Lani Hilton

Simple games for the Easter Season

In an effort to follow Elder Gary Stevenson counsel quoting N.T Wright that we should be taking steps to do more for the Easter season including more children’s games I have compiled a few ideas of children’s games for the Easter Season below.

PEOPLE of Easter CARDS. I made a card set. The card set can be found on etsy but you can also create your own by writing the names of the people of the Easter Story on separate pieces of paper. You are welcome to use this pdf compilation of about FORTY people of the Easter Story.

Too many times I over simplify the account by leaving out many of the people involved. I have found that even young children can learn many of these details. Age 7-11 enjoy matching games and teenagers may like the challenge of 20 questions game, charades or pictionary type came to see if they can guess the person.

Here is the free pdf. Enjoy! I love seeing that SO MANY people were part of these miraculous events and thinking of each of their perspectives in this scriptural narrative.

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IMAGE match for Good Friday – Put images of Good Friday events up on a moveable chalkboard or wall. Have a list of events displayed large on a wall and see if people can match the events with the image. Or, do use images for the entire easter season. Older children may enjoy the challenge of putting the images in order. See an amazing compilation of images at the scripture central site.

ITEMS –Display and discuss a few items of Good Friday. Ask children or teens if they can guess what person or event they are connected to. See my Good Friday page for or this object page a list of items.

Pictionary of Holy Week – done respectfully, guess what event of Holy Week is drawn.

Make oil lamps out of homemade or store bought clay. A couple days later when they are dry put a little oil in it and a piece of napkin or cloth so it can lite on fire. BE CAREFUL and have ADULT SUPERVISON because this can get a big flame. Act out the parable of the 10 virgins. (source: Joe and Janet Hales book, A Christ-Centered Easter)

Parable Charades, Pictionary, or 20 questions to review parables Jesus taught.

Book of Mormon Easter account — Whisper 3x and see if children/youth can understand the message –to go with 3 Nephi 11; build a temple out of legos or clay.

For more fun religious themed craft ideas related to Palm Sunday see this page.

For more Good Friday ideas see this page

Images the weeks following Easter Sunday plus Book of Mormon Easter

Jesus appeared many more times the weeks following Easter Sunday. Here is a church blog post I wrote that walks through the main events. Each of the images below are high quality and should print well in an 8×10 size. When printing please include the source info to give proper attribution to the artists. Images can be helpful when discussing the scriptural events the weeks following Easter Sunday. Only Thomas’ day, the Ascension and Pentecost have an exact date connected with them. The other events depicted below happened sometime in those 40 days before the Ascension.

Thomas’ day (a week after Easter Sunday) John 20

James Tissot, Christ Appears on the Shore of Lake Tiberias source John 21

The resurrected savior appears to his disciples at the Sea of Galilee. Artist: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Engraver: Joch, inscribed lower left. Source: Die Bibel in Bildern, Plate 224. Click on image to enlarge it. Also John 21(this is the same event as the one above, just a different depiction).

Grant Romney Clawson source Jesus appearing to 500 at once, 1 Corinthians 15:6

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. [John 21: 7; King James Bible] source

Go ye into all the world and preach my Gospel; image source–The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Harry Anderson, source The ascension 40 days after Easter Sunday, Acts 1

Herbert R. Sim, Pentecost Acts 2, 50 days after Easter Sunday source

The above includes only images of the weeks following Easter Sunday.

For images of Easter Sunday only see this page.

For images Palm Sunday-Thursday of Holy Week see this page

For images of the surrounding events of Good Friday see this page. (Hopefully this page is coming soon, make sure you refresh your browser to get the most updated edition.)

Book of Mormon Easter images see below. These events happened almost a year after the events above (3 Nephi 8:5 & 9:18).

Images below depict accounts in 3 Nephi 11 & 17 especially, and chapters 11-30. They should be high quality and print well for an 8×10 size. Enjoy!

image source

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Images of Holy Week Palm Sunday-Thursday

Liz Lemon Swindle. Raising of Lazarus John 11 (Before Palm Sunday)

Palm Sunday Triumphal Entry– source

Harry Anderson, Palm Sunday source: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

source: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

source: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Jesus teaching in the temple

source Interesting to compare the woman who anointed Jesus prior to his burial (Mark 14: 3-9) and woman who anointed Jesus’ feet (John 12:1-9) with Jesus washing the disciples feet at the last supper.

