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Return unto Me

A leftover gift, the windows of heaven, and a promise about Elijah that came true in a temple in 1836

  • 🧭 Youth 11–14
  • Week 51
  • 📅 Sunday, December 20, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

The Lord loves me and asks for my best, not my leftovers, and through Elijah’s keys I can help turn hearts and bind families together in the temple.

I can give the Lord my best, pay an honest tithe, and turn my heart to my family by doing temple and family history work.

Come, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Malachi)
Know the chapters

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, written about four centuries before the Savior’s birth. The temple had been rebuilt, but worship had gone stale. Malachi opens with the Lord saying, “I have loved you,” and the people answering, in effect, “Oh really? How?” (Malachi 1:2). The whole book reads like a conversation: the Lord makes a point, the people push back with “Wherein?”, and the Lord answers. It’s a very teenage format, and a good way in.

The priests were offering blind, lame and sick animals on the altar, animals they would never dare give to the governor (Malachi 1:8, 13). In other words, God got the leftovers. The Lord also asks, “Will a man rob God?” and answers: in tithes and offerings (3:8). Then comes the famous promise: bring all the tithes into the storehouse, and He will open the windows of heaven (3:10). Many eleven- to fourteen-year-olds are starting to earn their own money from babysitting, mowing or birthday gifts. Help them see tithing as their own covenant, not their parents’. Elder David A. Bednar’s talk “The Windows of Heaven” (October 2013 general conference) teaches that these blessings are often spiritual and quiet, not just money.

Malachi ends with a promise: before the great day of the Lord, God will send Elijah the prophet to turn the hearts of the fathers and children to each other (Malachi 4:5–6). The resurrected Savior gave Malachi’s words to the Nephites (3 Nephi 24–25). In September 1823 the angel Moroni quoted these verses to Joseph Smith a little differently: the Lord would reveal the priesthood by the hand of Elijah, and plant in children’s hearts the promises made to their fathers (Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39).

On April 3, 1836, a week after the Kirtland Temple was dedicated, the Savior appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery there, and then Moses, Elias and Elijah came. Elijah committed the keys of the sealing power, fulfilling Malachi’s prophecy (Doctrine and Covenants 110). Those keys are why families can be sealed and why youth can be baptized for their ancestors. Many of your class may do baptisms for the dead for the first time in the new year. This lesson is their launch pad.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Malachi 1:2, 1:8, 3:7–10 and 4:5–6, plus Joseph Smith—History 1:38–39 and Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16. Tap “I brought nothing” so every step uses its no-supplies version. Do the Would You Rather hook, let a youth narrate the Elijah relay, run Tithing Speed Round, and end with a quiet moment thinking of one ancestor or family member.

What to bring5 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Fill the two gift bags. Make the leftover bag look exactly as nice on the outside as the good one.
  2. Bookmark Malachi 1:2, 1:6–8, 3:7–10, 4:5–6, 2 Kings 2:11, Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39 and Doctrine and Covenants 110:11–16.
  3. Add names in the My Class tab. Give Malachi and Moroni to confident readers.
  4. Find out when your ward’s next youth temple trip is, and whether your stake has a family history consultant who could help youth find family names.
  5. Optional: open FamilySearch Family Tree on your phone and find one of your own ancestors with a story you can tell in 30 seconds.

If your class is wild

  • Malachi’s “Wherein?” back-and-forth is perfect for a class that likes to argue. Let them push back in the scripture step; that’s literally the book’s format.
  • Put your most skeptical youth in charge of the Tithing Speed Round scorekeeping. Responsibility beats eye-rolling.
  • Be sensitive: some youth have complicated families or no Church members at home. Keep family talk invitational, and remember that turning hearts includes ancestors, friends and ward family. Never ask who pays tithing: some youth don’t earn money yet, and some families are struggling.
  • For the Elijah relay, the teacher narrates the Savior’s appearance; no youth plays the Savior.
  • Use “Elijah!” as your attention call; they answer “Turn your hearts!” and turn to face you.

