Making Mission Stories Come Alive

The reading and telling of mission stories is an important part of RA meetings. Mission stories can have a deep impact on boys as they gather for missions study. One story motivated Royal Ambassadors from all across the United States to give more than $60,000 to buy milk goats for hungry people in another country.
When Lad Leader or Crusader Leader magazines suggest for you to use a story from the Bible or from Lad or Crusader magazine, concentrate on presenting the story so as to make it come alive for the boys. Seek to transfer the excitement the writer had in creating the story to the boys that will hear it.

Consider the following methods for story telling:

• Before the meeting, make a tape recording of the story to play at story time. Recruit several people to make the recording so there is a variety of voices. Consider adding appropriate background noises to the recording.
• Role-play the story with one or more children or adults.
• Tell the story in your own words.
• Allow a child who is a good reader to read the entire story or divide the story into parts for several children to read. (You may want to consider having the children practice this beforehand so they are familiar with the characters and the words.)
• Make the story a "show and tell" by gathering items (or illustration of items) that are mentioned in the story.  As you tell the story, show the items to the boys.
• Note a special word that is repeated several times in the story.  Tell boys they should raise their hands or clap when they hear the word.
• Pause during the story to ask questions or ask for definitions of words that may be difficult to understand.
• Have an adult, young adult, or Challenger (teen) dress in a costume which resembles a key character from the story being presented. While in costume, have the presenter to creatively read, tell, or act out the story.
• Using hand puppets, creatively tell or read the story. A person using a puppet does not have to be an expert to use this method.
• Videotape a person using one of the methods mentioned. Play the tape during a chapter meeting. (This idea is particularly useful if you have a willing and talented participant who can't make it to the chapter meeting.)
• Read a story and make a list of key items and characters. Divide your chapter into small groups. Have each group draw one of the key items or characters of the story you will be presenting. As you read or tell the story, have each group display its art as you come to the item or character the boys drew from the story.
  

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