The Woman Anointeth the Head of Jesus (engraving) by Julius (after) Schnorr von Carolsfeld. source

Last supper. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

source Wikipedia

source: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Carl Bloch

James Tissot source

Peter denies Jesus third time. Source: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The above images are of events Palm Sunday- Thursday of Holy Week. They are high quality and should print well for an 8×10 size. Try to include proper source info when printing to attribute the artist. Enjoy!

For Good Friday images see this page. There is one below, but there are about 15 more on the Good Friday page.

For images about just Easter Sunday see this page

For images of events the weeks following Easter Sunday and a Book of Mormon Easter see this page.

source

Images for Easter Sunday

Two-Three-Many-and One

If you can remember that number sequence you will know how many women were at the tomb in each gospel. Two in Matthew, three in Mark, many in Luke and one in John. We say one in John because only Mary Magdalene is named, but it is possible there were more because when they run to the tell the disciples, she says, “we know not where they have laid him (John1:2)” implying she was with others. The images below depict each gospel’s account. These are images just for Easter Sunday–so many witnesses!

After appearing at the tomb, Jesus appeared to Cleophas and his friend on the road to Emmaus, Peter and then his disciples behind closed doors that evening. There are many more witnesses in the weeks after Easter. For images of those those events see this page.

Angels at tomb, source

source- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Getty Images

Photo source

“Women at the tomb”. Mileševa Monastery, Wikipedia

Robert Zünd, The Road to Emmaus, 1877

Image source Peter seeing Jesus.

Below image —source The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Image source for above. The Resurrected Jesus appearing to his disciples Easter evening.

LAST SUPPER

Thoughts on recreating your own Last Supper during Holy Week.

At dinnertime on the Thursday of Holy Week we like to have Mediterranean style food for dinner alongside a few Passover elements including unleavened bread, grape juice, bowl of salt water and a Seder Plate for display. During the meal, we choose a few of the following topics to discuss/have short devotionals on: Lord, is it I; the first sacrament; servant leadership; teachings from the Last Supper discourse; and we incorporate singing a hymn.

Items needed: place to sit on the ground to eat the meal; Bibles or print out of favorite Last supper teachings; Sacrament hymn (hymnbook or digital); Mediterranean Food and/or Passover Food with a seder plate.

Main events of Holy Thursday – give an overview of the big picture, then zoom in the events of just the Last Supper

Betrayal, Lord, is it I? – Mark 14:17-20, the humility of the Twelve to ask “Lord, is it I?” When have we shown that kind of humility?

First Sacrament –Mark 14:22-26 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. JST Mark 14:24 And as oft as ye do this ordinance, ye will remember me in this hour that I was with you and drank with you this cup, even the last time in my ministry…of this ye shall bear record.

Servant Leadership – Washing the feet (John 13:4-17); Who that is greatest among you shall be your servant. How can we serve more while we lead?

Teachings from the Last Supper Discourse John 13-16–

Here is pretty handout of teachings of the Last Supper

Hand students/children a sheet of paper with your favorite verses or better yet, have children/students find their own favorite teachings from the discourse at the Last Supper, write them on a sheet of paper and share why it is meaningful to them.

Do not let your heart be troubled. John 14:1

I am the way the truth and the life. John 14:6

If ye love me keep my commandments. John 14:15

Peace I leave with you. John 14:27

Love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Sing a hymn- Mark 14:26 “And when they had sung a hymn they went up into the Mount of Olives.” A few possibilities: 169 As Now we Take the Sacrament; 173 While of these emblems we partake; Love One Another

We may not always picture women at the Last Supper, but it is possible women were there. Here are four reasons why:

1.When Jesus says, “One of you will betray me” They ask, “Lord is it I?” He answers, “It is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish.” (Mark 14:20) If it is just the twelve with him at dinner, why would he specify it is one of the 12?

2.When the angel tells the women at the tomb, “He is Risen…But go your way, and tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” (Mark 16: 6-7; Mark 14:28) When did he say this unto them? It was the Last Supper/and Mt. of Olives!

3.The women who followed him from Galilee, who were there at the cross and the tomb needed to be somewhere that night because they were from out of town. Galilee is a 4-5 day walk from Jerusalem. Since the group of women are ministering to him in Galilee (Luke 8:1-3) it makes sense they would be ministering to him this night at mealtime and stay with him.

4.Passover was a family event. Jesus’ mother, and aunt, Mother of James and John are all in Jerusalem this week. It would make sense they would gather together for this meal.

I hope you feel more connected to Jesus Christ and feel his love as you recreate the Last Supper and you feel the blessings of intentionally speaking of Jesus Christ like the below quotes teach!

