Plane Crash Activity

I wanted to share my experience this last Wednesday with the plane crash activity (I've included it below if you would like to use it).  This activity had a powerful influence on our youth.  Some said it was the best activity they had been to in a long time.  The spirit was very strong in the end as the youth entered the chapel.  I have never seen a quieter bunch! My daughter said that she nearly cried when her brother's name was called to leave the Telestial room, and hers was not (until later, anyway).  We moved the kids in two separate groups for that very reason, that they might experience what it would be like to be separated from family and friends. Since I edited out who sent this, I'm not sure to thank.  We used this as our joint activity, and invited two other branches to join us.  We followed the outline pretty much as is, with the exception that we placed white robes (sheets) on the kids as they entered the celestial kingdom.  Our stake president was the final speaker, and greeted each youth individually as they entered.

We advertised the activity as "Come fly with us" telling the kids that we were taking a trip to Hawaii.  The "airport" waiting room atmosphere was very jovial, as was movie and snacks on the "plane".  The crash really startled them!  No one had any idea what was to happen.  Most of the kids were very quiet and cooperative as we moved from room to room.  The best part, however, was the reverent, spiritual and peaceful feeling that existed in the chapel as they all entered.  I knew that everyone in that room was affected by the experience. Thanks to whomever sent this, and to all the wonderful ideas on this
list!! Louise H.

Suggestions for plane crash activity:
Overview

After gathering in the gym, youth will take a simulated plane trip on the stage.  The plane will crash, leaving no survivors.  They will then be lead to the primary room where they will hear about the Telestial kingdom.

Next they will return to the gym to hear about the Terrestrial Kingdom.  Then the overflow area will open up to welcome them into the celestial Kingdom (the chapel).  The activity will then conclude, with refreshments served in the gym.

Advance preparation

Without giving away any details of the planned activity, be sure youth are aware that something special has been planned.  Prepare some sort of airplane ticket, to be either given in advance (possibly the Sunday before) or handed out that night.  The tickets should have their names, plus a stub that can be torn off with their name on it, too.  Perhaps actual airline envelopes could be used.  They could be told they will be taking a trip, or something to that effect, but since this activity seems to have the greatest impact when it happens without warning, we don t want them to compare notes with youth
from other wards who may have participated in this sort of activity previously.

Set up
Gym: Made to resemble airport waiting area with chairs, magazines, etc.  A ticket agent should have some sort of table and microphone to give boarding information.

Stage: Made to look like the interior of an airplane, with rows of seats.   A cart with small snacks could be prepared for an in-flight meal. Optional: a TV with VCR for an in-flight movie.

Primary room:  To be used as Telestial Kingdom area.  Should be dimly lit. A window could be left open so the room will be cold.  No chairs or tables. The room should be slightly uncomfortable.  Halls could be dark as they travel.

Gym: During plane and Telestial experiences, gym can be re-set for Terrestrial Kingdom area.  Chairs could be moved to a cozier arrangement than they were for airport waiting area.  Maybe a table with a cloth and small centerpiece.

Overflow: To be used as transition area between Terrestrial (gym) and Celestial (chapel),  Should have a few small tables with cloths and decorations.  The plants from the entries and foyer lamps could be brought in to make it nicer.  There should be a marked contrast from the gym, yet since it is difficult to decorate the chapel, it shouldn’t make the chapel
appear bare.

Chapel: Flowers and recorded (or live) music will help add to the effect.
All participants in chapel should be dressed in white.

Participants: (assignments)
Ticket agent in gym who will also help with boarding (YW)
Stewardess(es) (YW)
Pilot(s) (could be live or pre-recorded) (YM)
Escorts, dressed in white, to take them to the primary room, gym, and finally to the chapel. (YW)
Telestial Kingdom speaker (YM)
Terrestrial Kingdom speaker (YM)
Celestial Kingdom speaker(s) (could be married couple) (YM)

Outline:
About 7:00 Youth will gather in the gym when they arrive.  They can visit, sit, or read magazines.   The ticket agent will announce periodically that they must have their tickets ready.  She can distribute them from her "desk", being sure that the names are written on the ticket in two places. At the appropriate time, she announces that boarding is about to begin. The pilot(s) might enter through that door just prior to boarding.  The stewardess can open the side stage door, and the ticket agent will then collect ticket stubs (tearing each stub off) as the youth enter to climb the stairs to the stage.  Seats may be assigned or not.  The stewardess will help them get seated, giving instructions on stowing carry-ons, etc.    When everyone is boarded, the flight begins.  Adult leaders who are not
otherwise participating might choose to be passengers if it would be helpful for crowd control.  This activity is not as effective if the youth act silly.

