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Contributed
by: Tawnie -
3/17/1999
JULIA: Preparing for bed and starting to dream." I wonder if I'm dating
the right kind of boys? Jim is so much fun to be with? I wonder if he is
the one for me?" The bed is removed from the stage as the other scene
appears. The dream scene opens with wedding decorations displayed. Four
chairs on the right and four chairs on the left of the stage. Prelude
music is played until the Bishop takes center stage. Spotlight on him.
BISHOP: "The bride and groom have asked me, Bishop----, to extend to you
their thanks for coming to witness their wedding ceremony this day." He
looks around and then starts talking as if he is thinking out loud.
BISHOP ON TAPE: "Jim Hansen and Julia Harriet. How fast they have grown.
(music starts) It seems as though it was only yesterday that Jim
received his first merit badge and Julie graduated from Primary. I can
remember when they first started dating. From the stand I noticed Julia
watching Jim. Then he would turn to watch her. She would quickly avoid
his eyes so he wouldn't suspect she had been watching him. Jim didn't
come to church there for quite a while. I was concerned about that. I
was happy when Julie started encouraging him to come to church with her.
I really should have been more concerned about them dating when it was
evident that Jim's attitude toward the church had changed. I didn't
realize that it had gotten serious so quickly. I wish Jim would have
considered going on a mission, but he didn't get much encouragement
along that line." "Julie, I remember your last interview with me before
you left the Young Women's program. You told me that someday you wanted
a special home just like the one your parents raised you in. Your eyes
sparkled when you talked of someday finding an eternal companion, who
had the same goals as you, who would take you to the Temple of the Lord.
Someone who would honor his priesthood and lead you and your future
family in prayer, scripture reading, and family home evening.
I tried to discourage you from taking a chance on falling in love with
someone who might never have the same eternal goals as you. You assured
me that is was just "fun" dating Jim, it wasn't serious and you
certainly never intended to marry him. Now you are about to enter into a
marriage where the contract between you and your chosen companion will
endure only until "death do you part." Why have you made this decision?
Have you considered how you are putting your eternal goals in jeopardy?
Are you sure you are ready to risk losing so much?"
JIM ON TAPE: Enters the stage and shakes hands with the Bishop. (music
on) "Whew... I can't wait to get out of this monkey suit. Just look at
all of these people! I guess I should be used to crowds, but somehow
it's different when you're playing on the basketball court. I'm sure
lucky to be marrying a girl like Julia. She is one special girl and I
really do love her. I'll be glad when today is over though. Then she'll
be mine and I won't have to waste time going to church every Sunday.
Don't take me wrong, Bishop. Going to church is all right if you don't
have anything important to do. If I'm going to make it in professional
basketball, I have to concentrate on my career. Once I'm at the top,
I'll be able to afford all the important things I'd like to give Julia.
Boy I'm hot! He wipes his brow. I sure wish she'd hurry! Music and spot
light off.
JULIA ON TAPE: Julie comes up the aisle on her father's arm. Her mother,
Advisor, and neighbor come in and are seated on chairs. " My wedding
day, I can hardly it's here! If anyone would have told me I was getting
married before I was nineteen, I would have laughed at them. But, what
is a girl supposed to do when she falls in love, especially when that
someone is a special person like Jim? Doesn't he look handsome in that
suit? Pause I'm so happy, I wish today could last forever. I hope mom
and dad aren't too disappointed that we aren't marrying in the temple. I
know that after we are married, I can persuade Jim to go with me, to be
sealed in the temple. We love each other so much that surely nothing
could possibly get in the way. If they knew him the way I do, they
wouldn't be worried. Pause There's the bishop. I can't help thinking of
the terrific talk we had at my last interview. Pause I hope I've made
the right decision. I guess I'm suffering from last minute jitters."
Tape, Music, and Spot Light off. Julia is standing by Jim and her father
goes and sits by her mother.
