NEPHIS COURAGE SONG SCRIPT SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE ITEMS NEEDED Book of Mormon with 1 Nephi 3:7 marked

Pictures for each story or the flip chart (optional) Ask an adult to come and play Nephi Have "Nephi" dressed in a simple costume and props to help set the stage (optional.) Costume/Props Suggestions: Outfit (simple to put together with just some pieces of fabric), leather belt, sword, bow and arrow, headband, wristbands, brass plates, boat, etc. Make sure your Nephi is familiar enough with both stories told in the song so that he will be able to tell the stories to the children. 1 Nephi 3-4: Nephi obtains the brass plates. 1 Nephi 17-18: Nephi is commanded to build a ship SCRIPT Start off by showing the Book of Mormon and ask them who the first person that is mentioned in the Book of Mormon. Read 1 Nephi 3:7 (Have SR look up the scripture so they can look at the words as you sing.) "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." CHORUS Ask the children to listen as you sing the chorus to see if they hear some of the same or similar words (different but with the same meaning). Receive answers. Teach the chorus using the ASL/Actions Combo listed below. While you are singing the chorus with the children on the 2nd time through, have your "Nephi" walk in towards the end of the chorus and come up front. Act surprised and after you stop singing, you can use some dialog like this:

NEPHI: Hello boys and girls. I heard you singing the words I said to my father, Lehi about being courageous and obeying Heavenly Father's commandments. You sounded really great singing those words to music. YOU: (Acting a little surprised to see him) Oh, my goodness! Children, do you know who this is? CHILDREN'S RESPONSE NEPHI: Yes, that is right. I am Nephi. YOU: Nephi, we are just learning a song about you and your courage. What do we need to have or do to be courageous like you? NEPHI: You need to have FAITH first and then OBEY to go and do the things the Lord commands. If you are faithful and obedient to His commandments, the Lord will provide a way for you to follow those commandments because He truly wants what is best for you. And your FAITH grows stronger making it easier to obey. VERSE 1 YOU: To help us understand about FAITH and OBEDIENCE, will you please share with us your story about getting the brass plates from Laban? NEPHI: Yes. I would love to. Nephi tells the story. Try to keep it to around a minute or two making sure to point out the key points of the song and story and his faith and obedience. YOU: Let me make sure we understand what you did Nephi. Let me sing the story to you and the children. Children, when I get to the chorus part that we just learned about Nephi's courageous answer, will you please join in and sing it with me? (For SR, if they are already familiar with the song, let them go ahead and sing the whole verse with you.) Sing the first verse using the actions so that the children have the opportunity to hear the song and see the actions, then have the children come in on the chorus. Have the children sing the whole verse and chorus with you this time. Repeat singing the verse if time permits.

NEPHI: That sounded wonderful.

VERSE 2 YOU: Nephi, will you please share with us another story that shows us how you had faith and obedience? NEPHI: Yes. Let me tell you about the time when the Lord commanded me to go and build a ship. Nephi tells the story. Try to keep it to around a minute or two making sure to point out the key points of the song and story and his faith and obedience.

YOU: Let me make sure we understand what you did Nephi. Let me sing the story to you and the children. Children, when I get to the chorus part that we just learned about Nephi's courageous answer, will you please join in and sing it with me? (For SR, if they are already familiar with the song, let them go ahead and sing the whole verse with you.) Sing the second verse using the actions so that the children have the opportunity to hear the song and see the actions, then have the children come in on the chorus. Have the children sing the whole verse and chorus with you this time. Repeat singing the verse if time permits.

NEPHI: Again you all sounded great! VERSE 3 YOU: Nephi, in these two stories you have shared with us, what would you say is the message you want to leave with us? NEPHI: The message is to have FAITH when the Lord gives us commandments and asks us to obey. YOU: But you know, sometimes I am tempted to choose another way. When Im discouraged and think I cannot try, what can I do Nephi? NEPHI: Do what I did. Have FAITH and be OBEDIENT to the Lord's commandments and you will find happiness. (Nephi then sings the chorus.) I will go; I will do the thing the Lord commands. I know the Lord provides a way; he wants me to obey. I will go; I will do the thing the Lord commands. I know the Lord provides a way; (short pause for emphasis) he wants me to obey. Depending on time, you may only be able to have the children sing each verse through one time so that you can get through the whole skit. This is mainly to help introduce the song and teach the chorus to the JR Primary. 3

ASL AND ACTIONS (Do these actions "left-handed" so the children can mirror you) VERSE 1 The Lord [ASL: God] I use "God" instead of "Lord" since we have used it a lot in many songs and I like how pointing up to heaven helps to point out better who it is. commanded [ASL: Commandment] (I chose to use commandment instead of command since we have already used commanment in other songs like "Love One Another" and it will be consistent with the third verse as well as command is the same as reply that I will be using for reply.) Nephi [ASL: the letter "N"] to go and get the plates [make book with hands.] From the wicked Laban [make a mean look on your face and place your fists on your hips as you pan the room while singing] inside the city gates. [with palms facing you, touch the finger tips of both hands together and open and shut like a gate] Laman and Lemuel [as you sing each name, extend left hand out to the side palm up and then the right hand] were both afraid to try. [turn hands palms down and shake both hands like they have the "shakes".] Nephi [ASL: the letter "N"] was courageous. [flex your arm muscles showing strength with arms bent at the elbow into a 90 degree angle.] This was his reply: [ASL: Reply] CHORUS "I will go" [with your index finger, point to self on "I" then extend the arm out front keeping the finger pointed] "I will do" [with your index finger, point to self on "I" then point up in the air keeping finger pointed] the thing the Lord commands. [ASL: Thingcan do with both hands if you want to involve the other hand in the action] I know [ASL: Know] the Lord provides a way; [ASL: Way] he wants me to obey. [salute] Repeat chorus actions but fold arms on the last "obey" VERSE 2 The Lord [ASL: God] commanded [ASL: Commandment] Nephi [ASL: the letter "N"] 4

 to go and build a boat. [pretend like you are hammering something in your other hand or waves.] Nephi's older brothers [as you sing each name, extend on hand out to the side palm up and then the other hand] believed it would not float. [wiggle your hand with palm down as if a boat floating on the waves of the ocean and then on the word "float", have your hand sink downward like a sinking shipcould also at the same time shake head in "no" fashion" depending on how coordinated you and the children are] Laughing and mocking, [with one hand slightly in front of mouth, pretend to laugh and point your finger with the other hand] they said he should not try. [shake head and finger in a "no" fashion"] Nephi [ASL: the letter "N"] was courageous. [flex your arm muscles showing strength with arms bent at the elbow into a 90 degree angle.] This was his reply: [ASL: Reply] CHORUS VERSE 3 The Lord [ASL: God] gives us commandments [ASL: Commandment] and asks us to obey. [salute] Sometimes I am tempted to choose another way [do each action pointing your index fingers in order to the tempo as you sing keeping the elbows close to the body and using the elbows to pivot back and forth on: *Sometimes: extend left arm out to the side *I am: extend right arm out to the side *tempt: pivot left arm back to cross in front of your body *ed to: pivot right arm back to cross in front of your body *choose an: pivot both arms back out *other: pivot both arms back in to cross in front of your body *way: pivot both arms back out When I'm discouraged [frowny face and pretend to cry and rub fists on eyes] and think I cannot try, [shake head and index finger in a "no" fashion"] I will be courageous, [point to self first then flex your arm muscles showing strength with arms bent at the elbow into a 90 degree angle.] and I will [point to self] reply: [ASL: Reply] 5