Submitted by Patty  KMDPAD@aol.com    1999/2000 Grand Blanc Stake YW Ward Conference Presentation.  

We developed this from ideas that actually came off the Young Women's list.  As we do this we also use props, which adds some pizzazz to the presentation. The lion for instance, has a lion's collar and nose and ears she puts on. Glenda, wears a crown and has a wand, etc....  For a  handout,  we purchased small votive heart-shaped candles from Oriental Trading Company. They happen to be in four of the value colors! We wrapped them in toile and tied them with a ribbon with a tag attached that says: "Listen to your heart. It will help  you get HOME!" The girls have really liked this.

Narrator: When the dust settles, Dorothy finds herself in the Land of Oz. The Land of Oz is much different from Kansas where she has come from. Dorothy's goal while she is in Oz is to find her way home. We too, must learn about our Divine Nature so that we will know where "home" is and how to get there. Let's see if Dorothy can be of help to us.

Dorothy: (represents Divine Nature)  The yellow brick road has led me to some very interesting places. I have met, as you will today, many other travelers who all have their weaknesses and gifts. Despite the contrast of my sparkling red shoes against this radiant yellow brick road I'm traveling, I am unable to find my way home. Oh, I'm sure I'll find Auntie Em, but I mean my real home, my eternal home. I get the feeling I must find something. Find places within my character that will make me a better person.

Oz is just a place to stop and sort things out, sort of like our earth. We just begin to understand the divine in all things surrounding us while we're here. However, the yellow brick road to heaven has guideposts, the scriptures. They help direct me on the winding path and let me know that I am not alone.

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who does love us. He knows us, really knows us!! And we must love Him! The Holy Ghost can then be with us so we can develop our divine gifts and then share them with others. I have much to learn before I get home. Like for instance, how to stay put in the gospel, and just be diligent in doing the right things. How to take a leap of faith while holding onto the Lord's hand. You know, the apostle Peter said this much better, "Be partakers of the divine nature...giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity." I know Heavenly Father will help me remember who I am, that I am part of His great plan! He will tenderly take my hand and lead me down the yellow brick road to my home, my REAL home!

Narrator:  As we know from the story, Dorothy is told to follow the yellow brick road and that will help her to get to where she wants to go. So off Dorothy goes...down the road. And who is the first person she meets? The scarecrow. Now the scarecrow does not have a brain. More than anything he wants a brain so he can have Knowledge. Without her brain Dorothy could not have figured out what she needed to do to get home. What can we learn from the scarecrow? Let's take a peek!

Scarecrow: (represents Knowledge)  I don't know much, for you see, I have no brain. I've been told on more than one occasion things like, "Scarecrow! You're stupid! No brain, no pain! Don't you ever think before you do something! How can you know anything when your head is stuffed with straw!" However, I do have feelings, and those comments make me sad!

I met a girl named Dorothy, and even though I don't have much in the smarts department, she has been a good friend. She told me that if I would thirst for knowledge I would be filled. Now, I know that didn’t mean to drink....so, I started reading the scriptures, a book, according to Dorothy, that was full of pure knowledge. I discovered something interesting from the scriptures. Dorothy said the scriptures would help me learn what I needed to do while here on this earth. That way I could make wise use of my moral agency, make good choices, and return to my Heavenly Home.

Whoa! These scripture books sound too good to be true! How can I possible know all the right choices to make? As I looked in the scriptures for myself, I found some pretty "smart" stuff! "If thou ask, thou shalt receive revelation (or personal knowledge), knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things..." (D&C 42:61)

Just for the asking we can get answers, or knowledge, about EVERY choice we need to make, through revelation. The Holy Ghost will help us know in our hearts if it is right.

We need to always be looking for new stuff to learn. In the Doctrine and Covenants, modern revelation for us, we are encouraged to learn about "...things both in heaven and earth, and under the earth; things which must shortly come to pass (prophecies), things which are at home, things which are abroad..." Well, you get the idea! There is a lot out there to know, to help us make knowledgeable choices.

I really liked the promise I found in the Word of Wisdom that I would be able to "find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures." Wow! That would be like someone giving me a new straw brain with the knowledge already in it! Hmmm? I wonder if I could ever know as much as Heavenly Father? What do you think?

Narrator:  Next Dorothy meets the Tin Man. And what does he want? A heart. What do we do with our hearts? We love! And when you love you serve. Do you think there's a message to be learned from the Tin Man? Let's ask him!

Tin Man: (represents Individual Worth)  I am so sad. I am all dirty and dingy looking. I have been standing still for so long, that my hinges are all rusty and creaky and stiff. I feel empty and hollow inside, too because I do not have a heart. Oh, to have a heart! With a heart I could be tender and gentle and feel all sorts of different emotions, especially love.

I think that hearts will not be practical until they can be made unbreakable, because I have seen many whose hearts have been broken by those they love. Yet, I still want to experience the joy of loving myself and others. I want to have the opportunity to love, even if it means sometimes being hurt. If I were able to love, I would want to help out other people. You know, maybe I wouldn't become rusty and weak if I used my muscles in serving and helping rather than standing around feeling sorry for myself and wishing for a heart.

