Lesson 48: Jonah; Micah

November 21-27
Jonah; Micah
"He Delighteth in Mercy"

Materials: whale visual aide (printed, colored, and folded), video, whales printed and cut out, a stick, a magnet, a string, paper clips. 
Opening Song: "Follow the Prophet" verse 7 (Children's Songbook, 110)
Opening Prayer: 

Attention Activity: Before FHE, print and color the image below. Make a "z" fold along the mouth of the whale so that Jonah appears to be swallowed. Sing "Follow the Prophet" verse 7 again, but this time, on the chorus, sing "swallow the prophet" instead. Have family members take turns with the visual aide "swallowing the prophet".

Lesson:

Watch the video "Jonah and the Fish" video from YouTube. 

Jonah was a prophet during the reign of King Jeroboam around 788 b.c. Jonah's story is one of the most famous in the Old Testament because it is so fantastical. Jonah wasn't the typical prophet. When he received his call from the Lord to preach to the people of Ninevah, he ran away instead of doing what the Lord asks him to do. The Lord sent a storm to Jonah's boat and Jonah offered to go into the sea so the others on the boat may live, only then to be swallowed by a "great fish." Jonah's trial inside the whale lead him to repent and the Lord made it so the whale spat him out. Jonah finally completed his task and taught the gospel to the people of Ninevah, Assyria, and they turned to the Lord and repented. But Jonah, didn't like the fact that these Assyrians were forgiven and became angry with the Lord for forgiving them. God then taught Jonah about mercy. 

Activity: Magnet Fishing--Lessons from Jonah

(Before FHE, print and cut out the whales below. Put a paper clip on each whale. Tape a piece of yarn or string to a long stick or pole to act as a fishing rod. Set the whales in front of your family on the floor.) Have family members take turns fishing for a whale. As they pick one, read the lesson from the book of Jonah below that corresponds to the number on the whale. 

1. We can not hide from God. Jonah thought he could hide from God, but God always knows where we are, what we are doing, and the state of our hearts. He knows us better than we know ourselves. 

2. We shouldn't run from our responsibilities.  "Though most Latter-day Saints may never be called to do anything as dramatic as calling on a whole city to repent or be destroyed, we receive numerous calls of our own from the Lord. Sometimes, like Jonah, we seem to run away or at least to escape our responsibility. Consider the following: 1.A person who refuses to accept a call in the Primary because she would not be able to attend Relief Society meetings. 2. A young man who turns down a mission call so he can accept a scholarship from a university. 3. A family who does not hold regular family home evenings. 4. A person who gets behind on his bills and does not pay his tithing. 5. A young woman too shy to accept a call as a Young Adult Relief Society teacher. We all receive calls, and sometimes we try to escape them. But we can repent, accept the call, and reap joy in our service" (Old Testament Student Manuel, "Jonah: One Should Not Flee From His Responsibilities). 

3. All of God's children need to hear the gospel. Jonah wasn't to keen on preaching to the Gentile people of Ninevah in Assyria. Assyrians were supposed to be the "bad guys" after all. But God doesn't see people that way. All people are God's children and he wants what is best for us all. "We should never set ourselves up as judges of who is ready [to hear the gospel] and who is not. The Lord knows the hearts of all of His children. and if we pray for inspiration, He will help us find persons He knows to be 'in a preparation to hear the word [Alma 32:6]" (Dallin H. Oaks, "Sharing the Restored Gospel" Ensign, Nov. 2016). 

4. God hears and answers our prayers. Jonah spent 3 days praying in the belly of the whale. He "cried" unto the Lord, and the Lord heard him and answered his prayers. “It is true that the answers to our prayers may not always come as direct and at the time, nor in the manner, we anticipate; but they do come. And at a time and in a manner best for interests of him who offers the supplication” (David O. McKay, Conference Report, Apr. 1969, 152-52).

5. Our actions can have negative effects on others. When Jonah decided to board a ship to Tarshish instead of going to Ninevah, his actions had dreadful consequences on those around him. The great storm that God sent was so terrible that the "ship was likely to be broken" (1:4) We can not assume that action poor choices will only effect ourselves. Those around us, those we love, are effected negatively when we sin. 

6. The Lord is merciful to all who turn to Him. The Ninevites' repentance was immediate, humble, and sincere after they heard Jonah's words. They fasted and prayed for repentance and turned "everyone from his evil way" (3:7). God forgave the Ninevites and spared them their destruction.

7. Jonah's story was used by Jesus Christ to teach about His death and resurrection. Read Matthew 12:39-41. Jonah is a Christ-type because he spent 3 days in the belly of the whale and Jesus spent 3 days buried before He was resurrected. 

Read the words to "I'll go where you want me to go" (Hymns, 270). Bear your testimony. 

Closing Song:  "I'll go where you want me to go" (Hymns, 270)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Cheddar and Bacon Cornbread Muffins recipe here