Create a short video on a Gospel Story

This is a combined YM/YW mutual activity that I created, and we participated in last night. We started a little after 7:00 PM and we were done at 8:30 PM. We had about 30 youth, and their leaders from YM and YW. After the usual mutual opening, the entire group was given the purpose of the night’s activity. They were told that they would be divided into equal groups, a project manager would be selected, and an adult assistant would be assigned. They would be given a video camera and they would select a scriptual story assignment written on paper from a hat. Each group had 30 minutes to create a video no greater than 5 minutes in length portraying the scriptural story. They were told to respect the reverence of being in the church and on its grounds, the chapel was off limits, and to respect the other in the building. The youth were divided into 5 groups of 6 each. It took about 10 minutes to explain the activity, divide into groups, and select an assignment. The groups started their video projects at 7:30 and were told to return to the same room at 8:00 to view the videos, and have refreshments. Like any other creative activity, some of the groups struggled getting started, some people swapped groups, but eventually all groups were successful. The kids that usually don’t want to participate, even got into this activity! Every youth participated! Viewing the videos was great! It was humorous and entertaining! The kids loved it and so did the adults. It was a great activity that used the scriptures, involved all the youth, mixed the YM and YW and the adults together, and created a great togetherness. The scriptural stories used last night were: Abraham and his near sacrifice of Isaac, Nephi and his brothers obtain the Plates of Brass, Ammon and his protection of King Lamoni’s animals, David and Goliath, and Noah and the ark. There were a total of 13 choices in the hat.

All the leaders were impressed at the fun and success of this activity, depite a few who were initially a little reluctant to the idea.