About 7:15 As the flight begins, the stewardess can give normal safety instructions, and the pilot will welcome them aboard.  All proceeds like a normal flight for a while.  Snacks can be served, a movie can be shown (started, at least), then suddenly there is the loud sound of a crash. The light all go black, and the announcement is made that the flight has crashed, leaving no survivors.  One or two escorts appear and give minimal instructions to follow them silently.

About 7:25 They take the group to the primary room.  The youth can be instructed to stand, or sit on the floor, but not next to anyone else. No talking is allowed.  A plainly dressed person, standing in a dark corner proceeds to tell them they are about to enter the  Telestial  Kingdom. After a discussion of the situation there, and the type of lives that have led them to this place, an escort enters to announce that there has been a mistake, and please follow her.

About 7:40 They follow her to the gym.  There, the youth can sit in chairs, and should be more comfortable.  A nicely dressed person tell them about the Terrestrial Kingdom.   The escort returns to announce that they are once again to follow.  The overflow area is opened, and the youth enter what should appear to be a much nicer place.  They should be reminded throughout that there is to be no talking.

About 7:55 When they have assembled, the curtain separating the chapel opens.  They should have been able to hear music coming from there. Someone at the pulpit reads their names, taken from the boarding passes, and they enter the celestial kingdom one by one.  Escorts take them individually to the choir seats. When all have entered and are seated, a speaker or speakers talk to them about the Celestial Kingdom.

After the conclusion, refreshments may be served in the gym.

Suggested script:
Speakers in all areas need to be certain of doctrinal accuracy, and try to remain positive.  The main purpose of exposure to the lesser kingdoms is not to chastise for past sins, but to create the feeling of missing out on something better.   They should understand, however, that the requirements are real, and that our actions really do make a difference to our eternal salvation.  We want them to not settle for less than the best, and to realize that the best is within their reach.   Since each kingdom is a kingdom of glory, we don't want to teach that the lesser kingdoms are cold and unfriendly places, but do want to emphasize a difference between them. The scripts here are based upon a fax received from someone who has done this before.  Consider them a starting point.

Telestial Kingdom
We welcome you here.  You have passed through the spirit world, and are now about to enter the Telestial Kingdom.  Here there is no pain, no death. In fact, life is much better here than it was on earth.  And yet, if you could choose, you would not want to stay here.  For the glory of this kingdom is that of the lesser - as the stars differ from the moon.  But the greater joy is beyond your reach now.  You belong to this kingdom, the lesser glory.
You and all the others. When you left your parents tonight, did you tell them how much you loved them?  And your brothers and sisters; did you tell them how great it was to belong to the same family?  Did you tell them how much you love them all? Did you love them enough to try to be worthy to live with them in eternity? There are no families here in the Telestial Kingdom; no mothers, no fathers, no grandparents, no children, only you. Your one chance to live your life on earth is through.  And now your body will sleep in the grave for the thousand years of the millennium.. Until the LAST resurrection..   You will have a lot of time to contemplate on the things that are lost.  You must stay here while others go on to a joyful reunion with our Father and Christ, two loved ones who will never come here. Perhaps you wonder why you are here.  Perhaps you already know.  Here are those who would not receive the gospel of Christ, or those who failed to receive a testimony of Jesus by study, by service, by prayer, by faith. They are here because they have not maintained high moral standards.  They are liars, thieves, adulterers, blasphemers, and murderers.  They have taken the name of the Lord in vain; had other gods before the Lord.  Worshipped clothes, card, homes, popularity more than the Lord.  Did not keep the Sabbath Day holy.  Did not honor their fathers and mothers.  Committed sexual sins.  The list goes on and on.  Those sins, unrepented, earned your
place in this kingdom.  Maybe you feel bad now that you made mistakes. Maybe you thought it wouldn't matter, and you thought  tomorrow would be soon enough to repent and do better.   You believed you had plenty of tomorrows left.   You expected the Lord to forgive you, and He was ready to keep that promise when you repented.  But you didn’t. You are here in the Telestial Kingdom because you lived a Telestial life on earth.  You will remain here as a ministering servant to more worthy persons.

