A teenage Jewish girl received an angelic vision telling her she would conceive a son who Old Testament prophets foretold would save the world.

Such could be the lead to a news story during New Testament times. All those years ago, the New Testament Book of Matthew reported such happening to the Virgin Mary.

Fast forward 2,000 years later, and Warner Chappel writes the song “Mary, Did You Know?” In the much-loved Christmas medley, the lyrics ask Christ’s mother if she knew the impact her son would have on God's children.

The song questions Mary if she ever imagined her baby boy would walk on water, heal the sick and become the “Lord of all creation.”

“This sleeping child you’re holding, is the Great I Am. Oh, Mary did you know?” are the last lines of the song.

Such “reflective questions” may be part of the Island Park Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ward's “The Christ Centered Christmas: ‘A Walk Through Bethlehem.’” The walk is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Dec. 20-21 and again from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Dec. 22, at the church located at 350 Church Lane. From U.S. Highway 20, those wishing to attend may turn right onto South Big Springs Loop and quickly find Church Lane.

“You can’t miss it,” said Island Park Bishop Josh Naylor, who reported the walk is the first one that his ward has ever presented. The event will use the ward’s two buildings in presenting the entire Christmas story.

“The story starts with Mary,” Naylor said.

One of the ward’s young women will take on Mary’s role. Mary’s room is dedicated to what Christians call “The Annunciation” where the New Testament records the Archangel Gabriel appearing to her telling Mary she will conceive and give birth to the Savior of the World.

“If you were Mary, how would you respond to an angel coming to give you this news?” Naylor asked. “She was chosen.”

At the time, Jews lived by the ultra-strict law of Moses. A woman pregnant outside of wedlock faced possible stoning or to be put away “privily.”

One can only imagine how anguished Joseph must have been learning his fiancé was pregnant by someone else, and what he must have thought when she told him God was the father. A stunned Joseph considered taking care of Mary’s situation privately, but shortly afterward a heavenly visitor intervened, records the New Testament.

According to the Book of Matthew, while Joseph considered what to do, an angel appeared and told him “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

Once again, one can only imagine Joseph was more shocked than he’d ever been in his entire life, but the message apparently comforted him.

“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS,” records the Book of Matthew.

Naylor said his ward will take creative license and show Joseph’s angelic vision happening at his place of work.

“The Angel Gabriel appeared in Joseph’s room – ours will be more of a carpentry room showing his career,” Naylor said.

Visitors will next move onto the shepherds guarding their flocks who that night received a heavenly angelic birth announcement, he said.

“The angels will have their own room designed to deliver messages of joy and great tidings,” Naylor said.

From there visitors will watch as the famed Three Wisemen search for the Christ Child, he said.

“They’ll talk about the journey that was quite long — it was two years they estimate,” he said. “It was the length of the journey, and their dedication to their journey to finally see the Christ. They were wealthy. They had comfortable lives. They didn’t have to go.”

The walk ends with the Wise Men, the Christmas family and angels, inside the stable where Mary gave birth. The stable was the only place available as the bible records the famous line of “no room in the inn” or any inns after the family arrived.

Naylor opted to have his ward put on the Christmas Walk after hoping to help them more fully focus on Christ.

“I put it up to the ward council members and told them ‘We really need to do something,’” he said. “A member of our ward council had done this in his Pocatello ward."

There’s more to the holidays than Santa Claus and store Christmas decorations springing up long before Halloween costumes do, Naylor said.

“The holidays have become so commercialized,” he said. “There's a lot more meaning to the season. There’s a lot deeper reason to celebrate and to have joy than the commercialized aspect of it. I think people are finding more and more that peace and joy don’t come from presents under a tree — at least I hope so.”

Island Park Ward members are excited about the upcoming event. That enthusiasm has spread throughout the community where other Christian churches hope to lend a hand.

“The Little Church in the Pines wants to help,” Naylor said

West Yellowstone and Ashton wards have also expressed interest in assisting, he reported.

“The reason for the season is to celebrate Christ,” he said. “It is to recognize the gift of Jesus Christ to the world and how eternally impactful that gift is to every person.”

Everyone from any denomination throughout the region is invited to attend “The Christ Centered Christmas: ‘A Walk Through Bethlehem’” free of charge. For more information on the event, contact Naylor at 801-372-3482.