April 15–21

Easter

“O Grave, Where Is Thy Victory?”

Use your time with the children to help them see Easter as a season to rejoice in the Savior and deepen their gratitude for His sacrifice. The ideas in this outline can be adapted to help you teach children of any age.

Record Your Impressions

Invite Sharing

To help the children share what they know about Jesus Christ and His Atonement, you might show pictures of the Savior in Gethsemane, on the cross, and after His Resurrection (see the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families and Gospel Art Book, nos. 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60).

Teach the Doctrine

Younger Children

Jesus Christ is my Savior.

As you read about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, ponder how you can help the children feel how much Jesus loves them.

Possible Activities

• Teach the children that because we all sin, we cannot return to God without a Savior who suffered for our sins. Jesus Christ can save us from our sins if we repent. Hold up a mirror, and let the children take turns looking into it. As each child does, say, “Jesus loves [child’s name], and He can save [child’s name].”

• Show the picture Jesus Praying in Gethsemane (Gospel Art Book, no. 56) as you tell the story of Jesus suffering in Gethsemane for the sins of the world (see Matthew 26:36–46; Luke 22:39–44). Explain that because of His suffering, we can be forgiven when we make a wrong choice. You could also use “Chapter 51: Jesus Suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane,” New Testament Stories, 129–32, or the corresponding video (LDS.org).

• Sing together “I Feel My Savior’s Love,” Children’s Songbook, 74–75. What words in the song describe the Savior’s love? Ask the children how they can help others feel the Savior’s love.

Because Jesus was resurrected, I can live again.

How can you help the children understand that because of Jesus Christ, we and our loved ones will be resurrected someday?

Possible Activities

• Teach the children the story of Easter using pictures of Christ in Gethsemane, on the cross, and after His Resurrection, found in the Gospel Art Book (nos. 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60), and the full-page picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families. Let a few children hold the pictures while you tell the story. Tell the children about a few of the people who saw Jesus after He was resurrected, such as Mary (see John 20:1–18) or Thomas (see John 20:24–29).

• Find out if the children know why we celebrate Easter. Explain that on Easter we celebrate the most important day in history—the day Jesus Christ was resurrected. Ask if any children would like to share what their families do to remember Jesus Christ’s Resurrection.

• Explain that resurrected means to live again after we die. Bear your testimony that because of Jesus Christ, we will be resurrected—we will live again after we die, and we will never die again.

• Use a glove to teach the children that we all have a body (represented by the glove) and a spirit (represented by a hand). When we die, our spirits continue to live, but our bodies do not. When we are resurrected, our spirits and bodies come together again. Let the children take turns putting the glove on and taking it off.

• Sing together an Easter song, such as “Did Jesus Really Live Again?” or “Jesus Has Risen,” Children’s Songbook, 64, 70, and show the children pictures of Jesus after He was resurrected (Gospel Art Book, nos. 59, 60, 61).

• Display a picture of someone you know who has died. Share your testimony that he or she will be resurrected because of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

• Watch together the videos “Jesus Is Resurrected” or “The Risen Lord Appears to the Apostles” (LDS.org). Additional Easter messages can be found on mormon.org/easter.

He is Risen, by Greg Olsen

Teach the Doctrine

Older Children

Jesus suffered for me in Gethsemane and on the cross.

As you study the Savior’s Atonement, ponder how you can help the children learn and remember that Christ suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross for their sins, sicknesses, and sorrows.

Possible Activities

• Read with the children Luke 22:39–44 and selected verses from Matthew 27:29–50. Invite them to look for words that help them understand what the Savior experienced in Gethsemane and on the cross.

• Help the children memorize the third article of faith. Bear your testimony that Jesus Christ has the power to save us from sin and from death.

• Help the children prepare short talks about the Atonement of Jesus Christ that they can share with others. Encourage them to include a scripture and their testimonies in their talks. If they need additional help, they could read “Atonement of Jesus Christ” in True to the Faith (14–21).

Because Jesus died and was resurrected, I will live again.

The children you teach will someday experience the death of a loved one if they haven’t already. Help them know that because Jesus Christ was resurrected we will all be resurrected.

Possible Activities

• Display Gospel Art Book, nos. 57, 58, and 59, and ask the children to match the pictures with the following passages: Matthew 27:29–38, 59–60; John 20:10–18.

• Invite children to individually read “Resurrection” in the Bible Dictionary and write test questions they could ask about what they read. Give the children time to ask each other their questions and find the answers together.

• Help the children look in the topical index of the Children’s Songbook to find a song they would like to learn about Jesus Christ or the Resurrection. Sing the song together a few times. Ask the children what they learn from this song.

• Before class, invite a few children to come prepared to share their testimonies about the Savior’s Atonement and Resurrection. Invite the children to write down their testimonies to share at home.

Encourage Learning at Home

To help the children share what they learned with their families, encourage them to sing a song about Jesus Christ at home this week.

Improving Our Teaching

Children benefit from repetition. Don’t be afraid to repeat activities multiple times, especially with younger children. Repetition will help the children remember what you teach.