March 2010 Primary Sharing Time LDS Reader's Theater

March 2010 Week 2: Prophets testify of Jesus Christ.

Tips for a successful readers theater:

* choose your readers carefully!!!!, remember most Sunbeams can't read so don't get upset if you hand them the part and they're holding it upside down looking at you oddly

* Have plenty of scripts!! At least one for each part. Highlight the parts according to each script so it's easier for the children to follow and know when they're speaking.

* Give them a few minutes to look over their part, sing some songs while doing so.

* Bring in SIMPLE props or costumes. Ties for the modern day apostles. Shawl for Anna. Just go easy, you want their attention focused on the message and doctrine of the play!!!

* Have a script for yourself to follow to help prompt. Be familiar with it so you can direct the children in what they need to do, especially the non-speaking parts.

* Pace yourself. You only have 15ish minutes, don't try to squeeze too much in too little time.
* Italicized words are NOT TO BE READ

* Some preventative preparation: Pray, pray, pray... and pray some more that it will go smoothly and that the spirit will be there (throughout the week before)

Lunch With The Prophets: A Reader's Theater

By Sofia Lykes

List of Characters

Narrator 1

Narrator 2

Narrator 3

Waiter

Nephi

Jacob

Anna

Joseph Smith

President Hinckley & 12 Apostles

President Monson

Props

Table and Chairs, table cloth, vase, scriptures on plates for each narrator

3 Menus

Simple costumes and/or name signs for the prophets

A towel for the waiter to put on his arm

Doll for Anna

Picture of Jesus Living Christ Document

>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Narrator 1: Boy, I sure am hungry!

Narrator 2: Me too! A big juicy hamburger, french fries and a fruit salad sounds sooooooooooooooo good right about now.

Narrator 3: No way, try pizza with a big glob of ranch to dip it in. That’s what really sounds good!

Narrator 1: You guys, I’m not talking about food hungry! I’m talking about spirit hungry!!

Narrator 2: Huh?

Narrator 3: What?

Narrator 1: My spirit needs a good feeding by the Holy Ghost. I came to church today to learn about Jesus Christ, and I’m really excited!!

Waiter: (Brings narrators to a table that is set nicely with a tablecloth and vase of flowers, gives them their plates with scriptures) Why hello good friends, welcome and have a seat. Today we will be serving lunch with the prophets! (passes out menus) Go ahead and take a look at your menu and when you’re ready to choose a prophet, let me know!!

Narrator 1: This is awesome!!

Narrator 2: My menu says “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”i

Waiter: Why yes my friend, that’s from the bible… Amos Chapter 3 Verse 7.

Narrator 3: Oh man! There isn’t any pizza on this menu!

Narrator 1: No pizza, but Nephi sounds way more awesome than that!

Waiter: Nephi it is!!

Nephi: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”ii

Narrator 2: What does remission mean? That’s a really big word!

Waiter: Can anyone in the primary answer? (call on someone in the audience) That’s right! It’s like getting your sins forgiven.

Narrator 3: Who is Nephi talking about when he says we… we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ….

Narrator 1: He is talking about the prophets! Prophets testify of Jesus Christ. Hmmmm… Jacob sounds good right about now!

Waiter: Jacob, Nephi’s younger brother it is!

(Jacob and Nephi high five, then they high five someone in the audience)

Jacob: “For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us."iii

Narrator 2: All the holy prophets before you!?!?

Jacob: “Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name." iv

Narrator 3: That’s deep man.

Narrator 1: My spirit is being filled! I was hungry and I’m being fed! I’m so happy to be at church! I’m so grateful for the prophets. How would we know anything without them and their words?

Waiter: We wouldn’t! Their words are super important! It says in D&C Chapter 1 Verse 38, “Whether by mine own voice of the voice of my servants, it is the same.”v

Narrator 2: So the words of the prophets are the same as Heavenly Fathers?

Narrator 1: You got it! Woah… a girl prophet? What is this on the menu… Anna?

Waiter: Can all the girls raise their hands? Yes!! Thank you!! Hands down. The prophetess Anna it is! She was very old and a widow and did not depart from the temple. She served God with fastings and prayers night and day! Her story is in Luke chapter 2. vi

Anna: (Waves. Holds up 2 fingers.)

Waiter: Well, when Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple, Anna the prophetess was there and she said of Jesus….

Anna: (maybe holding up a baby doll) “of Him to all…that look for redemption in Jerusalem.”

Narrator 2: Boy! There are just so many prophets to choose from! We could be here all day getting fed!

Narrator 1: From ancient prophets, to modern day prophets… Prophets teach us about…

(hold up a picture of Jesus and have primary children answer)

Waiter: The prophets make it quite simple and quite clear. From Joseph Smith –

Joseph Smith: “When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other – This is my beloved Son, Hear Him!" vii

Waiter: To President Hinckley and the 12 apostles…

President Hinckley and 12 Apostles: (Holding up The Living Christ document) He lives!!

Narrator 1: To President Monson, our current Prophet…

President Monson: “How grateful we are that the heavens are indeed open, that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored, and that the Church is founded on the rock of revelation. We are a blessed people, with apostles and prophets upon the earth today… I bear testimony to you that this work is true, that our Savior lives, and that He guides and directs His Church here upon the earth. I leave with you my witness and my testimony that God our Eternal Father lives and loves us. He is indeed our Father, and He is personal and real." viii

ALL: Prophets testify of Jesus Christ!!!

i Amos 3:7

ii 2 Nephi 25:26

iii Jacob 4:4

iv Jacob 4:5

v D&C 1:38

vi Luke 2:36-38

vii Joseph Smith History 1:17

viii Nov. 2009 Ensign, Closing Remarks, Monson, pg. 110