“At this Easter SEASON, let us worship and praise Him for the peace, hope, light and truth He brings to us.” President Russell M. Nelson 2021

“Be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends. You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen.” –President Russell M. Nelson Nov 2018

Holy Thursday

Main Events

Last Supper events are found in John chapters 13-16. They are solemn and sacred: One of you will betray me. Lord, Is it I? First Sacrament; Washing of the Feet; Discourse at the Last Supper; Sing a Hymn prior to walk to Gethsemane; Walk to Gethsemane.

Gethsemane: Prayer; Jesus asks the Father if is possible the bitter cup be removed; Disciples fall asleep; Angel comes to strengthen Jesus; Betrayal by Judas and arrest; Peter cuts off the ear of Malchus who is then healed by Jesus; Disciples flee

Palace of Caiaphas: Trial with Caiaphas and chief priests (Jewish authorities) including mocking, slapping, spitting on; Peter denies Jesus 3x before the cock crows (Friday morning)

If you are looking for tips on commemorating the Last Supper see this post. Here is a handout of a few of the teachings of the last supper.

Passover Simplified

In our family we have a Last Supper meal on the Thursday before Easter. We start with a modified Passover meal in a sitting down position with the food set on the floor. We eat a simple Mediterranean meal often lentil soup, with grapes, and pita and grape juice. While we eat we: 1) Explain the reason for the Passover which is to remember the miraculous deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery 2) Show the Passover elements on the Seder plate (see below for specifics) and then we eat a Mediterranean style meal 3) We sing Dayenu (English lyrics below) 4) We also briefly talk about Elijah coming on Passover – D&C 110 & explained by Elder Gong (quote below).

If you are looking for an extensive Seder program you could look here or other online resources. We simplify ours because we focus more on the events of the Last supper. If I were going to do a more extensive Passover I would do so during the weeks before or after Holy Week, to spread out the celebrations.

The Seder plate contents & possible symbolism: 1) Roasted egg (circle of life, festival sacrifice); 2) Haroseth (reminder of the mortar Jews used in Egypt as slaves); 3) Green vegetable like parsley or lettuce (hope, renewal); 4) Bitter herb, like horseradish (bitterness of slavery); 5) Shank bone (the lamb sacrifice). Also on the table, but not necessarily on the seder plate: Bowl of salt water for dipping – (salt of the slave’s tears) and unleavened bread (the children of Israel left in haste and did not have time for the bread to rise).

Other Mediterranean food that is nice, but not necessary: Pita, hummus; Mediterranean Salad: cucumbers, tomatoes, with some lemon juice and dill; Grapes, grape juice; Cheeses; Dried fruit: apricots, dates, figs; Some type of soup: lentil soup, veggie soup.

Dayenu is a song often sung at modern-day Passovers, in Hebrew or English; its meaning is “It would have been enough.” We like to watch this entertaining video of the Maccabeats performing Dayenu, and this fun video which teaches the lyrics of Dayenu. I like to invite family members to write a few of their own verses of Dayenu for our family. I love this song but not everyone does, including some of my family members do. Here are the English lyrics to Dayenu.

Interesting facts about the Passover:

The date of the Passover differs each year according to the lunar calendar so date does not always fall during the Holy Week
In the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus ate the Passover meal the night before he died, which means the Passover meal and Last Supper were combined.
In contrast, in the Gospel of John, the Passover lambs were being slain at the same time Jesus was dying on the cross, which means Jesus’ Last Supper would not have been a Passover meal. It seems John wanted to highlight that Jesus is the Passover lamb, by having Jesus Christ crucified at the same time the Passover Lambs were killed.
Passover lasts 7 or 8 days. The “Seder” is a ritual feast that the Jews have at the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. The Seder involves retelling the story of the miraculous delivery of the slaves from ancient Egypt as told in the book of Exodus. In Exodus 13:8-10 the children of Israel are commanded to retell the story year after year. Often, this evening of seder is referred to as Passover.
To modern-day Christians: The Passover is symbolic of Jesus’ blood delivering us from slavery and penalty of sin. “For Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (I Corinthians 5:7). When Christians celebrate Passover today, they remember how God miraculously delivered the children of Israel from slavery; and they also remember that now Jesus wants us to remember Him when we partake of the Sacrament/communion, the bread and wine.

Here is part of the quote from Elder Gong’s talk entitled “Hosana and Hallelujah”.

