRESIDE OR YOUTH DISCUSSION ON A SUNDAY EVENING, I HAD OUR BISHOP ANNOUNCE ALL OF THIS AND ASK THE QUESTIONS.

1.   DID YOU SAY "HI" TO SOMEONE TODAY?
2.   DID YOU HELP SOMEONE IN NEED TODAY?
3.   DID YOU SAY A PRAYER BEFORE GOING TO BED LAST NIGHT?
4.   DID YOU GET HOME BY YOUR CURFEW THIS WEEK? (OR WHATEVER TIME YOUR PARENTS ASKED YOU TO BE?)
5.   HAVE YOU READ YOUR SCRIPTURES EVERY DAY THIS WEEK?
6.   DID YOU FOLLOW THE PROPHET'S COUNSEL AND NOT WATCH ANY R-RATED MOVIES IN THE PAST MONTH?
7.   DID YOU LISTEN TO A FRIEND WHEN THEY NEEDED YOU?
8.   WERE YOU REVERENT IN CHURCH THIS MONTH?
9.   DID YOU LISTEN WITH RESPECT TO YOUR TEACHERS?
10. DID YOU DO AN ACT OF SERVICE FOR A FAMILY MEMBER RECENTLY?
11. HAVE YOU TOLD A "LITTLE WHITE LIE", EVEN ONE TIME THIS WEEK? IF "YES" = TAKE 2 STEPS TO THE SIDE. IF "NO" = TAKE 2 STEPS FORWARD.
12. DID YOU PARTAKE OF THE SACRAMENT TODAY? (OR LAST SUNDAY?) IF "YES" = TAKE 2 STEPS BACK TOWARD THE ROD.  IF "NO" = STAY WHERE YOU ARE.
13. DO YOU OBEY THE WORD OF WISDOM?
14. HAVE YOU ATTENDED YOUR SUNDAY MEETINGS AT LEAST TWICE THIS MONTH?
15. DID YOU OBEY YOUR PARENTS THIS WEEK?
16. DID YOU SPEAK WITH RESPECT TO YOUR PARENTS THIS WEEK?
17. DID YOU SAY A PRAYER IN CLASS WHEN ASKED?
18. DID YOU ATTEND SEMINARY THIS WEEK?
19. WERE YOU HONEST WITH YOUR FRIENDS?
20. DID YOU LISTEN TO THE SPEAKERS IN SACRAMENT MEETING?
21. DID YOU DO SOMETHING AT HOME WITHOUT BEING ASKED, THIS WEEK? "YES" = 1 STEP FORWARD, "NO" STAY WHERE YOU ARE.
22. IF YOU WORK OR RECEIVE AN ALLOWANCE, DO YOU PAY YOUR TITHING?
23. DID YOU FAST THIS MONTH? "YES" = BACK TOWARD ROD 2 STEPS, "NO" = STAY.
24. DID YOU GIVE SOMEONE A COMPLIMENT TODAY? "YES" = 1 STEP TO ROD, "NO" = STAY
25. DID YOU SAY SOMETHING RUDE ABOUT SOMEONE THIS WEEK? "YES" = ONE STEP AWAY "NO" = 1 STEP FORWARD.
26. DID YOU TELL YOUR PARENTS YOU LOVE THEM TODAY?
27. DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN FAMILY HOME EVENING THIS MONTH?
28. DO YOU SPEAK QUIETLY AND USE REVERENCE IN THE CHAPEL?
29. DID YOU ATTEND BAPTISMS FOR THE DEAD LAST TIME WE WENT? "YES" = 2 TOWARDS ROD, "NO" = STAY.
30. DID YOU REACH OUT AND BE KIND TO AN INACTIVE MEMBER THIS WEEK?
31. DID YOU STAND UP FOR YOUR BELIEFS SOME TIME THIS MONTH?
32. DID YOU APOLOGIZE FOR HURTING SOMEONE'S FEELINGS?
33. DID YOU THINK OF THE SAVIOR DURING THE SACRAMENT?
34. DO YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHORES WITHOUT COMPLAINING?
35. DID YOU DO SOME TYPE OF SERVICE FOR SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOUR FAMILY RECENTLY? "YES" = 2 TOWARDS ROD, "NO" = STAY.
36. HAVE YOU LISTENED TO MUSIC THIS WEEK THAT IS NOT UPLIFTING, OR HAS VULGAR LYRICS? "YES" = 2 AWAY FROM ROD, "NO" = 2 TOWARDS ROD.
37. DID YOU APOLOGIZE FOR SOMETHING YOU DID WRONG?
38. HAVE YOU SHOWN RESPECT TO YOUR LEADERS THIS WEEK?
39. HAVE YOU USED ANY SWEAR WORDS THIS WEEK? "YES" = 2 AWAY, "NO" = 2 TOWARDS.

YOU CAN ADD ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU CAN THINK OF, MAYBE SOME ABOUT DATING BEFORE AGE 16, OR DRESSING MODESTLY.

*****IMPORTANT***** THESE ARE THE LAST TWO QUESTIONS:

40. DID YOU SAY YOUR PERSONAL PRAYER THIS MORNING? "YES" = MOVE TO THE ROD AND ALL THE WAY FORWARD TO THE TREE OF LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE, (WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.) "NO" =  STAY WHERE YOU ARE.
41. WILL YOU GO HOME TONIGHT AND SAY A PERSONAL PRAYER TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER? "YES" = MOVE TO THE ROD AND FORWARD TO TREE.

CAN FINISH UP STATING THAT WE ALL DO THINGS AND MAKE CHOICES EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT EITHER KEEP US CLOSE TO THE LORD OR MAKE US MOVE FARTHER AWAY SPIRITUALLY... CHOICES THAT HELP US IMPROVE AND PROGRESS OR MAKE US FALL BEHIND OR JUST STAY THE SAME. BUT... WE CAN ALL FIND OUR WAY BACK THROUGH REPENTANCE. WE HAD ONE ACTIVE YOUNG WOMAN, WHO WAS CLEAR UP ON THE STAGE BY THE END. :(