May 22–28

Genesis 24–33

The Covenant Is Renewed

Start by reading Genesis 24–33. Come, Follow Me for individuals and families can help you understand these chapters, and this outline can give you teaching ideas.

Record Your Impressions

Improving Our Teaching

Children like to share what they are learning. Although they are young, children can strengthen their family members. Encourage them to share with their family members something they learned in Primary. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 30.)

Invite Sharing

Under each child’s chair, place a question about something that happens in Genesis 24–33. Let the children answer the questions if they can, or invite them to listen for answers during the lesson.

Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Genesis 25:24–34

The things of God are the most important.

Because Esau was the oldest child in his family, he was supposed to get a special blessing from his father. One day when Esau was hungry, he traded that special blessing to his brother, Jacob, for some food.

Possible Activities

• Bring items that you can use to tell the story of Jacob and Esau, like a bowl to represent the pottage and a picture of someone getting a blessing to represent the birthright.

• Sing “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, 160) with the children. Emphasize that we are blessed and happy when we choose the right.

• Show the children two pictures: one of something of great spiritual worth (like the temple) and one of something that brings only temporary happiness (such as a game, toy, or treat). Ask them to choose which will help us return to our Heavenly Father. Repeat with other pictures.

• Let the children color this week’s activity page.

Genesis 27:41; 32:9–18; 33:1–4

I can be kind to my family.

Sometimes we might get mad at someone in our families. Esau was mad at Jacob, but because he loved Jacob he forgave him. How can you use this story to teach children about the importance of being kind to their families?

Possible Activities

• Summarize the story in Genesis 27:41; 32:9–18; 33:1–4 (see chapters 10 and 11 in Old Testament Stories [pages 42–49]). Pause at points in the story and ask the children to make faces that show what the people in the story were feeling.

• Use the picture of Esau forgiving Jacob (see this week’s study outline in Come, Follow Me for individuals and families) to help teach the children the story of Esau forgiving Jacob. Ask them to draw a picture of how they can be kind to someone in their family.

• Describe kind and unkind things the children might do to members of their families. Have the children put their thumbs up if the action is kind or put their thumbs down if the action is unkind.

Genesis 29:21–28; 31:36–42

I must always tell the truth.

Laban told Jacob that if he worked for him for seven years, Jacob could marry his daughter Rachel. After the seven years, Laban tricked Jacob and gave him another daughter, Leah, instead.

Possible Activities

• Invite several children to represent Jacob, Laban, Rachel, and Leah as you summarize the story of Laban’s deception. Explain that Laban was not honest and that Heavenly Father wants us to always tell the truth.

• Sing “I Believe in Being Honest” (Children’s Songbook, 149).

• Share a story from a Church magazine about a child who chose to be honest.

Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Genesis 24

I will prepare to be sealed to someone in the temple.

Marriage is far away for the children you teach, but the choices they make now can prepare them to be righteous husbands and wives. This chapter shows that Rebekah was prepared to be Isaac’s wife.

Possible Activities

• Read Genesis 24:1–28 and invite the children to act out the account of Rebekah and Abraham’s servant. What good qualities did Rebekah demonstrate that would make her a good wife for Isaac?

• Show a picture of a bride and groom at the temple (for example, see Gospel Art Book, no. 120), and explain that God wants us to be sealed there.

• Invite a couple in the ward or branch who has been sealed to share how being married in the temple has blessed them. What did they do to be prepared to be sealed?

Genesis 25:24–34

I will value eternal things instead of temporal things.

Esau chose to trade his birthright—something of eternal value—for a bowl of soup—something temporary. As you read these verses, ponder how you can teach the children to value things that are truly important.

Possible Activities

• Invite each child to draw something from the story of Jacob and Esau, such as a hairy person, a bowl of pottage, and a person getting a blessing. Use the pictures to tell the story.

• Use this week’s activity page to help the children think of things that people sometimes value more than God’s blessings.

• Invite each child to write a short story about a child who has to choose between an earthly thing and something of eternal value. Let them share their stories with each other.

Genesis 29:21–28; 31:36–42

We believe in being honest.

Because Laban wanted his older daughter, Leah, to be married before his younger daughter, Rachel, he tricked Jacob into marrying Leah. This could be a good opportunity to teach the children about the importance of being honest.

Possible Activities

• Act as a reporter, and interview the children as if they were Jacob, Laban, Leah, and Rachel. What happened to them while Jacob worked for Laban? If they need help answering your questions, help them look in the scriptures.

• On the board write “Why is it important to be honest?” Invite the children to find answers by reading “Honesty and Integrity” (For the Strength of Youth [2011], 19).

• Invite a child’s family member or Church leader to come to class and share times when he or she was proud of the child for being honest.

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to help their family learn a song that they sang in class or in sharing time.

Sharing Time

Singing Time (25 minutes)

Use the Children’s Songbook to select a variety of songs that reinforce the doctrine the children are learning this month. For example:

• “Choose the Right Way,” Children’s Songbook, 160

• “Families Can Be Together Forever,” Children’s Songbook, 188

Repetition helps children learn new songs. Repeat songs in a variety of ways, such as whispering, humming, or clapping to the beat.

Sharing by Children (10 minutes)

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

Younger Children

• Invite the children to act out ways they can be kind to their family members (see Genesis 33:1–4).

• Invite several children ahead of time to share about a time when they chose to tell the truth.

Older Children

• Ask several parents who have been sealed to share things they did when they were younger to prepare to be married in the temple.

• Write Temporary and Eternal on the board and discuss each word. Bring objects for the children to sort under these words.