Why We Rejoice:
An Easter Program

By Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen

See Matt. 26–27; Luke 22–24; John 18–21; 3 Ne. 8–11.

Note: You will need three narrators (or you may choose to have many children act as narrators). If possible, use pictures from the Gospel Art Picture Kit (GAK). The songs below are suggestions. You might consider other songs or hymns focusing on the Savior.

SONG:	“Beautiful Savior” (Children’s Songbook, 62–63).
FIRST NARRATOR:	Show GAK 227—Jesus Praying in Gethsemane.
	Jesus loves us so much that He gave His life to pay the price for our sins.
SECOND NARRATOR:	He said, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent” (D&C 19:16).
THIRD NARRATOR:	Jesus’s perfect life, His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, His death on the cross, and His Resurrection are part of the Atonement. The Atonement makes it possible for everyone to live with Him again.
FIRST NARRATOR:	That is why we rejoice. We are happy, and we show how grateful we are when we rejoice.
SECOND NARRATOR:	Show GAK 228—The Betrayal of Jesus.
	Soon after Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, wicked people came with swords and sticks to arrest Him. They took Him to the chief priests, elders, and scribes, who wanted Him to die.
THIRD NARRATOR:	Then they took Him to a Roman leader named Pilate, who had the authority to kill Him. The people told Pilate that Jesus had committed many crimes and should die.
FIRST NARRATOR:	Pilate did not believe them. Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and wanted to let Him go.
SECOND NARRATOR:	The people cried, “Crucify him, crucify him” (Luke 23:21).
THIRD NARRATOR:	Finally Pilate told his soldiers to crucify Jesus.
FIRST NARRATOR:	Show GAK 230—The Crucifixion.
	Jesus suffered on the cross for many hours.
SECOND NARRATOR:	Then Jesus cried in a loud voice, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
THIRD NARRATOR:	Jesus died.
FIRST NARRATOR:	The sky was dark. A great earthquake shook the earth.
SECOND NARRATOR:	Jesus’s disciples and friends were very sad.
SONG:	Begin to hum or softly play “On a Golden Springtime” (Children’s Songbook, 88).
THIRD NARRATOR:	After three days, Jesus’s spirit returned to His body. He had been resurrected.
FIRST NARRATOR:	Because of Jesus’s Resurrection, everyone who dies can live again with his or her spirit and body reunited.
SONG:	Verse 2 of “On a Golden Springtime”(Children’s Songbook, 88).
SECOND NARRATOR:	The resurrected Lord appeared to many people.
THIRD NARRATOR:	Show GAK 233—Mary and the Resurrected Lord.
	The first was Mary Magdalene. She loved Jesus very much and rejoiced when she saw Him.
FIRST NARRATOR:	Show GAK 234—Jesus Shows His Wounds.
	Later Jesus appeared to His disciples. They touched the wounds in His hands and feet. They saw Him eat. They knew He was alive again, and they rejoiced.
SONG:	“Hosanna” (Children’s Songbook, 66–67).
SECOND NARRATOR:	Just as there had been a great storm in Jerusalem when Jesus died, there was an even greater storm in the Americas.
THIRD NARRATOR:	Earthquakes, fires, and floods destroyed many cities. Mountains fell down.
FIRST NARRATOR:	The sky blackened. Candles would not light. Fire would not burn. No one could see anything.
SECOND NARRATOR:	The Nephites were frightened and started to cry. Many of their family members and friends had died.
THIRD NARRATOR:	Their homes were destroyed. They wished they had repented of their sins. For three days they cried in the darkness. Then—
FIRST NARRATOR:	—they heard a quiet voice. It said: “I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. … Whoso repenteth and cometh unto me … , him will I receive. … Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved” (3 Ne. 9:15, 22).
SECOND NARRATOR:	When the third day finally ended, light returned to the earth. The Nephites rejoiced and praised their Redeemer.
THIRD NARRATOR:	Some time later many people gathered near the temple in the land of Bountiful. They talked about the changes that had come to the earth.
FIRST NARRATOR:	They talked about Jesus.
SECOND NARRATOR:	Suddenly, another voice began to speak. It was a soft voice. The people listened carefully to the voice of Heavenly Father.
THIRD NARRATOR:	He said, “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him” (3 Ne. 11:7).
FIRST NARRATOR:	Show GAK 315—Christ Appears to the Nephites.
	The Nephites looked up and saw Jesus descending out of heaven.
SECOND NARRATOR:	Jesus said, “Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world” (3 Ne. 11:14).
THIRD NARRATOR:	The Nephites went to Him. They felt the wounds in His hands and feet and side.
SECOND NARRATOR:	“Hosanna!” they cried. “Blessed be the name of the Most High God!” (3 Ne. 11:17).
SONG:	“Easter Hosanna” (Children’s Songbook, 68–69).
FIRST NARRATOR:	Show GAK 227—Jesus Praying in Gethsemane.
	Jesus loves everyone so much that He paid the price for our sins. He also made it possible for us to live again after death.
THIRD NARRATOR:	That is why we rejoice when we think of Him. That is why we rejoice at Easter.
SONG:	“Jesus Has Risen” (Children’s Songbook, 70).

• Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen is a member of the Perry Third Ward, Willard Utah Stake.

Photographs © PhotoDisc

Left: The Resurrection, by Harry Anderson; right: Christ in Gethsemane, by Harry Anderson; Judas Betrays Christ, by Ted Henninger; The Crucifixion, by Harry Anderson; Behold My Hands and Feet, by Harry Anderson

Christ Appearing in the Western Hemisphere, by Arnold Friberg