The 25-minute plan25 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The Leftover Gift

3 min

A funny gift reveal makes Malachi’s point about giving God our leftovers hit home.

  1. Hold up the two identical gift bags. Say: “I brought a gift. One volunteer gets to pick a bag.”
  2. Let a youth pick and open it. Whichever they get, reveal both: the nice treat and the sad leftover.
  3. Ask: “Would you give the leftover one to your coach? Your principal? The bishop? Why not?”
  4. SAY“In Malachi’s day, priests were giving God the blind, lame and sick animals, the ones they’d never give the governor. Malachi basically asked: ‘Why does God get your leftovers?’ Today: what the Lord really asks of us, and a promise that came true in 1836.”
🌪️ Let the youth who picked keep the good treat either way. Generosity is the point.

Class screen: 🎁 Two gift bags. One is a leftover. Would you give it? · Malachi 1:8

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Two gift bags: one with a nice treat inside (check allergies and your ward’s policy first), one with a sad “leftover” (a bruised banana, a half-eaten cracker, or an empty wrapper)

Would You Rather Give…

  1. SAY“Walk to the left wall or the right wall. Would you rather give your coach…” (left) “a fresh cookie” or (right) “a cookie someone already licked?”
  2. Keep going, faster and sillier: “a new jersey or your sweatiest socks” · “a birthday card or a receipt you wrote ‘happy birthday’ on” · “your best effort or whatever energy is left after gaming till 1 a.m.”
  3. Ask: “Why does nobody pick the leftovers for the coach?”
  4. SAY“In Malachi’s day, priests were giving God the blind, lame and sick animals, the ones they’d never give the governor. Today: what the Lord really asks of us, and a promise that came true in 1836.”

Class screen: 🍪 Would you rather give… Pick a wall! · Malachi 1:8

2. Story

Scripture Scene: Elijah’s Promise Relay

6 min

Passing the promise from Malachi to Moroni to Joseph to today’s youth shows how Malachi’s last prophecy reaches them.

  1. Tap Roles in Teach Mode and hand out parts. Fold a sheet of paper into a small “promise” baton, or use an imaginary one.
  2. The Narrator reads each scene from the screen. Malachi reads Malachi 4:5–6 from your scriptures in scene 1.
  3. In scene 4, you (the teacher) read the part about the Savior’s appearance slowly and reverently. No one plays the Savior.
  4. After the last scene, ask: “Why would Malachi’s promise be the last thing in the Old Testament? What does Elijah’s coming make possible for your family?”
🌪️ In scenes 4 and 5, drop your voice to a whisper. Reverence is contagious when you model it.

Class screen: 🔑 Malachi’s last promise, passed across 2,000 years to you · Malachi 4:5–6 · Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39 · D&C 110

3. Wiggle break

Turn Your Hearts

2 min

A reflex game gets them moving and drills the words of Malachi 4:6.

  1. Everyone stands facing the front. Say: “When I say ‘fathers,’ turn to face the back wall. When I say ‘children,’ face the front. When I say ‘Elijah,’ jump and spin all the way around.”
  2. Call them out, speeding up and mixing in tricks: “fathers… children… farmers… Elijah… chilly… fathers…”
  3. Anyone who turns on a trick word does a slow-motion spin and keeps playing.
  4. Let a youth take over as caller for the last round.
🌪️ If they get dizzy and wild, finish with “Elijah… is here,” whispered, and everyone sits down silently.

Class screen: 🔄 Fathers: turn back. Children: turn front. Elijah: spin! · Malachi 4:6

4. Scripture

Wherein? The Windows of Heaven

4 min

Reading Malachi 3:7–10 as a back-and-forth helps youth see tithing as their own covenant with a loving God.

