September 11–17

2 Corinthians 1–7

“Be Ye Reconciled to God”

Begin your preparation by reading 2 Corinthians 1–7. Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families can help you study these chapters, and this outline can give you teaching ideas.

Invite Sharing

Some of the children in your class may have written letters this week about how a family member is a good example of a disciple of Jesus Christ (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). If they did, ask them ahead of time to share a letter in class. Or ask the children to share something else they learned.

Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children

2 Corinthians 1:3–4

Heavenly Father comforts me, and I can comfort others.

How can you give the children confidence that Heavenly Father will comfort them? How can you encourage them to comfort others?

Possible Activities

• Show the children some things that provide comfort, such as a blanket or bandage. Ask the children what comforts them when they are sad or afraid or have other problems. Read 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 with the children, and explain that “tribulation” is another word for really hard problems. Share some ways Heavenly Father has comforted you, and testify that He will comfort the children as well.

• Show pictures of people being baptized (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 103–4) while you read 2 Corinthians 1:4 to the children. Explain that when we are baptized, we promise to comfort others. How can we follow Paul’s counsel to “comfort them which are in any trouble”?

2 Corinthians 2:7–8, 10

I can forgive others.

Select from the following activities—or come up with your own—to help strengthen the children’s desire to forgive others.

Possible Activities

• Explain to the children that Paul wanted the Corinthian Saints to forgive a man who had sinned. Read 2 Corinthians 2:7–8, 10, and invite the children to place their hands over their hearts every time they hear the words forgive and forgave.

• Invite the children to role-play how they could respond in situations when someone has done something unkind. Let them take turns saying “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you.” How do we help people know that we forgive them? Explain that one way might be to “confirm your love,” or show love to them (2 Corinthians 2:8).

2 Corinthians 4:1–2

I believe in being honest.

Paul taught that servants of Christ have “renounced the hidden things of dishonesty.” Ponder ways you can strengthen the children’s desire to be honest in all things.

Possible Activities

• Help the children memorize the phrase “We believe in being honest” (Articles of Faith 1:13). Write this phrase on paper bracelets the children can decorate and wear. Explain that being honest includes telling the truth.

• Ask the children to raise their hands when you say something that is true and lower them when you say something that is not true. Make simple but obvious statements, such as “Today is Sunday” or “I have three noses.” Repeat the activity a few times, letting the children take turns being the one who makes true and false statements. Why does Heavenly Father want us to tell the truth?

• Show the video “A Visit with Elder Ulisses Soares” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What did young Elder Soares learn about honesty? Encourage the children to prepare for their baptismal covenant by being honest.

Teach the Doctrine: Older Children

2 Corinthians 1:3–4

Heavenly Father comforts me, and I can comfort others.

Remembering how God has comforted us inspires us to offer comfort to others.

Possible Activities

• As you read 2 Corinthians 1:3–4, ask the children to listen for an answer to the question “What does God do for us?” Help the children list ways in which God comforts us. Invite the children to share experiences when they were sad or worried or afraid and God comforted them.

• Invite the children to share ways we can keep our baptismal covenant to comfort others (see Mosiah 18:9). Give them time to think of someone they know who needs comfort and make a plan to reach out to that person.

2 Corinthians 2:5–11

I can forgive others.

It can be hard to forgive others when they are unkind to us. But the children you teach will experience love, peace, and happiness as they learn to forgive.

Possible Activities

• Tell the children that someone in Corinth had sinned and “caused grief” for the Saints (see 2 Corinthians 2:5). Ask the children to search 2 Corinthians 2:7–8 to find what Paul wanted the Saints to do.

• Share an experience when you forgave someone—or someone forgave you—and explain how you felt afterward. Or share the video “The Goal: A Story of Faith, Friendship and Forgiveness” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite the children to share their experiences with forgiveness.

2 Corinthians 5:6–7

I “walk by faith, not by sight.”

Consider how you can encourage the children to keep God’s commandments even when they do not see the blessings they desire right away.

Possible Activities

• Read 2 Corinthians 5:6–7 and Alma 32:21 with the children, and ask them to look for words and phrases that help explain what faith is. Ask them to write down their definitions and share them with each other.

• Invite one of the children to close his or her eyes, and ask the other children to give directions to help him or her complete a task such as building a tower with blocks or walking across the room. How does this activity help us understand what it means to “walk by faith” in God?

• Show the video “Reunited by Faith” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and ask the children how the young man in the video walked by faith. Share an experience when you walked by faith, and encourage the children to share experiences.

2 Corinthians 7:8–10

Godly sorrow leads me to repent.

It’s natural to feel ashamed or embarrassed when we are caught doing something wrong. Help the children distinguish these feelings from godly sorrow, which leads to repentance.

Possible Activities

• Explain that in 2 Corinthians 7:8–10, Paul referred to a letter he had previously written to the Saints, boldly warning them about their sins. Read these verses together. Why was Paul glad that the Saints were sorrowful? Point out that this kind of sorrow is called godly sorrow.

• Ask the children to think about a time when they did something wrong and felt bad about it. Invite them to ask themselves, “Why did I feel bad?” and then share their answers. Write their answers on the board (for example, “I was afraid I would get in trouble” or “I knew I had disappointed Heavenly Father” or “I made someone cry”). Which of the answers on the board seem like “godly sorrow”? (2 Corinthians 7:10). Why is godly sorrow better than other kinds of sorrow we can feel after doing something wrong?

Encourage Learning at Home

Invite the children to share with their families one of the activities from today’s class, perhaps during a family home evening.

Improving Our Teaching

Display a scripture. Select a scripture verse that you find meaningful, and display it in your classroom where the children will see it often. Perhaps the children could take turns selecting a scripture to display.