Liahona Night Program

  (b)    (a)  (b)    (g)    (a)    (b)     (g)      (f#)       (e)      (e)      (b)
MAY   I   BE   WO - R - THY   ON  YOUR  SOIL   TO   TROD .

(girls sing it in a round three times with each part starting after the first word Liahona )

L    [Faith; White] : A Liahona knows she is a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves her and has faith in His plan for her.
As creatures of the forest look to the East to see the sun rise each morning, knowing that it will be there, so each of us should look to our Heavenly Father, and know, too, that He will always be there. I am the spirit of Faith.

I    [Divine Nature; Blue] A Liahona has inherited divine qualities and strives to develop them. Quiet, serene, cautious, but ever graceful and dignified, the deer moves through the forest.  Gentle in purpose, but ever-watchful of the world around her, the deer brings great majesty to the woods.  So as each of us gently follows the Lord's commandments, watchful of the world around us, we quietly travel through life with the grace and dignity befitting a daughter of God.  We, too, can bring majesty to our world. I am the spirit of Divine Nature.

A   [Individual Worth; Red]: A Liahona understands that she is of infinite worth, with her own divine mission that she strives to fulfill. See the tallest, grandest tree in the forest.  It gives shelter, shade, and food to the woodland animals.  Their very existence depends on this single tree.  Yet how unimpressive it was as a single seed.  We are each a seed - just beginning to break open and take root.  We cannot know how tall our trunk may grow or how far our branches may reach.  We do know that our creator made every one of us different, distinct, an individual.  He loves each of his daughters in a unique way, each precious to Him. I am the spirit of Individual Worth.

 H   [Knowledge; Green]: A Liahona continually seeks opportunities for learning and growth. Throw a pebble in the lake.  The ripples reach out endlessly in an ever-growing circular motion.  As you continuously learn and grow on a daily basis, the far reaching effects are eternal - culminating in....wisdom. I am the spirit of knowledge.

O   [Choice and Accountability; Orange]: A Liahona remains free by choosing good over evil and accepts responsibility for her choices.
A path winds through the woods.  Within the deepest and darkest growth of trees, a fork in the path is discovered.  One path is obviously well
traveled, straight, direct, long, but safe.  The other is less traveled, crooked, narrow, possibly shorter, but unsure.  The purpose of your travels
may govern the path you choose.  Regardless, you are accountable for completing the journey.  Use prayer as your compass, the scriptures as your map, and the Holy Ghost as your torch. I am the spirit of Choice and Accountability.

N   [Good Works; Yellow]: A Liahona nurtures others and builds the kingdom through righteous service. In the stillness of the early morning, a ray of sunshine awakens the forest. One by one every creature faces a new day and the work they have to do.  As the evening shadows embrace the forest, life therein has continued because  each inhabitant has served well.  As we become a ray of sunshine in the lives of others through our service, the night will become a blanket of peace - knowing we have done the work we had to do. I am the spirit of Good Works.

A   [Integrity; Purple]: A Liahona has the moral courage to make her actions consistent with her knowledge of right and wrong. A summer rain has cleansed the forest, now greener, more fragrant, renewed. As eyes turn heavenward, a rainbow has appeared - a canopy over nature's
masterpiece - our world.  As a bluebird soars upward, we are reminded that we too must spread our wings and rise to the highest within each of us. Anchored by deep-seated values, we soar as we reach OUT to others and UP to Celestial heights. I am the spirit of Integrity.

 [As the Young Women are gathering, a drum is continuously beating and Indian flute music is playing.  The bonfire is burning and the dancers are seated around it.  The YW flags are posted on the right side of the stage, the platform is center stage in front of the bonfire, and a
podium/microphone is on the left.  Members of the Stake Presidency stand off to the side, prepared to act as escorts to the spirits.  Women of the scriptures are offstage.  Following the last group of Young Women, the seven spirits go to escort Liahona to her place of honor.  While the Liahona is being escorted on, the Liahona song is sung.  A Beehive (preselected) is led to the candelabra. ]

Beehive:  In the days of Lehi, the Lord provided the Liahona, a compass for finding the way through the wilderness.  I am in the wilderness, and cannot find my way in the dark without any light.  But where can I find the light?  Who can lead me to the light?

Faith:  I stand for Faith, and I will lead you to the light.

Divine Nature:  I represent Divine Nature.  The light is the word of Christ.

Individual Worth:  I symbolize individual worth.  It is as easy to follow the words of Christ, as it was for Lehi to follow the Liahona.