  1. Split the class in two. Side A reads the Lord’s lines, Side B reads the people’s “Wherein?” lines in Malachi 3:7–8. Make Side B as sassy as they want.
  2. Have one youth read Malachi 3:10. Ask: “What does ‘prove me now herewith’ mean?” (Test Me. God is inviting them to try it.)
  3. Explain simply: tithing is one-tenth of what you earn, your own money from babysitting, mowing, jobs or gifts, given to the Lord through a donation slip or online. Mention that near the end of each year the bishop meets with members for tithing declaration (once called tithing settlement); families often go together, and youth declare for themselves.
  4. Ask: “What do you think the ‘windows of heaven’ look like? Is it always money?” Share Elder David A. Bednar’s words from “The Windows of Heaven” (see Conference quotes): as we live the law of tithing, “we often receive significant but subtle blessings that are not always what we expect and easily can be overlooked.” One example he gave is the spiritual gift of gratitude.
  5. Say Malachi 3:7 together: “Return unto me, and I will return unto you.”

Class screen: 🪟 “Prove me now” … and I will open the windows of heaven · Malachi 3:7–10

5. Game

Tithing Speed Round

4 min

A fast mental-math race makes tithing practical and shows that youth can live it right now.

  1. Two teams. Read a real-life money moment; the first team to shout the correct tithing amount scores.
  2. Rounds: Babysitting for 4 hours at $10 an hour · $25 in a birthday card · Mowing 3 lawns at $20 each · Selling your old bike for $70 · $15 for walking the neighbor’s dog all week · $100 for a summer job week.
  3. Lightning round, true or false: “You only pay tithing on money you earn from a job.” (False; birthday money is increase too.) · “Tithing is the same for rich and poor: one-tenth.” (True.) · “You can pay tithing online or with a donation slip.” (True.)
  4. Let a youth read the last three rounds and keep score.
⏱️ Big Timer (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 💵 Tithing Speed Round: shout the amount first! · 10% of the money you receive

6. Game

Family Tree Race

5 minBONUS

A race to fill out family trees shows how quickly the names run out, and why FamilySearch matters.

  1. Give each team a sheet of paper. Say: “Draw your own family tree going back as far as you can. First names are enough. Go!” Give 2 minutes.
  2. Count the names. Ask: “Who got to great-grandparents? Where did you get stuck?”
  3. If you brought FamilySearch on your phone, show one of your ancestors and tell their story in 30 seconds.
  4. SAY“Where you got stuck is where the work begins. That’s Elijah’s promise in action.”

Class screen: 🌳 Family Tree Race: how far back can you go?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A sheet of paper and a pen for each team

  1. Each youth counts out loud on their fingers how many ancestors they can name: parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. Go around the circle fast.
  2. Ask: “Who got to great-grandparents? Where did you get stuck?”
  3. SAY“Where you got stuck is where the work begins. That’s Elijah’s promise in action.”
7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz to wrap up the Old Testament year.

  1. Two teams, one captain each. Tap Scripture Showdown.
  2. Huddle 10 seconds; only the captain answers.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown: Old Testament finale!

8. Talk it over

Real Talk

4 min

Honest questions connect Malachi to their offerings, their money and their family.

  1. Sit in a circle. Show one question at a time; give 10 quiet seconds before answers.
  2. Share your own answer to at least one, especially about the temple or tithing.
💬 Ask the class
  • What does giving God your “leftovers” look like for a teenager? What does giving Him your best look like?
  • Why do you think the Lord says “prove me” about tithing? Have you or your family ever seen the windows of heaven open?
  • What does it mean to turn your heart to your family, including ancestors you’ve never met?
  • If you’ve done baptisms for the dead, what did it feel like? If not yet, what would make it meaningful for you?

Class screen: 💬 Real talk

9. Testimony

One Name

2 min

End quietly with testimony and a personal step toward the temple.

  1. Lower your voice. Share your testimony of temples and families, or briefly tell about an ancestor whose name you took to the temple.
  2. Hand out cards. Invite each youth to write the name of one family member (living or not) whose heart they want to turn toward, and one step they’ll take this week.
  3. Show the challenge and invite a youth to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 💞 Turn your heart: one name, one step · Write one name · Choose one step

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One index card per youth and a few pens

  1. Lower your voice. Share your testimony of temples and families, or briefly tell about an ancestor whose name you took to the temple.
  2. Ask everyone to close their eyes and silently think of one family member (living or not) whose heart they want to turn toward, and one step they’ll take this week.
  3. Show the challenge and invite a youth to say the closing prayer.

