1. “Lesson 16: Joseph in Egypt,” Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996),67

2. When we seek after good, we are less influenced by that which is evil.
God
Satan
This represents us.
The further away from “Satan” we are, the less power he has to tempt us.
The closer we live to the Lord, the more we are influenced by His goodness.
When we seek after good, we are less influenced by that which is evil.

3. In this lesson, we will learn about Joseph’s early life in Egypt.
We will also learn the importance of keeping ourselves pure by staying away from temptation and living close to the Lord.

4. Joseph in Egypt
The men who bought Joseph took him to Egypt. They sold him to a man named Potiphar.
Potiphar was a soldier for the king of Egypt. Potiphar made Joseph his slave. God helped Joseph to do good work.

5. Joseph Remains Pure
While Joseph served in Potiphar’s household, he stayed committed to personal purity and keeping God’s commandments.
How was Joseph treated while he was Potiphar’s servant?
Let’s read Genesis 39:3–6

6. Why do you think Potiphar trusted Joseph and gave him such responsibility?
How can we earn other people’s trust?

7. Potiphar saw that God helped Joseph. Potiphar liked and trusted Joseph
Potiphar saw that God helped Joseph. Potiphar liked and trusted Joseph. He made Joseph the leader of all his servants. Joseph took care of everything Potiphar had.
Potiphar’s wife also liked Joseph. She tried to make Joseph kiss her. Joseph knew this was not right.

8. Joseph ran away from her.
Potiphar’s wife was angry. She told Potiphar lies about Joseph. She said Joseph tried to kiss her. Potiphar believed his wife.

9. When Potiphar’s wife tried to tempt Joseph to do wrong, how did he keep himself pure?
Let’s read Genesis 39:8–10, 12
Note that in verse 8 Joseph Smith translated “wotteth” as “knoweth” (see footnote b). “Hearkened not” means that he didn’t listen or follow. “Fled” means that he ran away.

10. What can we do when we are tempted to do wrong?
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know that it is harder to avoid temptation when we allow ourselves to get close to it.
Enrichment Activity #1

11. How could you distance yourself from temptation in the following situations?
a. A plate of your favorite dessert is on the table, ready to be taken to a sick neighbor.
Enrichment Activity #1

12. How could you distance yourself from temptation in the following situations?
b. Your parents have warned you not to swim without someone watching. You are alone by the water on a very hot day; perhaps you could just wade up to your knees …
Enrichment Activity #1

13. How could you distance yourself from temptation in the following situations?
c. Some of your friends are trying to convince you to try smoking a cigarette. Whenever you are with them, they dare you to take just one puff.
Enrichment Activity #1

14. d. You are troubled by bad thoughts when you read a certain book.
How could you distance yourself from temptation in the following situations?
d. You are troubled by bad thoughts when you read a certain book.
Enrichment Activity #1

15. How could you distance yourself from temptation in the following situations?
e. Some of your friends like watching inappropriate movies or television shows. They tease you because you aren’t allowed to do the same.
Enrichment Activity #1

16. Potiphar was angry at Joseph. He put Joseph in prison.
Two of the king’s servants were in prison with Joseph. They told Joseph about their dreams. Joseph told them what their dreams meant.
One servant was killed. The other was let out of prison. Joseph stayed in prison for two years.

17. Even though Joseph was falsely accused and cast into prison, how was he blessed by the Lord?
Let’s read Genesis 39:21–23
When you are treated unfairly or unjustly punished, what can you do to keep the Spirit of the Lord?

18. Joseph Was Guided by the Power of the Lord
Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker while he was in prison and later Pharaoh’s dream about the need to prepare for famine.

19. How was Joseph able to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker?
Let’s read Genesis 40:8
After Joseph interpreted these dreams, what favor did he ask in return?
Let’s read Genesis 40:14–15

20. What did the chief butler forget?
Let’s read Genesis 40:23
How can we show appreciation to those who help us?

21. The king of Egypt had some dreams. He did not understand his dreams
The king of Egypt had some dreams. He did not understand his dreams. No one could tell him what they meant.
The king’s servant remembered Joseph. He told the king about Joseph. He said Joseph would understand the king’s dreams.

22. The king sent for Joseph
The king sent for Joseph. Joseph said God told him what the king’s dreams meant.
Joseph said the people in Egypt would have more food than they needed for seven years.