Knowledge:  I represent Knowledge.  The words of Christ point the way out of the wilderness.

Choice and Accountability:  I stand for Choice and Accountability.  The way is prepared - if we will look, we may live forever.

Good Works:  I symbolize Good Works.  See that ye look to the light.

Integrity:  I represent Integrity.  Christ said, "Behold, I am the light which ye shall hold up - that which ye have seen me do, do also."

Liahona:  Sisters, we are here tonight in a wilderness much as Lehi once was.  In the world we live in today, there is much that is complicated and confusing and, like a wilderness, it is easy to lose our way.  But we are not ordinary young women.  Prophets have said that our birth at this time was foreordained in the eternities for a sacred and glorious purpose.  We may feel, like [name the Beehive], that we have no light to find our way.  But we are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love Him.  He has given us light in many ways to help us pass safely through our wilderness.  One way is through the examples of women in the scriptures - often as young as we are when they made a difference by living the values they held dear.

[Dancers perform, either around bonfire or in front of platform.  During this time, Women of the Scriptures will come to stage.  As each woman is spoken about, she will go and stand in front of the appropriate YW flag.]

Faith:  This is Ruth.  She represents Faith.  [Ruth goes to stand in front of Faith flag]  She was a Moabitess when she married a man of Bethlehem-Judiah.  After ten years, he died.  Ruth had grown to love her mother-in-law, Naomi, and when Naomi chose to return to her own land, Ruth wanted to go with her. Naomi said it would be best for Ruth to remain in her own land where she would be with her own family and could perhaps marry one of her own people.  But Ruth could not.  She said to Naomi, "Please don't ask me to leave you.  Where you go, I will go; where you live, I will live.  Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God." So Ruth came to Bethlehem and lived and worshipped with Naomi.  In time she married her husband's kinsman.  It was through their descendants that Jesus Christ was born.  Ruth was not brought
up to know of our Father in Heaven, but His light helped her find the faith and strength to follow Him. [Ruth remains standing in front of the Faith flag.  The spirit of Faith goes and lights a candle on the Beehive's candelabra and then is escorted to her place on the platform.  This is repeated by each spirit.]

Divine Nature:  This is Mary.  She represents Divine Nature.  [Mary goes to stand in front of Divine Nature flag]  She was very young when an angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, "Hail, thou art highly favored.  The Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women."  Mary felt such confusion and fear, but the angel said, "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God.  And shall conceive in thy womb and shall bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus."  Mary knew that she had been called to perform a great thing not possible on her own.  But Heavenly Father blessed her with the divine qualities that she needed to bear and raise the Son of God.  It may seem a great thing, to be the mother of Christ, but it was not of herself.  With God, nothing is impossible, for through Mary, a girl as young as many of you, a great light, the salvation of all, was brought into the world.

Individual Worth:  This is Deborah.  She represents Individual Worth.  [Deborah goes to stand in front of Individual worth flag]  Deborah was a judge and prophetess in Israel.  When Joshua finally brought the children of Israel into the promised land, the Lord gave a hard commandment - to clear the land of every heathen.  This they did not do.  Over time, the people mixed with the Caananites and became polluted by idolatry and unbelief.  Even the priesthood was corrupt, their covenant with the Lord broken.  Their country was being threatened by the mighty army of Sisera.  Their army was so small in comparison and no one would even lead it.  Deborah finally found Barak to guide their armies and he agreed if Deborah would also be present.  The battle was near a small, muddy stream, but the Lord sent great rains and the chariots of Sisera were washed away.  Deborah was just one person, but she used the light the Lord gave her to lead and protect her country.

 Knowledge:  This is Sariah and she represents Knowledge.  [Sariah goes to stand in front of Knowledge flag]  I know what you are thinking - Sariah, the wife of Lehi?  The murmurer?  Wasn't she weak?  Yes she was, sisters.  Her sons had returned to Jerusalem to retrieve sacred records from Laban, and Sariah thought they had perished.  She truly mourned because of them.  She spoke harshly  to Lehi saying, "You have led us from the land of our birth and now my sons are no more."  But Lehi said to her, "If I had not seen the things of God in a vision, I should not have believed either.  But I know the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban and bring them again to us." And it happened as Lehi said!  Their sons did return, whole and strong. Then Sariah knew for a surety that the Lord did lead us all and would protect us and give us power to accomplish that which He commanded.  And Sariah gave thanks to God for that sure knowledge and she ceased murmuring.
Though the way was difficult and the trials great, the Lord turned her weaknesses into strengths and her burdens felt light.