There are lots of things I can't do because I am made of tin, but there are lots of things I can do to be helpful and to make a difference in someone's life. Playing the piano, for example, wouldn't be one of my strengths, but offering a listening ear, keeping a confidence, and being there for someone who yearns for a friend would be some of the things I could do! That is, I could if I had a heart. It takes a heart to be aware of other's needs. It takes a heart to be in tune to Heavenly Father's promptings of what are the best ways to be of service.

I really feel that I was made for a special reason. I want to find out about me, what makes me unique and what purpose I am to fulfill. I think that having a heart would be quite useful in helping me to recognize these things. If I join this group of travelers who are also seeking worthy gifts from one who is great and wise, I will ask for a heart. Doesn't that sound wonderful? A heart...a heart fulls of love...some to keep for myself and the rest to share!

Narrator:  The next person Dorothy comes upon is the Lion. The Lion has no courage and wants this attribute in the worst way. If he just had courage, he would do so many good things for people. Do we need to have courage in our lives? What does courage mean and how do we go about getting this trait?   Maybe the Lion can help us.

Lion: (represents Good Works)  I've always been told that I am nothing but a big coward! It is a mystery to me what makes me a coward. I suppose I was born that way. All the other animals in the forest naturally expect me to be brave, for the Lion is thought to be King of Beasts. I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was frightened and got out of my way. If the elephants, and the tigers and bears had ever tried to fight me, I would have run myself. I'm such a coward, but just as soon as they hear me roar they all try to get away from me, and of course I let them go. I know the King of Beasts shouldn't be a coward. It makes my life very unhappy.

How can I work on gaining just a little bit of courage before we get to Oz? I have always heard that you need to do something that makes you forget your own problems. Maybe I can get involved with something other than myself. Maybe I need to do something for someone else.

Dorothy has helped me. She had her Book of Mormon with her and read me some scriptures about service--doing good works for others. One scripture from Mosiah tells us that when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are only in the service of our God. This made me think about doing something nice for others.

The first thing I did was to control my loud roar. If I don't roar so loud I don't frighten all the creatures in the forest. I have even made a few friends. It made me feel good to be kind.  There are so many ways each of us can do good things for others. Have you ever done some free baby-sitting for a family in your ward? It really can give you a good feeling and bring happiness to that family.  Another day I cleaned up some trash that the munchkins left in the forest. It sure made the forest look beautiful and there was that good feeling inside of me again.

Have you been nice to someone you don't know? OR taught someone a skill you have? OR helped at a service project with Young Women? OR wrote a note of encouragement to someone? OR helped our Mom when she was really busy and she didn't even ask you to? If you have done any of these things you know what that good feeling inside feels like.

Service-----Good Works! I have found happiness through serving others and don't even think about my lack of courage all the time now. I hope you can find a little bit of courage within yourselves to be of service to someone else.

Narrator:  Now we have this witch that is out to get Dorothy. And the witch also has flying monkeys that are her followers. Hmmm...is this sounding like someone else we know? In the movie, at one point Dorothy leaves the yellow brick road and thinks she is running through a beautiful field of flowers. Have you ever noticed just how attractive sin can be packaged up? This is one of Satan's favorite tricks...I wonder what the Wicked Witch has to say?

Wicked Witch: (represents Choice and Accountability)  All the choices we make determine whether we are good or wicked. Apparently I made a lot of "wicked choices". But I'm not going to bore you with a list of all my wicked deeds and how enslaved I am by them. I am the one who has to account for all of my wicked choices. Do you take responsibility for the choices you make?

Each of us have been given a great gift of Agency. We can choose for ourselves. But we must also live with the consequences. Our parents and teachers have taught us the differences between right and wrong. We also have the companionship of the Holy Ghost to help us discern between righteous and wicked choices. So the choices we make determine if we are good or wicked.

What choices are you faced with each day? The Young Women's theme contains some choices. One of them is: "Do you stand as a witness of God everywhere you go?" Have you thought about the things you do and the example your are setting for those who look up to you?

Have you ever evaluated the types of TV shows and movies you watch? How about the books and magazines that you read? What about the music you listen to? Are the things you do and the activities you participate in consistent with what you believe in as a member of the Church? Maybe you need to change some things.

What about the way you dress? Often times we are judged by the clothes we wear. I love those cute short skirts and little bare tummy shirts! Aren't they fun?! But would you feel comfortable wearing that to church or would you be able to enter the temple dressed that way? Are you standing as a witness of truth and righteousness in the way you dress?

The Sabbath day holds many opportunities for us to choose. Doesn't it feel great when you have attended your church meetings? Then you spend that special day reading scriptures, writing in your journal, maybe visiting family or friends!

Many of the choices we have to make can be made ahead of time. They can be made once. Like-----never drinking or smoking or gambling or dating before you're 16. If you have already made these choices, when faced with the situation you don't have to choose again.

