How would you feel about someone that betrayed you? Someone that took away your freedom and changed the arch of your life entirely? Joseph had every reason to shun his brother, to hate them for selling him into Egypt. He could have turned his back on them during the famine and felt justified that they got what they deserved. He could have stayed angry and bitter. But instead, Joseph forgave. He saved his family from potential starvation and he was able to set aside the past. This week's lesson bundle teaches about forgiveness and how, like Joseph, we can find a place in our hearts to forgive others in our lives.
LESSON BUNDLE DOWNLOADS:
➤ L E S S O N
Open the lesson with a song and a prayer.
🎶 O P E N I N G S O N G : "Dare to Do Right"
➤ P R E P A R A T I O N
You will need several sheets of blank printer paper.
➤ I N T R O D U C T I O N
Give each child a piece of paper and ask them to fold the paper in half three times.
After they complete the task, give each child a new piece of paper. Now ask the children to close their hands into really tight fists and invite them to attempt the same folding challenge again while continuing to squeeze their fists tightly!
After they try it, invite them to continue to squeeze their fists tightly while you explain the following: “This is what our hearts feel like when we are angry (squeezing tight with our fists). It takes a lot of energy, and it makes us so tired! And when we are angry, it’s really hard to do anything except be angry!
But when we forgive (instruct children to release their hands), we feel calm, and we are free again. We can do the things we want to do again (wiggle your fingers around to demonstrate the freedom of movement), and we can do the things that Heavenly Father would have us do!
🎥 V I D E O : "The Boy Who Got Stuck Being Angry | A Story About Forgiving Others"
Say: “Now we are going to watch a video about a boy named Jonas who was angry at his brother. Let’s watch and see why he was angry, and how long he stayed angry!”
Discuss the following questions after watching the video:
1) Why was Jonas angry? (His little brother spilled water on his drawing.)
2) What happened when he tried riding his bike and swinging on the swing? (He was still stuck being angry!)
3) What idea did Jonas have that helped him to stop being angry and forgive his brother? (He stood in front of his fan!)
4) What ideas can you think of that might help you if you are feeling angry? (Discuss ideas together.)
➤ S C R I P T U R E
Read the verses below and discuss the questions that follow.
[Read the first part of Genesis 50:17]
So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren…
1) What did Joseph’s brothers do to him that Joseph might be angry about? (Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, and they threw him into a pit, and sold him to be a slave.)
2) Why do you think Joseph should forgive his brothers? (Discuss.)
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
1) Why do you think God wants us to forgive others? (Discuss.)
2) How do you think we will feel if we don’t forgive, and we stay angry at one another? (Discuss.)
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
1) Does the Lord forgive us? (Yes!)
2) How would we feel if the Lord wouldn’t forgive us? (Discuss.)
➤ A C T I V I T Y
Pass out the coloring page. Invite the children to color the scene from the movie. Use this time to talk about managing angry feelings, and about forgiveness.
➤ T E S T I M O N Y
Bear testimony of the truths found in the scriptures.
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