Let’s Put on a Pageant!

Ammon and the Lamanite King

By Jessica Larsen

Read Alma 17–19 before you start planning your pageant.

Parts: Narrator, Ammon, King Lamoni, the queen, Abish, servant 1, servant 2

If you have only five actors, you can have one person play servant 1 and the queen. Another person can play servant 2 and Abish.

If you don’t have enough people, you can use puppets.

Costumes: Make a simple costume for each part, such as crowns for King Lamoni and the queen.

Props:

A chair decorated like a throne

Arms (You could use socks stuffed into old pairs of nylons, or towels rolled up and kept in place with rubber bands.)

A blanket

A pageant is an elaborate, colorful production. It usually has a narrator. If you have a big audience, use large arm movements and dramatic facial expressions to tell the story!

Setting: King Lamoni’s court

Narrator: Long ago, in the ancient Americas, there lived a man named Ammon. [Ammon enters.] Ammon could have been a king, but he chose to be a missionary to his enemies, the Lamanites. As Ammon was traveling, he was captured by the Lamanites. [Servant 1 and servant 2 enter and each take hold of one of Ammon’s arms.] They took him to their king, Lamoni. [King Lamoni enters and sits on the throne.]

King Lamoni: Ammon, do you wish to live here?

Ammon: I do, King Lamoni. I wish to be your servant.

King Lamoni: Then you shall watch my flocks. [Ammon and servants exit.]

Narrator: Ammon watched over the king’s flocks. After three days, the servants returned to report to King Lamoni. [Servants enter, carrying the “arms” in a blanket.]

Idea

As the servants tell the story, have Ammon act out the scene.

Servant 1: My king, my king! We have news for you!

Servant 2: We watched the sheep with Ammon, as you commanded. For three days, all was well.

Servant 1: On the third day, men came to scatter your sheep. We gathered the sheep back together.

Servant 2: The men came back, and Ammon told us to guard the sheep while he cast stones at the men.

Servant 1: When the evil men tried to kill Ammon, he cut off their arms! The men scattered, and the sheep were saved! We brought their arms to show you the truth of our tale. [They show King Lamoni the arms.]

King Lamoni: Surely Ammon is more than a man. Could he be the Great Spirit our ancestors talked of?

Servant 2: We know not, but we know that he is a friend to the king. Even now he is feeding your horses. [The servants exit. King Lamoni sits, deep in thought.]

Narrator: When Ammon finished caring for the king’s horses, he went to the king. [Ammon enters.]

Ammon: What shall I do for you, O King?

Narrator: The king was so astonished that he did not speak. After an hour, Ammon was inspired to know the king’s thoughts. He knew King Lamoni had many questions about the gospel.

Ammon: Will you hear the words I speak?

Narrator: The king listened as Ammon taught about the plan of salvation, the scriptures, and the coming of Jesus Christ. The king believed him and was overcome with the Spirit. He fell to the earth. [King Lamoni falls down as if he is dead. Ammon exits. The servants enter, cover King Lamoni with a blanket, and exit.] King Lamoni lay as if he were dead for two days and two nights, and his wife mourned. [The queen enters and kneels, weeping, by the king. Ammon enters.]

Queen: Ammon, I have heard that you are a prophet. I want you to see my husband. Some people think we should bury him, but I do not think he is dead! [Ammon walks over to King Lamoni.]

Narrator: Now, Ammon knew that the king was not dead. King Lamoni was under the power of God.

Ammon: He is not dead. Tomorrow he shall rise again. Do you believe me?

Queen: I believe what you have said.

Narrator: All night, the queen watched over the king. The next morning, he arose, just as Ammon had prophesied.

King Lamoni: I have seen my Redeemer, and He shall redeem all who believe on His name!

Narrator: The king, the queen, and Ammon were so overcome with joy that they fell to the ground. [The king, queen, and Ammon fall down. Abish enters.] A Lamanite woman named Abish, who had believed in the Lord for many years, saw them. She ran from house to house, telling all the people what had happened.

Idea

The audience can play the part of the Lamanite people. Abish can run and tell them her news. That way, the audience can be part of the pageant!

Abish: [facing the audience] Come, everyone! See what has happened!

Narrator: But the people saw the king and thought Ammon had brought evil upon the king’s house. Some said the king had brought evil upon himself. The people began to fight with each other.

Abish: [talking to the audience] Why are you all fighting? I thought this would help you believe!

Narrator: Abish took the queen’s hand, and the queen arose. [The queen stands.] The queen took King Lamoni’s hand, and he and Ammon arose as well. [King Lamoni and Ammon stand.] The people were astonished. King Lamoni began to teach the people about the gospel. He testified of Jesus Christ, and many Lamanites were baptized. And so the work of the Lord began among the Lamanites, with the help of Ammon, King Lamoni, the queen, and Abish.

Illustration by Mark Robison

Let’s put on a pageant for family home evening!

I want to be Ammon!