Terrestrial Kingdom
Brothers and Sisters, I am here to welcome you to the Terrestrial World. We have been waiting for you.   Because of the life you lived while on earth, you have inherited the Terrestrial glory.  This glory differs from the Celestial glory as the moon differs from the glory of the sun. (Opens book and read)   And out of the books you shall be judged.  You
have earned for yourselves a terrestrial body.  Unlike those with Celestial bodies, you were not valiant in your testimony of Jesus Christ, nor did you live all of the principles of the Gospel. Let me explain who is in this kingdom.  In the Terrestrial Kingdom are all the accountable persons who die without the law of the gospel on earth. Then, when it was taught to them in the spirit world, they would not accept it. They will remain here in the Terrestrial Kingdom. Here too, are all of the honest and good men and women of the earth who did not accept the gospel, but did live honorable and upright lives. Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are here also,  These people did have a testimony of the Savior and His great work. Unfortunately they were not a valiant and strong in the faith, and only lukewarm in their devotion and their service to the gospel. They should have been among the valiant.  They had all the knowledge, guidance, and opportunities to succeed.   Many thought they would, for they lived honorable and upright lives; up to a point, that is.  And that point is the point of division between God's home and your present one. These Latter-day Saints usually attended church - unless there was something better to do, like football, boating, skiing, tennis, tiddly-winks. They paid their tithes and offering to the Lord, or at least what they
could spare after everything else was taken care of.  They usually accepted church positions, then performed the bare minimum to get by.  They claimed to be more than willing help the sick or widowed, if they had only known any. Your souls of flight 218 have been assigned to this kingdom because you are part of that Latter-day group.  You tried hard to keep the commandments, as long as it was easy to do.  If only you had understood where your path was headed, you would have changed while you were on earth.  Didn't you realize that it was never too late to repent while you were there?  Don't you know how dearly your Heavenly Father loves you and wants you to return to His kingdom?  And what about your earthly parents?  All the people in the Terrestrial Kingdom must remain unmarried, with no families.  That privilege is reserved for those deserving of greater glory. You will have the privilege of having the Son, Jesus Christ, in your midst, but you will not be visited by Heavenly Father, nor can you go to where He
is.

Celestial Kingdom
Welcome to the glory, the peace, the joy and happiness of the Celestial Kingdom.  We have been waiting for you, for you names are written in heaven. Because you have repented of your sins while in the flesh, you have been granted a Celestial glory; a glory that is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all. By entering the gate of repentance and baptism, you entered on the straight and narrow path leading here to the Celestial Kingdom.  Your trials and temptations were no more or no less than others, but you overcame all things by faith.  By keeping the commandments you have been washed and cleansed from all your sins and have received the Holy Ghost. By enduring to the end in righteousness and obedience, you have earned the right to be joint heirs with Christ to all that the Father has.  You will receive the fullness of the glory of the Father, becoming gods in your own right. You will come forth in the first resurrection, for you are the valiant whom Christ will bring with Him when He comes in the clouds of Heaven to reign over His people.  You will be with Him during His thousand years of millennial reign. Celestial marriage in the temple of the Lord is the gate to exaltation in the highest heaven in the Celestial World.  You listened to the voice of the prophet whom God has sent to earth.  You were married in the temple, and you kept every covenant you made there. You will be together as families forever.  You will have spirit children and create new worlds. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant.  Enter ye into the joy of the Lord."  You shall dwell in the presence of God and Christ forever and ever.