In late 2018 I set out to write a new song for primary children. I wasn't sure what theme I wanted it to cover, but one day while doing dishes the chorus came to me piece by piece. I didn't originally attach the "gathering Israel" theme to it. I tried to come up with verses with various themes and nothing seemed to fit. Then one day while pondering President Russell M. Nelson's worldwide Youth Devotional "Hope of Israel" given June, 3, 2018, I realized this was supposed to be the theme of my song. After that realization the verses came easily. It was a beautiful experience. The first verse is about being willing to give our hearts and our time to the Lord. The second is about helping our family and friends along the covenant path, and the third is about doing work for those on the other side of the veil. There are optional words, "to help others grasp the rod," that can be used in the chorus during the second verse instead of the original "as I grasp the iron rod," or keep the chorus the same for all three verses to keep it simple.

If you use the song I would love to hear from you!