Choice and Accountability:  This is Esther.  She represents Choice and Accountability.  [Esther goes to stand in front of Choice and Accountabilty flag]  Esther was born when the Jews were in captivity in Babylon, and she was raised by her cousin Mordecai (More-duh-kye).  The queen of their land, Vashti, was commanded to appear before the king, but she refused.  This disobedience made the king so angry that he removed Vashti from the throne.  To find a new queen, all the fairest maidens in the land were brought to the king to see who would find favor in his eyes.  Esther was chosen and made the new queen, but the king did not know she was a Jew.  The king's counselor was Haman.  Haman wanted everyone to bow to him and give him reverence, but Mordecai would not give reverence to anyone but the Lord.  Haman obtained an order from the king that Mordecai and all the Jews be put to death!  But Esther's uncle said to her, "Who knows but that you have been made queen for just such a time as this?  Esther made her choice.  Esther and all her people fasted for three days and nights and she went before the king, thinking that, if she perish, she perish.  But her spared her.  Esther asked the king if she had found favor in his sight to let her life and the lives of her people spared.  This he could not do.  Once said, the king's word was law.  But he let it be known that all the Jews could gather together and stand for their lives.  On the given day, no man could withstand them.  Though chosen by a king for outward beauty, the Lord's inner light guided Esther to be the salvation of her people.

Good Works:   This is Mary.  She represents Good Works.  [Mary goes to stand in front of Good Works flag]  Mary is the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who Christ raised from the dead.  One day, Jesus came to their home.  Many people came to hear Him speak, and it was Mary's responsibility, along with Martha, to make sure their guests were refreshed and fed.  But Mary was lost in the words of the Master, and did not realize that Martha was taking the burden of serving all the people herself.  Martha, struggling to fulfill the needs of all, complained to the Master, with justification.  To Mary's surprise, Jesus reproved her, saying, "Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken from her."  Martha and Mary then realized that temporal deeds are worthy ones - people must eat, have shelter, be clothed.  But there is a greater need for feeding the spirit.  While Christ
was here on earth, Mary saw and heard Him and received great light.  then Christ commanded us to let our light, which we have received of Him, shine before men that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father in Heaven.

Integrity:  This is the mother of a stripling warrior, nameless, and shall remain so. [Mother goes to stand in front of Integrity flag]  Without a name, she can represent all the mothers of two thousand sons who strove to live with integrity.  Their country was in a great war, but their husbands had buried their swords and covenanted with the Lord to never raise arms again.  Now the land was being ravaged and the Nephites, in whose land they dwelt, were dying in their defense.  Their sons, not bound by the covenant of the fathers, could no longer stand by without defending the liberty of their people.  Although they had never fought, they did not fear death.  After the great battle, the Nephites emerged victorious, but not without great loss of life.  But when Helaman numbered the stripling warriors, to his great joy, not one soul of them had been lost.  Yea, they had fought with the strength of God, and never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength and with such mighty power.  Taught to keep the commandments of God, they walked with integrity before Him.  A child cannot go down a path unknown to him.  A mother must go before him, carrying a light to show the way.

Liahona:  We are in a wilderness, but we are not without light.  We have many Liahonas to be our examples and guides - our Prophet, our parents, our leaders, the scriptures.  Most important, the Lord has said, "I will be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments. And we have our own light within us.  I, Liahona, like each of you, have been given the noble calling to become a righteous influence, to stand as witness of God in all times and in all things and in all places, while we strive to live the values we hold dear.

YOUNG WOMEN OF THESE LATTER-DAYS!  HOLD YOUR TORCHES HIGH, THAT CHRIST'S TRUE LIGHT THROUGH YOU WILL SHINE, HIS NAME TO GLORIFY!

 [Following Liahona's challenge, the Beehive takes her candelabra, goes into the audience and lights the candle of the girl on the end of each row.  That girl in turn lights the candle next to her and so on until all candles are lit in the audience.  During this Pass it On is sung repeatedly, until all candles are lit.  Also, at this time Liahona and the spirits are escorted from the platform to the front of the stage.  They are joined by the dancers and the women of the scriptures.  When all candles are lit, Liahona comes forward.  She hesitates a minute to allow all to enjoy the silence and the glow of the candles.  Then, she asks all to join her in kneeling for the closing prayer.  Liahona offers this prayer.]

THE END