God Loveth the Cheerful Giver Younger Children Teaching Ideas

-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.

-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.

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. • Print these out for each of your children to use as you sing the song

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.

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.

• Includes a cactus coloring page (thorns) both pre-colored and un-colored

• “Challenges make me humble” illustration available to color and pre-colored

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.

• -Don’t forget to pray for Eric printable story as well as and coloring page and handout versions

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”?

• includes work page with scripture and prompt described above:

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?

• Includes a work page for children to fill out with the above scripture and prompts

Primary Questions and Prompts (ages 3-12)

“God Loveth a Cheerful Giver” 2 Corinthians 8–13

September 16–22

I can cheerfully give to people in need. o What does “God Loveth a cheerful giver” mean? o 2 Corinthians 9:7

o Show children the pictures of a happy and sad face (provided) which one resembles a cheer giver?

o Sing the song “when we’re happy we’re helping” (printable lyrics provided) o Ask them to sing it cheerful, then ask them to sing it sad o What kind of attitude does Heavenly Father want us to have while we help others? o What happens to those around us when we smile? What happens when we are sad or

angry? o Do you think our attitudes affect those around us?

o Who is someone you think we could serve as a class? (perhaps someone who doesn’t regularly attend)

o Using the page provided create a plan to help this person fill in the blanks on the activity page.

o Challenge the kids to go home and serve that person and report to class about it next week.

o With an older class have them complete the 2nd Corinthians 9:7 worksheet this will help them better understand this scripture and how it applies to them

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

o Share the picture of the cactus and read the scripture about Paul o 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 and Ether 12:27.

o What do you think “thorn in the flesh” means? (trial or hardship) o Use the worksheet provided for older primary kids to ponder these scriptures further

o When Paul asked God to remove his trial from him did he? o What did God teach Paul by not removing this trial? o Share the picture of the man climbing and read what it says.

o Explain that our hardships can make us humble and teach us important lessons that make us stronger

Share picture of girl praying and the story “Don’t forget to pray for Eric” o Why do you think God doesn’t always answer us right away when we pray? o What is God trying to teach us? o Was there a time that you were going through a trial and you didn’t have your prayers

answered? (consider sharing your own experience) o How did this experience make you feel and what did you learn?