Scripture Scouts

This post starts with a story from way back when.

I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I know I was in Junior Primary, so probably 6 or 7. 

A group of older kids, either Senior Primary or Young Women came in during Sharing Time to play a little game with us.  They acted out scenes from the Book of Mormon and we had to guess what they were acting out.  I don't remember all the scenes they did, probably normal ones like finding the Liahona or Alma the Younger being visited by an angel. Easy stuff.

Then the big kids got these mischevious grins and said, "Okay, now we're going to do a hard one.  None of you are going to guess this!" and they laughed that "I know more than you" laugh.  They mimed building a tower and climbing up it. 

They were right.  No one got it.  Even some of the teachers were stumped.  "Tower of Babel?"  "Noah's Ark?"  The big kids were loving it.

But me, I sat there wondering what all the fuss was about.  I finally raised my hand.

"It's the RAMEUPMTOM," I said.  "People climbed up it to pray but they weren't really praying, they were just saying how cool they are."

Kids and teachers gaped at me.  How in the heck did a 6-year-old know that?  The big kids were deflated.  Some little kid had just ruined their fun. 

I remember thinking, I thought everyone knew what the Rameumptom was. 

So now comes the part when you find out how a 6-year-old did know what a Rameumptom is. 

The answer:  Scripture Scouts.

I don't know where my parents got the Scripture Scouts tapes, but I am so glad they did.  "Scripture Scouts" is a program of songs, sung by children, about the scriptures.  We only had the Book of Mormon tapes, but now they have Old and New Testaments, The Articles of Faith, and The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

The songs are fun.  They go in chronological order.  So, on our tape, the first songs were about Nephi and Lehi, and it went from there.  Between the songs, the kids on the tape talk about regular troubles that kids have.  So not only do kids get to learn the stories from the Book of Mormon (or whatever book), they also relate the stories to real  kid life.  It is awesome.  

We have home videos of me and my older sister Allie toting around a brown tape player, listening to--and singing along with--the Scripture Scouts.  We absolutely LOVED that tape.  We were probably only around 3 or 4, and were singing things like,

"All the folks on Lehi's boat,
Sailing across the sea,
Heading for the Promised Land
What a voyage this will be!
There was Lehi, Sariah, Laman, and Lemuel,
Nephi, Sam, and Jacob,
Joseph, Zoram, lots of kids,
And the family of Ish-ma-el"

and from King Noah,

"I want want want
what I want want want
And this is how I get it
I take take take
What I take take take
And I never let it
Bother me, no siree,
For I am king king king!"

and of course,

"Rameumptom,
Rameumptom,
We're going to the top
of the Rameumptom."


Not all of the songs are stories, either.  From Nephi, we learn that "Nothing's too hard for the Lord....if he has a job that he wants me to do, I'll do it with help from the Lord."  I remember one about a man who wanted just "one more thing," until he got to heaven with nothing and realized, "I wish someone had told me life is more than things!"  And one called "Because God Loves Me," which teaches, "If I give what I have to you, it's just like giving to Jesus too."

Oh, and another personal favorite:

"Don't beat up on your brother,
Don't beat up on your brother
'Cause it's mean, mean, mean!
If you really want to punch him,
Think you have to scrunch him,
Don't do it 'cause it's mean mean mean!"

I remember the words and tunes to this day.  Scripture Scouts actually has a website here that plays the songs from all their different albums, and I'm sitting here listening to it just grinning and singing along.  I love these songs! My sister and I have already decided we're going to buy the tapes and play them for our kids.  I think they are a great way to teach kids about the gospel in a fun, memorable way.  So go check it out! It'll make your kids look smart in Primary ;)