Story drama

Elijah’s Promise: A 2,000-Year Relay

Malachi 4:5–6; 3 Nephi 24–25; Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39; Doctrine and Covenants 110 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • NarratorReads each scene from the shared screen.
  • MalachiReads Malachi 4:5–6, the last words of the Old Testament, then hands off the “promise” (a folded paper or an imaginary baton).
  • MoroniAppears at Joseph’s bedside in a blaze of light and restates the promise.
  • Joseph SmithReceives Moroni at 17, then kneels in the Kirtland Temple 13 years later.
  • Oliver CowderyKneels in prayer beside Joseph in the temple.
  • ElijahAppears in the temple and hands over the sealing keys (pantomime).
  • Temple YouthTwo or three youth today, who take the promise to the temple with family names.

Scenes

  1. 📜🔥 The Old Testament’s last words

    Malachi is the last prophet of the Old Testament. His final words are a promise: before the great day of the Lord, God will send Elijah the prophet, the same Elijah who was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire. Elijah will turn the hearts of fathers and children to each other. Then the Old Testament ends.

    🎬 Malachi reads Malachi 4:5–6 and holds the promise up high. Everyone else leans in… then freezes.

  2. ⏳🤫 Four hundred years of waiting

    After Malachi, about four hundred years pass before the New Testament story begins. People keep watching for Elijah; some even ask John the Baptist whether he is Elijah (John 1:21). Centuries later, after His Resurrection, the Savior Himself gives Malachi’s words to the Nephites in the Americas so they will have them too.

    🎬 Malachi slowly passes the promise to the Narrator. The class whispers “Tick… tock…” and checks invisible watches.

  3. 🛏️✨ 1823: an angel in Joseph’s bedroom

    September 1823. Seventeen-year-old Joseph Smith is praying in his bedroom when the angel Moroni appears in light. Moroni quotes Malachi, but a little differently: the Lord will reveal the priesthood by the hand of Elijah, and plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to their fathers.

    🎬 Joseph kneels. Moroni stands on tiptoe, arms wide, and says: “Elijah is coming!” Moroni takes the promise.

  4. 🏛️🙏 1836: kneeling in the Kirtland Temple

    April 3, 1836, one week after the Kirtland Temple is dedicated. Joseph and Oliver kneel in silent prayer behind the veils around the pulpit. When they rise, they see the Lord Jesus Christ standing before them, and He accepts His house. Then Moses and Elias come with keys of their own.

    🎬 Joseph and Oliver kneel, then rise and look up in awe. Everyone else is completely still and silent.

  5. 🔑🔥 Elijah comes, right on time

    Then Elijah himself stands before them. He tells them that Malachi’s prophecy is fulfilled, and he gives Joseph and Oliver the keys of this dispensation: the sealing power that binds families together forever, on earth and in heaven.

    🎬 Elijah pantomimes placing a set of keys into Joseph’s and Oliver’s hands. Moroni hands the promise to Joseph.

  6. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑💧 Today: the promise lands on you

    Because Elijah came, families can be sealed in temples all over the world. And youth your age, with a temple recommend and a name from their family tree, can be baptized for ancestors who never had the chance. Hearts are turning. The relay isn’t over; it’s in your hands now.

    🎬 Joseph hands the promise to the Temple Youth. They hold it up together, and the whole class stands.

Key verse

Malachi 4:5–6 ↗
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers”
In plain words: God promised to send Elijah before the Second Coming to turn parents’ and children’s hearts toward each other, across every generation.
🙌 “Behold, I will send you” = point forward · “Elijah the prophet” = trace a swirl of fire rising · “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” = hands spread wide, look up · “turn the heart of the fathers to the children” = hand on heart, turn right · “and the heart of the children to their fathers” = hand on heart, turn left

More verses

Malachi 1:2 ↗
“I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?”
In plain words: The Lord says, “I love you.” The people answer, “Oh yeah? How?”
Malachi 1:8 ↗
“if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee”
In plain words: You’d never give your leftovers to the governor. Why give them to God?
Malachi 3:7 ↗
“Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.”
In plain words: Come back to Me, and I’ll come back to you.
Malachi 3:10 ↗
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
In plain words: Pay your full tithing and test Me on it: I’ll open heaven’s windows and pour out more blessings than you have room for.

