Jesus talking to small child

September 16–22

2 Corinthians 8–13

“God Loveth a Cheerful Giver”

Your best ideas for teaching the children in your class will come as you prayerfully study 2 Corinthians 8–13 with them in mind. Additional teaching ideas can be found in this outline.

Record Your Impressions

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Invite Sharing

One good way to invite sharing among the children is to remind them of something you invited them to do during a previous lesson. Ask them to share their experiences.

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Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

2 Corinthians 9:6–7

I can cheerfully give to people in need.

It is always good to serve others, but it is even better to serve cheerfully. Consider what will inspire each child to be “a cheerful giver.”

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to repeat the phrase “God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). What does it mean to be “a cheerful giver”? Show a picture of a happy face and a sad face, and ask the children which one looks like a cheerful giver.

• Sing together a song about service, such as “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, 198), several times. The first time, ask the children to sing cheerfully; then ask them to sing the song with different emotions or attitudes, such as sad, tired, angry, or scared. Remind the children that Heavenly Father wants us to help others gladly. Then sing the song cheerfully again.

• Give the children pictures of smiling faces. Ask them to hold up their pictures when they hear the words smile or smiling as they sing “Smiles” (Children’s Songbook, 267). They could do the same thing with pictures of frowning faces and the words frown and frowning. Tell the children that a frowning face is not cheerful; one way to be cheerful and serve others is to smile and help others smile.

• Plan a class activity to serve someone, such as a child who does not attend Primary or a ward member or neighbor in need. You might plan to visit this person’s home, write kind notes or draw pictures, or make a treat to share.

• Invite each child to plan an act of cheerful service for a member of his or her family. During next week’s lesson, ask them to share what they did.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10

Heavenly Father always answers prayers, but He doesn’t always give me everything I ask for.

Paul’s experience with praying for his “thorn in the flesh” to be removed teaches us that God sometimes shows His love for us by not giving us what we want.

Possible Activities

• Show the children a plant with thorns (or a picture of one). Help them imagine what it would feel like to have a thorn stuck in their skin for a long time. Summarize 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 for the children, using words they will understand. Explain that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was a trial, such as a physical weakness. Even though Paul asked God to remove the trial, God did not. Instead, God taught Paul that challenges can help us learn to be humble and trust Him. Then God can make us strong.

• Testify that Heavenly Father knows what is best for us, and He will give us what we need, even if it is different from what we think we need. You might also share an experience when your prayers were answered in a way or at a time that was different from what you expected. The story “Don’t Forget to Pray for Erik” (Friend, Jan. 2017, 36–37) can also help.

• Sing with the children a song about Heavenly Father’s love, such as “A Child’s Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, 12–13). Ask the children what they would say to someone who wonders whether Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. Sing the song again, and point out lines that describe how Heavenly Father feels about us.

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Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

2 Corinthians 9:6–9

I can cheerfully give to people in need.

Paul wanted to inspire the Saints to give of their abundance to help the poor. How will you use his words to inspire the children to serve others?

Possible Activities

• Write the words of 2 Corinthians 9:7 on the board, with key words left blank. Invite the children to guess what the missing words are. Then let them read the verse in the scriptures to fill in the blanks. What does it mean to give “grudgingly, or of necessity”? What does it mean to be “a cheerful giver”?

• Invite the children to help you find pictures of the Savior serving others (there are several in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Ask them what they see in these pictures that helps them know that Jesus served others with love. Set a goal as a class to say yes when family members or others ask us to serve in the coming week, such as by helping around the house or caring for others.

• Help the children decorate small stones. Invite them to carry their “service stones” in their pockets this week to help them remember to cheerfully serve others.

• Help the children come up with new verses to a song about service, such as “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, 253), that teaches that it is fun to serve others in a variety of ways.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10

Heavenly Father always answers prayers, but He doesn’t always give me everything I ask for.

Paul asked God to remove his weakness, but God knew that Paul’s infirmity would humble him and make him strong.

Possible Activities

• Invite the children to compare 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 and Ether 12:27. What words or phrases are repeated? What are these verses teaching? (You may need to explain that Paul was comparing his challenge to a thorn in his skin.) What did God teach Paul about trials?

• Invite the children to list some trials people have in life. Help them consider how someone might learn from these trials and be blessed by them.

• Read with the children “Will Heavenly Father Always Answer My Prayers?” (Friend, Jan. 2017, 12–13). Ask the children to share experiences when they prayed for something and did not receive it. Ask them to share what they learned from their experiences. You might have your own experiences to share as well. Bear your testimony that Heavenly Father always answers our prayers in the way and at the time that will bless us the most.

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Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to be cheerful givers in their homes this week and to come to class next week prepared to report on how they served someone in need.

Improving Our Teaching

Address disruptions with love. “Sometimes a child acts in ways that disrupt the learning of others in the class. When this happens, be patient, loving, and understanding about the challenges the child may be facing. … If the child causing disruptions has special needs, talk to the ward or stake disability specialist or visit disabilities.lds.org to find out how you can better meet those needs” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 26).

activity page: giving to people in need