I sure wish I had made some choices ahead of time. I made a lot of bad choices on the spur of the moment. But even in all of my wickedness I can change! I can repent--truly repent and become clean and good. Even as good as Glinda, the Good Witch!

But, if I don't repent I'll remain the same, as I am now, the Wicked Witch of the West. And if you choose to make wicked choices just remember...."I'll get you my pretty!"

Narrator:  Now Dorothy also has Glenda, the Good Witch of the North. Glenda is really with Dorothy throughout her entire ordeal in Oz. Glenda never brought Dorothy disappointment. Dorothy knew she could always count on Glenda to follow through on every promise she made. I believe Glenda has some good advice for us. Let's listen.....

Glenda: (represents Integrity)  You may wonder why I am so happy. I'll let you in on a little secret, (if you promise to share it with everyone you know!). We live in a world that for the most part does not live by the values and standards that we do as Latter-day Saint Young (and not so young) Women. Almost daily there are difficult and sometimes confusing choices to make. So, I decided before I am faced with pressure from my friend and peers to participate in activities that are questionable, even though they may sound fun and exciting at the time, I would pray about how to behave in those types of situations so that my decision only needed to be made ONCE on how I will act and what I will say. When the time comes that I am faced with difficult choices I may be feeling weak or scared, or be caught up in the excitement of doing what everyone else is doing and not be strong enough to make the right decisions. Since I have made my choices ahead of time, I will already know what I will say and do. It sounds so simple and makes so much sense that I am asking ALL of my friends, including each of you, to do the same thing. Isn't that a GREAT plan? Can you see what a burden that lifts from me and allows me to be HAPPY?

There's a word that describes what I am talking about. It is Integrity, which simply means being true to what you know is right under ALL circumstances or in other words, the willingness and ability to live by your beliefs and commitments. Integrity is gained little by little. As you make right choices it becomes easier to know what is right and to do what is right. This builds character and leads to being truly happy and joyful!

You just heard my sister (the Wicked Witch) talk about making wicked choices. I want to tell you that even though sometimes it may be difficult to have integrity and to stand up for your beliefs and values it is much easier and much less painful to make a good choice rather than make a wicked choice and then experience the suffering and sorrow that will inevitably follow.

If you want to be confident, joyful, and righteous (like me!) close your eyes as I wave my magic wand over your heads. This is symbolic of the power and strength of the Holy Ghost, who can strengthen you and give you courage to remember who you are and what you stand for so that you WILL have INTEGRITY and be willing to live according to your beliefs.

Narrator:  Now we get to the end of Dorothy's journey. All along the yellow brick road she has been told she has to see the Wizard in order to return home. She is told he is the only person that can help her. Was it really the Wizard that helped Dorothy get back to Kansas? Or was it something else? Only the Wizard can tell us....

Wizard: Faith (represented by the Bishop)  At this point we have pre-assigned the Bishop to do the Wizard's presentation. He relates Dorothy's experience with the Wizard to the help our Father in Heaven can be to us. So far each of our Bishop's have been wonderful. In fact, we're considering doing Mini Academy Awards presentation at our Young Women's Conference in the fall to thank them. They have really gotten into character and added so much to our presentation!

Narrator: As we contemplate Dorothy's situation we can see many similarities to our own lives. There are many lessons that she learned that parallel lessons we are learning while we are here on this earth. Dorothy is told to follow the yellow brick road and if she does it will help her to get to where she wants to go. We are told to hold on to the iron rod which is the word of God and that will help us to get to where we want to go. The Scarecrow desires a brain. We use our brain to gain intelligence and to think and to learn. That is why Heavenly Father placed us on this earth. To gain intelligence and to learn for ourselves. The Tin Man wants a heart so that he can learn to love. We too, are supposed to learn to love. And the Lion, he wants courage! Does it take courage to be a member of the church? Of course! It takes courage not to compromise your morals and values. It takes courage to stand firm in defense of truth and righteousness. Courage is a must if we are to return to the presence of our Savior and Father in Heaven. The Wicked Witch and Flying Monkeys represent the power of Satan and his followers. Are there those in your circle of friends today that are flying monkeys? Do they want you to do things you know are not right? You more than likely, all have friends that are Flying Monkeys. Friends who want you to do things that go against your standards and what you know to be right. Just a reminder...Flying Monkeys are BAD! Stay clear of them at all expense!!! Glenda can be likened to the Holy Ghost. She prompts Dorothy along the way, but Dorothy must find out for herself, just like us in real life! From her experience with the Wizard, Dorothy learns that she has had the power all along to return home. We each have the power to return HOME also! Our power was given to us long before we came to this earth to live. Our power is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the end, Dorothy kicks her heels and says, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home." Today we say to you young women, have the courage to stand up for what is right. Stay away from Flying Monkey's. Listen to the promptings of the Glenda, The Good Witch, even the Holy Ghost! He will not lead you astray. If you do these things we promise you that you will be able to return to the presence of our Savior and Heavenly Father and you can then tell them, "There's No Place Like Home!"

The Lion was looking for courage to bear his testimony and the Wizard helps him find the courage by turning to the scriptures.