Mystery Dinner Reader's Theatre
| Submitted by: Alexandra Conde alexaj@san.rr.com For those of you who asked for further details on how we did it in our ward, we followed the directions as outlined in the original script. We made up little name tags for each character and assigned the youth to a table as they came in, also we had little table place cards so they knew where to sit and each table was numbered. We had one leader sit at each table to help w/ the clues as indicated. We served Caesar salad, spaghetti & meatballs, rolls and carrot cake, almost all of it we purchased at the price club. It was so easy!. Also, we had sidewalk chalk and had an outline of the body on the ground and told the kids to check out the "crime scene". Good Luck!
Parts : Narrator, Scripture Reader #1, Scripture Reader # 2 Narrator: This story is actually a true story that comes from one of the greatest books of all time. Many of you have probably read it at least once. Did anyone recognize the story? Let me tell you the story in a little different way. There was a prophet a long time ago named Nephi. This Nephi was the son of Helaman and had at one time been a judge of the land. But because of the extreme iniquities of the people, Nephi gave up the judgment seat and spent all of his time preaching the word of God and trying to get his people to repent. Of course, most of the people would not listen to Nephi. The Gadianton robbers were becoming more numerous and eventually took over the Nephite government. The people were "ripening in iniquity" as we hear it said in the scriptures. But Nephi did not give up. He continued to try to teach his people and warn them about their wickedness and the wickedness of their leaders. There were many corrupt judges at this time who were part of the Gadianton robbers. Knowing that what Nephi was saying about them was true, and being fearful to do anything to Nephi themselves, they tried to incite the people to anger against Nephi. Scripture Reader# 1: (Read Helaman 8:7) Narrator: Those who were against Nephi were afraid to do anything to him because of those who supported Nephi, and so Nephi again began to preach to the people and to warn them, saying …. Scripture Reader#1 : (Read Helaman 8:25-28) Narrator: So it happened, that after Nephi had said these words, five men who were there decided to go to the judgment seat to see if the words of Nephi were true. Scripture Reader#1 : (from Helaman 9:2) ….. Now we will know of a surety whether this man be a prophet and God hath commanded him to prophesy such marvelous things unto us. But we do not believe that he has, yea, we do not believe that he is a prophet. Nevertheless, if this thing which he has said concerning the chief judge be true, that he be dead, then will we believe that the other words which he has spoken are true. Narrator: So the men ran with their might to the judgment seat, and sure enough, they found that the chief judge had fallen to the earth and was lying in his blood. Narrator: Now let's back up in the story a little bit. Immediately after the judge was murdered and his servants discovered it, they ran and told the people. Meanwhile, the five men came, saw and fell to the ground. Now let's pick up the story again….. Scripture Reader#1 : (Read Helaman 9:7) Now the people didn't know anything about the group across town who had been with Nephi when he prophesied the murder of the chief judge. So think of it from their perspective. The servants run out and tell everyone the chief judge has been murdered. The people run to see, and find these five men lying on the ground. What would you assume? "...they said among themselves…… Scripture Reader#1 : (from Helaman 9:8 ) ”....These men are they who have murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not flee from us." Narrator: And so they grabbed the men, bound them, and cast them into prison. A proclamation was sent forth telling everyone that the chief judge had been slain, and the murderers had been caught and cast into prison. The next day, all the people came together to mourn and fast at the burial of the great chief judge. Among those gathered were the wicked judges who had been with Nephi the day before. They began to inquire, saying…. Scripture Reader#1 : “…. Where are the five men who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge to see if he was dead? Scripture Reader#2 : (from Helaman 9:12) “….Concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but there are five who are the murderers, whom we have cast into prison. “ Narrator: The wicked judges asked the people to bring the five men to them. Scripture Reader #1: (from Helaman 9:13) “….and they were brought and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying: Scripture Reader #2 : ( Read Helaman 9:14 &15) Narrator: The wicked judges, still trying to find some way to get rid of Nephi, cried out against him. Scripture Reader #1 : (from Helaman 9: 16) ”...Nephi must have agreed with someone to slay the chief judge so he could supposedly prophesy it and try to convert us to his faith! Let's make him confess and tell us who the true murderer is! Narrator: The five men were let go, but they did rebuke the wicked judges in their words against Nephi for they believed him. Nevertheless, the wicked judges caused that Nephi should be taken and bound and brought before the multitude, and they began to question him in divers ways that they might cross him. But Nephi said to them, Scripture Reader # 2: (from Helaman 9:21 starting with "O ye fools..." Skip to verse 26 and read through verse 36 ) Scripture Reader #1 : read Helaman 9:37& 39 Narrator: Now, how do the characters of our game relate to the story you've just heard? ( let the youth try to answer)
How many of you guessed correctly? Narrator: We are told to "liken the
scriptures to ourselves" or to try to apply the lessons learned to our own lives. One
of the questions we might ask ourselves relative to this true story is "Do we listen
to our prophet better than the people listened to Nephi? Are we heeding the things that he
tells us to make sure that our lives are in order to be able to return to our Heavenly
Father? Bear testimony of the importance of listening to and following our prophet.  |