By Alison Palmer

Scripture: John 3:16

Song: “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (Hymns, no. 136)

Preparation: Find an object that is broken in your home. This can be a simple as a worn sock, a button missing from a shirt, or more complicated – a broken lamp or bicycle inner tube. Make sure you have materials on hand to repair the item as well. Set aside a picture of the Savior and a picture of an infant. Gather the materials for your activity and treat as well.

Lesson: Show the broken object and ask your family to discuss how the item became broken and the emotions and importance attached to it. Then, determine a way that the item could be fixed. Let the family participate in carrying out their solution. Compare the repaired item to its original state and it’s broken one.
Can you still tell the item was broken? Is the family proud of their solution and work toward the repair? What else did they learn from the experience?

Next, briefly review the Plan of Salvation.

Show the picture of the infant. An infant does not come to earth knowing how to do everything it needs to grow and survive. He is given help from those who love him.
Even so, there will be times when things go wrong. Talk about what happens when the infant learns to walk. It takes time, a number of falls, and sometimes cuts and bruises before the child can stand tall and run and walk as Heavenly Father intended him to. You may further discuss items that your individual children are learning that can be difficult – such as learning to ride a bike, a new type of math, or dating for the first time.

As we learn and grow, our bodies and our spirits can both face times when they are “broken.” With help from those who love us, time, and the proper actions, we can fix our life and spirit in the same manner that the object from your home was repaired.

Review the steps of repentance and how they help in the healing process. You may also want to discuss the emotions and difficulties associated with the process if your family is older.

Testify concerning the atonement and resurrection. Then, end with the picture of the Savior and emphasize His vital role of making us whole and new again so that we can return to Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ loves us more than we can imagine. After we have done everything we can to fix our mistakes only the Savior can make us new again, just as if we had never become broken.

Activity: For older children: Use a hat pin to poke holes in both ends of a raw egg shell. Blow out the insides to represent the empty tomb. Rinse and dry, and then paint (water, acrylic or concentrated dyes) the egg shells with images represent the atonement, and the promises of the resurrection.

For younger children: Have an Easter egg hunt. Have each person draw something that was meaningful to them from the lesson or their testimony about the atonement.
Fold the papers up and place them inside plastic eggs. Hide the eggs. Start with the youngest member of the family and have them find an egg. As each egg is found, open it and discuss what is depicted on the picture.

Refreshment: Make “Sweet Tombs”

This dessert can be made as a family and promotes further discussion about the resurrection.

1. Roll a large marshmallow in melted butter, and then in cinnamon and sugar.

2. Wrap a refrigerator biscuit around the spiced marshmallow and pinch the edges together tightly.

3. Place each “tomb,” edge side down, in a greased cup of a muffin tin.

4. Lightly dust the tops of each biscuit with the remaining butter and cinnamon and sugar.

5. Bake the tombs according to the biscuit package directions.

6. When you remove the tombs from the oven they will be puffed up and round. Allow them to cool slightly, and then bite into the tomb. The marshmallow will be “gone” but a sweet promise of the resurrection will remain.