BISHOP: "Brothers and Sisters, we meet today to join Jim Hansen and
Julia Harriett in marriage. I am glad they have asked me, their Bishop,
to marry them. The Lord planned that men and women would find each other
and have a happy family relationship. He has said, " Therefore, shall a
son leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and
they shall be one flesh." As you say your vows today you will be forming
a partnership with each other. Now is the time for you to plan a good
strong marriage and organize and set your goals for a marriage which
will be beautiful and rewarding. Now, if there is no one here who
objects, let us proceed with the ceremony."
FATHER ON TAPE: Spotlight, music, and tape on. "Oh Julia, my dear, sweet
daughter, I wish I could object. So many times I have tried to take from
my own heart the feelings I have about the temple and graft them into
your heart. I remember looking at temple pictures with you and driving
past the temple saying, "This is where your mother and I were married."
I remember that special family home evening we had when you were younger
and I asked if I could tell you about your future. You said, " Yes" and
I said something like, "Julia when you get older, you'll meet a young
man and you'll come home to me and say ''Dad, I met a boy I really like
a lot." Then I'll meet him and I'll like him too. Then one day you'll
come home and say, "Dad, I don't just like him, I love him, and I want
to marry him." and you'll have my blessings. Very early in the morning
on the appointed day, I'll come in your room and touch your shoulder and
whisper, "Julia, it's time to get up. It's your wedding day." We'll
drive through the morning air and park as close as we can to the temple.
Once inside we'll all dress in white and go to a room where people get
married forever. I'll look at you and think you are the most beautiful
daughter in the world, but you won't be looking at me, you'll be looking
at him. The room will be peaceful and beautiful. A man of God will be
there-one who is ordained to perform that sacred covenant and he will
talk to you about your marriage. He'll ask you and your chosen mate to
kneel, one on each side of a beautiful altar. As you kneel your hands
will join in an eternal clasp. Your wedding ceremony will be performed
through the priesthood of God. One that day a partnership will be formed
between you, your companion and your Heavenly Father. That partnership
will last forever. Oh Julia, how different this marriage is from the one
we talked about that night. A man of God is here and he will perform
your wedding ceremony, but when he is finished, you'll only be married
until this life is over. The story of your union will end. Just as your
marriage to Jim will come to an end. My dear, sweet Julia, how hard your
mother and I have tried to teach you, to show you through our example
how important a celestial marriage is, but the decision is yours. How my
heart aches. Do you know how much I love you?" Tape, Music, Spotlight
off.
MOTHER ON TAPE: Spotlight on mother and tape starts. "Object? Oh Julia,
you are my daughter, so precious and dear to me, I love you so much.
This is your wedding day, one of the most important days of your life.
The decorations are lovely, you look beautiful in your dress, and your
friends and family are here. The whole atmosphere is exciting and sweet,
but Julia, if you just knew what you are missing. Music starts. The day
your father and I went to the temple to be married for time and eternity
was one if the most glorious days
of our lives-a day we will treasure and hold dear forever. I recall that
your grandmother slipped a piece of paper on my pillow the night before
my wedding. It said, "Enter the temple as if the floor within were gold;
and every wall of jewels; all of wealth untold. As if a choir in robes
of fire were singing here. No shout, no rush, only hush... for God is
here." Julia from the moment we entered that holy building, the feelings
of peace were overpowering. Never before had we felt so united with each
other and our Heavenly Father. That glorious day we pledged our eternal
love and fidelity each for the other, not just before our friends and
loved ones, but in the presence of God and angels. The day we were
sealed was the day I really fell in love with your father. I know you
sincerely love Jim, but is that enough? If only you would have held out
for a temple marriage. We would have given you the support you needed. I
love you Julia. The decision is yours."
PLAY SONG "What do you do when the going gets rough and the journey is
tough" (Sat Warriors)
NEIGHBOR ON TAPE: Spotlight and Tape on "Julia, even though I am only
your friend and neighbor, I would give anything if I could object to
this wedding. Music starts. I have watched as you have grown to a
very special young woman. It makes me sad when I see you make the same
mistake I did when I got married. I grew up in a strong LDS family like
yours, but I wasn't committed to temple marriage. I fell in love with a
man much like Jim. I kept telling myself he would change his attitude
toward the church once we were married. We had our first baby, Ben. As
time went by, things got worse. We weren't a family. We were just three
people living together under one roof. Over the years, more babies came,
but the arguments over time spent on church things has not stopped.
