Listen, Listen
 

For some reason, I have had "Listen, Listen" on my brain a lot the last week. I know that our previous leader taught it to the kids before me, but you always have to re-teach things because of new kids, or just kids who are ready to learn now that weren't before.  I've been thinking about the fun rap "Going on a Bear Hunt" that we used to do in preschool. Didn't the leader get everyone slapping their knees and then call out a line and have it echoed back? I can't remember for sure, but I think that's how it worked. I thought I would teach it like that, in a speaking voice first, reminding them that this life is just as scary sometimes as a bear hunt. When we are in danger especially, we need to really listen for the still small voice. Imagine Nephi, who had just been chased out of the city by Laban's guards, creeping back into the city at night, hiding in the shadows. I'm sure he was listening for the still small voice. The only change I would make to the back and forth nature of the song is to silently count to four with the children during the measure of silence after they echo back "He will guide you." After a full four counts of silence, we all together would say at once "Al-ways!" Immediately after saying "always" I want them to say "Sssshhhh" and cup their ears like they are listening. I have some maracas (but any homemade shaker would work) that I will shake just then. It sounds like a rattlesnake, warning "Danger!"  I think that it would be fun after they learn it to have a child come up and be the leader, calling out the lines and shaking the rattlesnake's tail at the end. I have also written a Left Hand accompaniment for the melody, but it isn't necessary. It just uses a tick-tock rhythm, to suggest that the clock is ticking on making choices sometimes. It reinforces the atonal nature of the song—it really isn't written in any major or minor key. And because of that, it doesn't really end, either. We don't really know what decision has been made; it's a cliffhanger. We just know that we need to listen.  The August 2006 Friend has a story called "Jump in the Stream" about a little boy who leaves the path on a hike with his Dad and encounters a rattlesnake. The Holy Ghost tells him to jump in the stream and he obeys. It would be a good companion story to teach this song.  (Idea by Karen Taylor / ga03052007) 

  In a very quiet voice, tell the children that they need to listen carefully and then echo back to you everything that you sing. Begin with “listen” (have them echo), “listen to” (echo), “listen to the” (echo), and then “listen to the still small voice” (echo). Ask the children if they know what the still, small voice is. When you ask the question, sing the words “still small voice” so that they hear the melody notes several times. Have a child read D&C 8:2. Explain that our Heavenly Father communicates with us through the Holy Ghost. The song direction says to sing the song gently. That is because the Holy Ghost speaks in a gentle voice. Tell the children that the way we hear Him is to (you sing), “Listen, listen.” Have the children sing with you, “Listen, listen.” Explain that the second line tells of a time when we should listen to the Holy Ghost. Teach the next line in the same manner as the first line, singing one word at a time and having the children echo it. Ask the children to suggest other times when they think the Holy Ghost will guide them. Tell them that the last word of the song tells when He will guide them. Sing the last phrase very softly, pausing before the word always. Remind the children that the last line of the sacrament prayer on the bread says, “… that they may always have his Spirit to be with them” (Moroni 4:3; emphasis added). Sing the song together. Testify that the Holy Ghost will always guide us as we listen to the still, small voice. (Taken from the August 2007 Friend Sharing Time Suggestion)