You Choose Story-Maze

By Laura S. Shortridge

Every day we make choices. Some aren’t too important—what color backpack we carry, for example. Other choices are important—for instance, how we treat other people or whether we obey a commandment. Read the story below. You are the main character. What choices will you make?

Your mom says you may invite two friends over after school tomorrow. First you call Julie, who lives a few kilometers away. She is in your Primary class and in your class at school. Her parents say yes! She will walk home with you; her parents will pick her up before supper.

Next you call Tasha, a nonmember who lives just a few houses away. She can come, too. Before she hangs up the phone, though, she asks if anyone else is coming. When you tell her Julie is also coming, Tasha says, “If she is coming, I don’t want to come.”

If you say, “Julie is my friend too. Why don’t you come and get to know her better?” go to A. If you say, “OK, I’ll tell Julie that something came up and I can’t have anybody over,” go to F.

A. Tasha says, “Well, I guess I’ll still come, but don’t expect me to make friends with Julie.”

After school, Tasha and Julie walk home with you. When Julie stoops to tie her shoelace, Tasha makes an ugly face at her behind her back.

If you say, “Julie, Tasha’s making faces at you. She didn’t want you to come,” go to J. If you say nothing but give Tasha a look of disappointment, go to E.

B. When Tasha can’t hear, you whisper to Julie that Tasha didn’t want her to come and was making faces at her behind her back. Julie gets very quiet. Your get-together is no fun after that.

Surely you didn’t mean to do that! Won’t you reconsider and choose I?

C. All three of you go back to the swing and have a lot of fun. After a while, Julie’s mom picks her up and Tasha walks home. You’re glad that she and Julie have become friends.

This is the end of the story—unless you want to do a little more missionary work. If you do, go to G.

D. Tasha hides the cigarette as her mother drives past, then starts to put it in her mouth. You yell, “Stop! It really is bad for you.”

She says, “Once won’t hurt. I want to know what it tastes like.” She takes a puff and starts to cough.

When she throws the cigarette down, you stomp on it and say, “I wish you hadn’t done that. Heavenly Father doesn’t want us to hurt our bodies.”

Tasha asks, “Is Heavenly Father the same as God? How do you know that he doesn’t want us to smoke?”

If you say, “I just do, that’s all. Come on—it’s Julie’s turn on the swing,” go to C. If you say, “Because he told us so in a scripture we call the Word of Wisdom,” go to G.

E. When you get to your house, punch and cookies are on the table. They turn out to be Tasha’s and Julie’s favorite treats. As the afternoon goes on, you see that Tasha is actually being friendly to Julie. Tasha says, “Julie, I didn’t know you were such fun! You never say anything in school.”

If you suddenly feel jealous and try to discourage their growing friendship, go to B. If you try to help them become better friends, go to I.

F. Julie doesn’t come, because she thinks your mom changed her mind about your having friends over. You and Tasha have a good time, except you feel guilty about lying to Julie. Later, Julie finds out that Tasha was at your house, and her feelings are really hurt. Your friendship is never the same. You are sad that you lost a good friend.

You can’t make such a bad decision so soon—repent and go to A.

G. “What’s the Word of Wisdom?” Tasha asks.

“It’s a scripture that teaches us not to smoke and not to drink coffee, tea, beer, or wine—stuff like that. And not to do drugs.”

Julie adds, “It teaches us to eat fruits and vegetables and grains—you know, healthy food.”

“So do you two go to the same church?” Tasha asks. When you both nod, she looks down. “I don’t go to church, except when I visit my grandma. What do you do at your church?”

“Well,” you answer, “we have Primary every Sunday. We have a lesson and learn about Jesus Christ. We sing songs and have a lot of fun. Oh, and we have special activity days sometimes.”

Julie says, “It’s really neat! Do you want to come with us this Sunday?”

“Do I have to wear a dress?” Tasha asks.

“We always do,” you tell her. “I’m always glad I do—it feels right, somehow.”

Tasha shrugs. “I guess it won’t hurt me to dress up. Sure—I’ll ask Mom if I can go.”

Congratulations! You made important choices—and you made the right ones!

H. You put the cigarette to your mouth. Even though you don’t breathe it in deeply, it tastes terrible. You are still holding it when Tasha’s mom drives by. She stops the car, tells Tasha to get in, and says to you, “Don’t expect Tasha to come over anymore.”

You feel awful. When your eyes meet Julie’s, you see that she is very disappointed in you. You promise that you’ll never do anything like that again. Julie gives you a weak smile and says, “I believe you, but I don’t think Tasha’s mom ever will.”

This is your last chance to get this story on the “right-choice” track. Hurry to D!

I. You suggest that you all play on the swing. Tasha has the first turn. As Julie climbs on for her turn, a car full of teenagers drives by. One of them flips a cigarette on the curb. Tasha runs to pick it up. “It’s still lit!” She turns to you and says, “I dare you to try it!”

If you say, “No, I don’t do that kind of stuff, and I hope you don’t either, because it’s bad for you,” go to D. If you say, “Well, maybe just one puff—but you’d better not tell anyone!” go to H.

J. Julie gets tears in her eyes and doesn’t say anything. Tasha says, “Thanks a lot, Big Mouth,” and goes home. You and Julie have fun playing, but you get a knot in your stomach when you think about Tasha’s angry eyes. The next day in school, Tasha won’t even speak to you.

Not again! Aren’t you glad that this is just a story? Change your choice to E.

Illustrated by Julie F. Young