There is great anxiety in not knowing how it will be when we come home
from a church meeting. Will it be silence chilled with words not spoken,
or a raise of the eyebrows that dismisses the entire subject? Our sweet
children can feel the anger, the heartache, and the bitterness. Often
they cry because they know things are not as they should be. I love Ben,
but my heart aches over the years that have passed because he has not
seen fit to take us to the temple. How frightening. How final. How
devastating to realize that my marriage, my children, and my family life
will end with death, because I failed to follow God's instructions. I
wish I had been more committed to all the blessings and promises of a
temple marriage. I hope and pray that things will work out better for
you." Tape, Music, and Spotlight off.
LAUREL ADVISOR ON TAPE: Spotlight and Tape on. "My mind has been busy
playing back bits and pieces of the lessons I gave you when you were in
my class. I too, have a great concern for your future happiness. Music
starts. Julia, do you remember who you are? You are a daughter of God
and because you are His daughter, you have the potential to receive all
the glories and blessings that God has promised His children. You are
entitled to a queendom. You are heir to the great fortunes of eternal
life. What will you do with this prized inheritance? The Lord is very
specific and very definite on what he requires of each of us, Julia. The
temple endowment is one if the ordinances that is required to enable us
to walk back to the presence of our Father in Heaven. Without this
endowment we will not be allowed to pass by the angels. You are placing
your inheritance in jeopardy, all because a decision was not made and
the commitment was not there. Tape, Music, and Spotlight off
PLAY SONG: "Line upon Line, Precept on Precept" (Sat Warriors)
CHILD ON TAPE: Dressed in white. Spotlight-shine on child as she walks
down the aisle. "I wish I were here to object. Music starts. A few short
years in the future you will be my mother. Your decision to get married
in the temple or not affects me too. I am with Heavenly Father now, but
one day you will bring my spirit from heaven to live in our home. Julia,
will I be born under the covenant? Will you teach me and prepare me to
return to my Heavenly Father? Will I know the joy and happiness of
belonging to an eternal family? I cannot make these decisions for myself
for I am not yet born. You are making them for me for someday you will
be my mother."
PLAY SONG: "I am a child of God" Child turns and walks back down aisle.
Tape, Music, Spotlight off.
Music starts as Spotlight picks up future husband coming down the aisle.
FUTURE HUSBAND ON TAPE: "Julia, if you would only wait. Music starts. In
a few short months, I will return from my mission and you and I will
meet. If you will wait, the time will come when you will go to your dad
and tell him you have met a boy you really like a lot. Then he'll meet
me and he'll like me too. Our friendship will blossom and one night I
will tell you that I love you and you will know that you love me too. I
will ask you to be my companion, Julia, on this earth and forever as we
continue into eternity. On the appointed day you and I will enter the
temple of the Lord. We'll dress in white and after you have received
your endowments we'll go to the room where we will be married forever.
It will be so peaceful and beautiful there. A man of God will be there
and he will talk to us about marriage. He'll ask you to kneel on one
side of the altar and me on the other side. We'll hold hands and I will
look at you and know you are the loveliest young woman in the world.
We'll promise to be true to our Father in Heaven and to each other as
husband and wife. By the power of the holy priesthood we will be sealed
and a partnership will be formed that will bridge death and take us into
eternity. When children bless our home we will teach them to walk in the
way of the Lord and they will be ours forever. Our home will be blessed
with the priesthood. We will have prayer, scriptures, and family
home evening in our home. We may or may not become rich in this life,
but together we will work toward the riches of eternity. Our circle of
love will grow and extend beyond days and years, for in God's eternal
plan, life goes on forever and ever. Julia, Julia, will you please wait
for me?" Music, and Spotlight off
JULIA" Waking up in bed looking around and stretching. "It isn't true.
I'm not really getting married yet. What a wonderful but frightful
dream! This dream made me realize that my choice of a husband affects so
many more people than myself. No wonder the leaders have cautioned us to
be prayerful in our dating."
(The girls were obviously moved which means I considered it a success.)
Fireside
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