The coming of Elijah in the Kirtland Temple also fulfilled Malachi’s Old Testament prophecy that Elijah would re turn “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” In doing so, Elijah’s appearance coincided, though not by coincidence, with the Jewish Passover season, which tradition reverently anticipates Elijah’s return.

Let us also briefly recall what Passover signifies. Passover remembers the deliverance of the children of Israel from 400 years of bondage. The book of Exodus relates how this deliverance came after plagues of frogs, lice, flies, the death of cattle, boils, blains, hail and fire, locusts, and thick darkness. The final plague threatened the death of the firstborn in the land but not in the house of Israel if—if those households put the blood of an unblemished firstling lamb

The angel of death passed by the houses marked with the symbolic blood of the lamb. That passing by, or pass over, represents Jesus Christ ultimately overcoming death. Indeed, the atoning blood of the Lamb of God gives our Good Shepherd power to gather His people in all places and circumstances into the safety of His fold on both sides of the veil.

For more ideas on a Christ-centered easter visit this page.

Here is a blog with a slightly different take on Passover. She combines Passover elements with her Easter Sunday dinner.

Scripture Valentines

It is always good to focus on the love God has for us, and it is especially fun during Valentines. Here are 8 of my favorite scripture valentines. Print them 4 to a sheet or select 9 to a sheet (on your printer settings) if you prefer a smaller card size.

Here is a free download. I hope you feel the power and reality of God’s love.

Devotional Lesson Plan & teaching ideas for Good Friday

Show an image of a heart – Ask –what does this symbol make us think of? Show an image of a cross and say: for many the cross is a symbol of the Savior’s love for us. Jesus said his greatest act of love for us was giving his life for us, dying for our sins.

Use the senses – Seeing, touching, or tasting objects related to the Crucifixion can be helpful, especially for children, in remembering the events of Good Friday. For example, making or holding a crown of thorns from , carrying a heavy beam, handling a long nail, or tasting vinegar could connect participants with the events of Good Friday.

Use the list of objects as a way to talk about the events of Good Friday and this timeline.

Visuals – Dress up as people of Good Friday (see list of people below) Reader’s theater script and use the objects of Good Friday including purple Fabric or Paper representing the veil of the temple. Tear it in half and talk about the meaning of the temple being torn in two at the death of Jesus– that because Jesus died for us, we are able to enter God’s presence.
Display the seven final statements of Jesus in the shape of a cross, or have them as part of your table decor, or make them into a paper book for little ones.

Watch this Video on the significance of the seven final statements and the discuss which statement is most meaningful to each person

Engage with the events of Good Friday in music, film or art.

The gospel of John movie , It is 3 hours and is word for word from the gospel of John. Because it is so long I like to watch it on multiple days.

Or a short video on crucifixion

Attend worship services.
End with Good Friday celebratory food if you are not fasting. Many Christians fast on Good Friday. If you have younger children you may like to make sugar cookies or bread in the shape of a cross or heart, or both. Crosses and hearts together can help us connect Jesus’ death with his love. A tradition in other countries is Hot Cross Buns.

7 final statements of Jesus on the cross

Thinking about, displaying, or having a devotional about the 7 final statements of Jesus on the cross are all great ways to commemorate Good Friday and focus more on Jesus during the Easter season.

Here is a short lesson plan for the 7 final statements of Jesus on the cross:

Ask children/students to write down on a piece of paper any of the 7 final statements they can remember. You could have them find in the scriptures the other the statements they couldn’t remember on their own (scripture references are listed below). Then have them see if they can put the statements in the order they think they were said.
Watch this very good ten minute video about the significance of these final statements and what they teach us about Jesus Christ. Invite children/students to take notes during the video writing down the statements and thoughts they have.
Have them share which statement resonates the most with them and why. Don’t rush this sharing time.
Display the seven final statements as part of your Easter/Holy Week/Good Friday decor. You could display them in the shape of a cross on a wall in your home, have them as part of a centerpiece on your table for your Easter dinner or Good Friday meal, make them into a banner, or a paper book. The link provided is a digital download my daughter made but you can easily make your own. If you are teaching your children/students they could create their own cards for display, or create a card with just their favorite one of the seven statements.

Seven final statements of Jesus on the cross:

1) Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34

2) Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43

3) Woman, behold thy son. John 19:26

4) I thirst. John 19:28

5) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mark 15:34

6) It is finished. John 19:30

7) Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit Luke 23:36

End with an invitation to ponder on these statements a little more.

Here is a Liahona article discussing the 7 final statements