YW lesson/uplifting language/Holy Ghost

Teaching is not my thing, at least not church lessons. I really struggle with it.  Saturday night I received a text that the Mia Maid advisor wasn't going to make it to church on Sunday.  That meant I had to teach.  It was probably a good thing that I was given so little notice so that I wouldn't stress over it all day but then I was caught off guard and really struggle planning these lessons. 

I read the lesson that night and I gathered my thoughts Sunday morning.  Fortunately it was an easier  topic or else I would have stayed up all night planning what I was going to say.  The lesson was on "How do the things I say affect me and those around me?"

Our lesson times are so short it seems (did I actually say that? because I'm usually so nervous, the shorter the better, right?)  We had talked about 1st impressions, how we associate with others in all different walks of life, how swearing is wrong, gossiping is wrong.  We talked about President Holland's talk,  "The Tongue of Angels," about how women have angelic voices from God but they can turn that beautiful voice into an abrasive, gossipy, backbiting or catty voice. We also talked about how while Nephi was in the ship tied up and Laman and Lemuel were beating and mocking him, how he probably would rather they hit him that mock him. 

While I had someone reading something I received this clear message in my head that said, "focus on the uplifting words".  I am pretty sure that was the Holy Ghost speaking to me. So I did. I shifted the discussion to how we can smile, give compliments, defend someone, be uplifting.  How when we read the scriptures, and do the things we are supposed to do, and because we also have the gift of the Holy Ghost that we can use that gift to help us say things that need to be said, like the voice of an angel.  I don't know what I was supposed to say, I only had about 5 minutes left to say anything, but that is what I taught.  

I hope that whoever needed to hear those words about speaking uplifting words heard what they needed to hear.  I can't say that I often, or ever, hear the Holy Ghost while I teach.  I so struggle with teaching and knowing if I am listening to the spirit.  But I definitely had a clear voice in my head Sunday telling me to talk about uplifting language.