23. Then there would be a famine. No food would grow for seven years.
Joseph said the people must store food. Then they would have food when the famine came.

24. The king believed Joseph. He made Joseph a leader of the people.
The people did what Joseph told them to do. They stored food for seven years.

25. After seven years there was a famine. No food grew.
People went to Joseph to buy food. Then the people had enough to eat. They were glad they obeyed Joseph.
We will learn more of Joseph’s story in our next lesson.

26. Why did the chief butler finally remember Joseph?
Let’s read Genesis 41:1, 8–9
How much time had passed?
What did the chief butler tell Pharaoh?
Let’s read Genesis 41:9–13

27. What did Joseph tell Pharaoh about his ability to interpret dreams?
Let’s read Genesis 41:16
What does this indicate about Joseph’s character?
To whom should we give credit for our talents, blessings, and spiritual gifts?

28. How did Joseph explain Pharaoh’s dreams?
Let’s read Genesis 41:2–7, 26–31
Note: kine means cows [see LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 721].
What solution did Joseph give to help Egypt survive the famine?
Let’s read Genesis 41:33–36

29. What do our Church leaders today teach us about food storage?
Why is this a good idea?
Why did Pharaoh choose Joseph to be in charge of gathering and distributing food?
Let’s read Genesis 41:38–39
What quality in your character might you use to bless the lives of others?

30. What privilege and power was Joseph given in Egypt?
Let’s read Genesis 41:41–43
What did Joseph do during the seven years of plenty?
Let’s read Genesis 41:48–49

31. When the famine arrived as foretold, who besides the Egyptians came to Joseph’s storehouses to buy food?
Let’s read Genesis 41:56–57
In the next lesson we will learn about Joseph’s family, who came from Canaan to Egypt to buy food during the famine.

32. Deciding to stay clean and pure before temptation comes can be a protection
President Spencer W. Kimball taught:
“Make certain decisions only once. … We can push some things away from us once and have done with them … without having to brood and redecide a hundred times what it is we will do and what we will not do” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1976, pp. 69–70; or Ensign, May 1976, p. 46).
Enrichment Activity #2

33. Some decisions you can make right now are:
Never smoke
Do not look at bad books, magazines, television shows, movies or videos
Pray each morning and evening
Read the scriptures daily
Stay morally clean
Write down one or more decisions you will make now.
Enrichment Activity #2

34. Instead of concentrating on evils to avoid, we should fill our lives with wholesome influences.
Which Article of Faith tells of good things we can seek after in our lives?
Enrichment Activity #3

35. The Thirteenth Article of Faith
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Enrichment Activity #3

36. I challenge you to commit to being clean and pure!
Let’s read Psalm 24:3–5
How does this description fit Joseph?
clean hands and a pure heart
fled temptation
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity
gave credit to God for his abilities
How could this scripture apply to you?
Enrichment Activity #4

37. Here is a pencil and paper
Here is a pencil and paper. Complete the sentence: “I will keep my mind and heart pure by ______.”
Some ideas are: praying, reading the scriptures, attending church, being honest, attending only uplifting movies, reading good books, and following Joseph’s example of avoiding evil.
Take your papers home and discuss what you have written with your family.
Enrichment Activity #4

38. I Will Be Valiant
We’re going to divide the class into two groups, “truth” and “right.”
When we sing the line “I’ll stand for truth,” that group will stand up and remain standing. We will do the same thing for the line “I’ll stand for right.”
Enrichment Activity #5

39. I Will Be Valiant
The Lord needs valiant servants, To do his work in the latter day, Who follow the teachings of Jesus And serve his people in a loving way. I will be his servant And keep my cov’nants valiantly. I’ll stand for truth. I’ll stand for right. The Lord can depend on me.
Words and music: Vanja Y. Watkins, b © 1981 IRI
Enrichment Activity #5

40. I testify to you that when you decide in advance to keep yourselves pure, the Lord will give you greater strength to resist evil.
I encourage all of you to stay as far away from temptation as possible.

41. Images and clipart are from lds. org, sugardoodle
Images and clipart are from lds.org, sugardoodle.net and Microsoft Office. Hymn and lesson material are from lds.org. The lesson and activities are from the Primary 6 Old Testament manual. The scripture story is from Old Testament Scripture Stories from lds.org.
No copyrighted materials were knowingly used in this presentation. Please do not use this presentation for commercial use.