You could hear a pin drop...

Seminary this morning was one of those days where you think you've planned the lesson you were meant to plan but had no clue the effect it would have on the class.
I often use lesson plans from a website that is open to teachers who share their ideas. There is one teacher in particular who has contributed complete outlines that follow those prescribed in the manual but she has added object lessons, stories, games etc., to enhance the lesson and I most frequently use them. But as I was preparing last night I just couldn't get our already very slow computer to work. It would take forever to move to a new page (we're talking many minutes here). Heavenly Father usually helps me out with a measure of time management so that my lessons don't have to be the only thing I do with my day so I wondered if I should be going in another direction. I prayed about it and I immediately thought about how nice it would be to fill up the time watching a movie so I tried to think of something I'd seen before that would go with the lesson. I couldn't, so I asked Mark and he said he had a great one from his mission. He couldn't find it except on you-tube but while I waited for him to look he had this talk by Joseph B. Wirthlin that was good. As I listened to Elder Wirthlin I realized it was his talk that I should use. He talked about keeping on the strait and narrow. I finished my preparations with having them journal and then dividing the kids into groups for sharing what they found in their sections of 2 Nephi 31, and then I thought of closing with the words from Michael McLean's song, "One of the Ninety and Nine". What I didn't think of 'til I was sitting in Seminary listening to Elder Wirthlin was how his talk would be received by my students. What I had heard the night before was how it applied to me at that moment but to those kids I could hear a totally different perspective.
At 6 a.m. no one was there but me and one student. The second student arrived at 6:08. Most didn't get there until around 6:15. As we were waiting I asked about it and the first 2 said it was probably because of how tired they were.
We did the journaling, the groups and the sharing and then we listened to Elder Wirthlin. For them I heard him speak of how the Lord knows they are tired but he will support them in their endeavors. He encouraged them to keep going and not give in to feelings of inadequacy or weakness. He reminded them that God does not esteem others who seem better dressed, smarter or even more valiant any higher than He esteems them.
As I closed with the words of the song, you could hear a pin drop. The Spirit was strong in bearing witness to them just what they needed to receive. I could never have put this together on my own. Seminary is a miracle every day but today it outdid itself.

"I am one of the ninety and nine. I'm not perfect but basically I'm doin' fine. I have not lost my way, I have not gone astray I'm just one of the ninety and nine. And I'm here in the heart of the fold. I'm not mindless but I try to do as I'm told. I'm not tempted to run, and become the lost one. I'm just here in the heart of the fold. So why is my Shepherd coming this way towards me? He's holding His arms out and He's calling my name, yes He's calling my name. But how? How can this be? I'm just one of the ninety and nine. I've stumbled and fallen but I've kept in line. I'm not one He would seek, I'm not all that unique, I'm just one of the ninety and nine. So why is my Shepherd treating me like I'm his lost lamb. He's searching for me; and He's holding me now, yes, He's holding me now and He's teaching me who I am. So why am I feeling like I'm the only one here? It's like I'm His favorite. And He takes me aside, and He sweetly confides these remarkable words in my ear. He says, "You're one of the ninety and nine. Have you any idea how brightly you shine? You are safe in this fold and it's time you were told that I know where you've been, so I know where you'll be, because all of your life you've been following me. You are more than just one of the sands of the sea or one of the ninety and nine; you are mine. You are mine. Yes, you are mine, all mine." I am one of the ninety and nine."