(Zacharias and Elisabeth’s home. Elisabeth enters, visibly with child. Ezra runs on with his basket of food.)
EZRA: Elisabeth, I’m back! And I got everything you said— the bread, the meat, the fish, it’s all here.
ELISABETH: Oh, my boy. Thank you.
EZRA: But, um, I . . .
ELISABETH: What is it?
EZRA: I met a stranger on the way here. I think she was coming to visit you. And she knew that you were going to have a—
ELISABETH (interrupting him): Ezra, I hope you didn’t tell anyone!
EZRA: No, I didn’t, she knew all about the baby . . .
ELISABETH: Baby . . . ?
(Elisabeth feels the movement of her child.)
ELISABETH: Oh, my. . .
EZRA: Are you all right?
MARY (still offstage): Elisabeth!
ELISABETH: Ezra, take these things in the other room and hurry home.
EZRA: But maybe I could help you. Maybe I could—
ELISABETH: Thank you, but not now, child. Go quickly.
(Ezra leaves.)
MARY: Elisabeth!
(Mary enters.)
MARY (cont’d): Cousin!
ELISABETH: Mary! Come in! Come here!
(They embrace.)
MARY: How is the baby?
MARY: Yes.
ELISABETH: Oh, Mary, blessed art thou among women!16
MARY: What—?
ELISABETH: And blessed is the fruit of thy womb.17
MARY: Elisabeth, you know!
ELISABETH: I am honored that the mother of my Lord would come to me! As soon as I heard your voice, I felt my son leap inside me for joy.18 And I knew. (touching her abdomen) He knows.
(Nephi appears on the colonnade with an ANGEL. Elisabeth exits. Mary turns downstage.)
ANGEL TO NEPHI: Nephi, what beholdest thou?19
NEPHI: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.20
[Music cue: “Look On Me This Day—Reprise 1” underscore 
, 
]
MARY (to herself): My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God... For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.21
NEPHI: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.23
ANGEL: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.24
(ABINADI appears on the colonnade.)
ABINADI: [And] God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people. And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God.25
(Time has passed. Mary is in Elisabeth’s home embroidering a long strip of linen cloth.)
ELISABETH: How is the embroidery coming, Mary?
MARY: Swaddling bands aren’t easy, even after three months.
ELISABETH: Here, let me see.
MARY: It would be easier if I only had to worry about one side, and not about all the threads on the other.
MARY: Elisabeth, do you think I can be as good as these bands should be?
ELISABETH: What do you mean?
MARY: In my marriage.
ELISABETH: With Joseph.
MARY: Yes. I need to tell him, so that nothing is hidden.
ELISABETH: Good!
MARY: But I don’t know if I’m ready.
ELISABETH: Well then, you are ready.
MARY: I am? It doesn’t feel that way.
ELISABETH: You’re ready because you know you need the Lord. Now you’ll depend on Him. It will come to you what to say to Joseph. (pause) Oh, I will miss you, Mary . . .
MARY: But Elisabeth, the baby. I came here to help you.
ELISABETH: Don’t worry. We’ll be depending on the Lord, too.
(They embrace. Elisabeth exits. Mary turns downstage, alone in the light.)
[Music cue: “Look On Me This Day—Reprise 2” underscore , ]
(Mary's home.)
NOTES
16. See Luke 1:42.
17. Luke 1:42.
18. See Luke 1:41.
19. 1 Nephi 11:14.
20. 1 Nephi 11:15.
21. See Luke 1:46–49.
22. 1 Nephi 11:16.
23. 1 Nephi 11:17.
24. 1 Nephi 11:18.
25. Mosiah 15:1–2.
26. See Luke 1:50–55.
Return to the Scripts main page.
