May 15–21

Genesis 18–23

“Now I Know That Thou Fearest God”

Start by reading Genesis 18–23. Come, Follow Me for individuals and families and this outline can help you understand these chapters and give you teaching ideas.

Record Your Impressions

Improving Our Teaching

Encourage reverence. As needed during class, you might remind children to be reverent by quietly singing or humming a song, displaying a picture of Jesus, or using a hand signal that the children recognize as a reminder to be reverent.

Invite Sharing

To help the children share what they already know about Genesis 18–23, you could show pictures of one or more events from these chapters and ask the children to share anything they remember about the story.

Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Genesis 18:9–15; 21:1–8

I can trust God to keep His promises.

God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son. Sarah laughed at this because she thought they were too old to have a baby. You might use this story to teach the children that God always keeps His promises, even when it seems impossible.

Possible Activities

• Summarize the story in Genesis 18:9–15 and 21:18. You may find it useful to use chapters 8 and 9 of Old Testament Stories, titled “Abraham” and “Abraham and the Sacrifice of Isaac,” and the related videos on LDS.org.

• Make a promise to the children that you will fulfill at the end of class (for example, that you will allow them to color a picture). Throughout class, remind them of your promise. Explain that the Lord always keeps His promises.

• Sing both verses of “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 146–47) with the children, and ask them to listen for things that God has promised to us, like safety, peace, and blessings.

• Show a picture of a baptism or the sacrament (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 103, 104, 107, and 108). Help the children learn about the promises we make and the promises God makes in return when we are baptized and take the sacrament (see True to the Faith, 23–25).

Genesis 22:1–14

Abraham and Isaac obeyed the Lord.

It was very difficult for Abraham to follow the commandment to sacrifice his son. Ponder how you can appropriately use this story to encourage the children to obey God even when it is hard.

Possible Activities

• Show a picture of Abraham and Isaac (see this week’s study outline in Come, Follow Me for individuals and families), and use it to tell the story of Abraham and Isaac.

• Write simple actions on strips of paper (“clap your hands,” “jump”) and hide them under the children’s chairs before class. Tell the children to find the papers under their chairs. As you read each one, invite the children to obey what it says.

• Invite the children to color this week’s activity page. Talk to them about the pictures on the page, which show ways in which they can obey.

• Sing “Quickly I’ll Obey” or “I Have Two Little Hands” (Children’s Songbook, 197 and 272) with the children and do actions to accompany the lyrics.

Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Genesis 18:9–15; 21:1–8

The Lord keeps His promises, even when it seems impossible.

Abraham and Sarah were told that they would have a son, but because Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 it seemed impossible that God’s promise could be fulfilled. The children you teach may someday face trials of their faith. How can you use this story to help them trust God’s promises?

Possible Activities

• Give each child a word from the first sentence of Genesis 18:14, and ask the class to put the words in the correct order. Then the children could read verses 9–13 to find out why the Lord said this.

• Show pictures of scripture stories in which God did something that seemed impossible (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 19, 25, 26, and 43). Ask the children to discuss these stories and then share miracles that have occurred in their lives or the lives of people they know.

• Show the video “Continue in Patience” (LDS.org). Share a time when you prayed for a blessing that was delayed.

Genesis 19:17–26

I can flee wickedness.

Lot and his family were righteous people living in a wicked city. God sent angels to warn them to flee before the city was destroyed. This story could inspire the children to flee from wickedness.

Possible Activities

• In your own words, tell the story of Lot’s escape from Sodom and Gomorrah.

• Invite the children to walk toward you when you describe something that brings us closer to Christ. Tell them to turn away when you describe something they should flee from.

• Role play situations in which a friend invites the children to do something they know isn’t right. How would they “flee” these situations? What could they say to their friend?

Genesis 22:1–14

Heavenly Father sent His Son as a sacrifice for us.

Older children may be able to understand how God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac represents Jesus Christ’s Atonement. How can you use this account to help them strengthen their relationship with Christ?

Possible Activities

• To help the children learn the story in Genesis 22:1–14, write phrases from these verses with some words missing. Help the children look in the scriptures and fill in the blanks.

• Use pictures of Abraham and Isaac and of the Crucifixion to tell the story in Genesis 22 and compare it to the Savior’s sacrifice.

• Prepare slips of paper with matching pasages from the table in this week’s study outline in Come, Follow Me for individuals and families. Let the children select a slip and read the verses together. Discuss the similarities between Isaac and Jesus Christ.

• Show “For God So Loved the World” (biblevideos.lds.org) or sing together “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, 34–35). Invite the children to think about how Jesus’s sacrifice shows Heavenly Father’s love for us.

Encourage Learning at Home

What can children share at home? For example, they could ask their family members to tell about a miracle that has happened in their lives, including times when the Lord has helped them overcome challenges.

Sharing Time

Singing Time (25 minutes)

Sing songs from the Children’s Songbook that reinforce the doctrine the children are learning this month. For example:

• “Choose the Right Way,” 160–61

• “Families Can Be Together Forever,” 188

At the end of singing time, share your testimony of the truths in the songs.

Sharing by Children (10 minutes)

Create opportunities for children to share how they are learning and living the gospel.

Younger Children

• Invite a couple in the ward to dress up as Abraham and Sarah and share their story from Genesis 18:9–15.

• Play a simple game that requires the children to follow directions. Praise them for obeying, and bear testimony of the blessings that come when we obey God’s commandments.

Older Children

• Ask children to share their testimonies of Heavenly Father and the Savior. What do they learn about the Father and the Son’s relationship from Abraham and Isaac?

• After singing “Choose the Right Way,” ask the children to share good choices people made in the stories in Genesis 18–23.