Forehead Guess words16 words

  • 📜 Malachi
  • 🔥 Elijah
  • 👼 Moroni
  • 🧑 Joseph Smith
  • ✍️ Oliver Cowdery
  • 🏛️ Kirtland Temple
  • 🔑 Sealing Keys
  • 💵 Tithing
  • 🪟 Windows of Heaven
  • 🏚️ Storehouse
  • 🍌 Leftovers
  • 🎩 Governor
  • 🌳 Family Tree
  • 💧 Baptism for the Dead
  • 🎫 Temple Recommend
  • 💞 Hearts
Clues for each word
  • Malachi: Last book of the Old Testament
  • Elijah: Taken to heaven in a chariot of fire; came back in 1836
  • Moroni: Angel who quoted Malachi to Joseph Smith in 1823
  • Joseph Smith: Received the sealing keys in the Kirtland Temple
  • Oliver Cowdery: Knelt beside Joseph when Elijah came
  • Kirtland Temple: Where Elijah appeared in 1836
  • Sealing Keys: Power Elijah gave to bind families forever
  • Tithing: One-tenth of the money you receive
  • Windows of Heaven: What the Lord promises to open in Malachi 3:10
  • Storehouse: Where Malachi says to bring the tithes
  • Leftovers: What the priests were offering God, like lame animals
  • Governor: Malachi asked: would you give him a sick animal?
  • Family Tree: Where you find names to take to the temple
  • Baptism for the Dead: Temple ordinance youth can do for ancestors
  • Temple Recommend: What youth need to do baptisms for ancestors
  • Hearts: Elijah turns them: fathers to children, children to fathers
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown9 questions

  1. What are the Lord’s first words to the people in Malachi?
    • A. “Repent now”
    • B. “I have loved you”
    • C. “Build the temple”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “I have loved you” Malachi 1:2. Everything in the book starts from His love.

  2. What kind of animals were the priests offering?
    • A. Blind, lame and sick
    • B. The very best
    • C. Only doves
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Blind, lame and sick Malachi 1:8: leftovers they’d never give the governor.

  3. Malachi says people “robbed” God in what?
    • A. Songs and prayers
    • B. Gold and silver
    • C. Tithes and offerings
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Tithes and offerings Malachi 3:8. Tithing is how we give back a tenth to the One who gave us everything.

  4. What does the Lord promise to open for those who pay tithing?
    • A. The gates of the city
    • B. The windows of heaven
    • C. The doors of the temple
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The windows of heaven Malachi 3:10. The blessings are often spiritual, not just money.

  5. “Return unto me, and I will…”
    • A. “return unto you”
    • B. “forget you”
    • C. “send a prophet”
    Show answer

    ✅ A. “return unto you” Malachi 3:7: the Lord is always ready to come back when we do.

  6. Who did Malachi say the Lord would send before the great day?
    • A. Moses
    • B. Isaiah
    • C. Elijah the prophet
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Elijah the prophet Malachi 4:5: the last promise in the Old Testament.

  7. Who quoted Malachi’s promise to Joseph Smith in 1823?
    • A. The angel Moroni
    • B. Elijah
    • C. Oliver Cowdery
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The angel Moroni Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39, with some wording different from the Bible.

  8. In what temple did Elijah appear in 1836?
    • A. The Nauvoo Temple
    • B. The Kirtland Temple
    • C. The Salt Lake Temple
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The Kirtland Temple Doctrine and Covenants 110, one week after the Kirtland Temple was dedicated.

  9. What did Elijah give Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery?
    • A. Golden plates
    • B. A seer stone
    • C. The keys of the sealing power
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The keys of the sealing power Those keys let families be sealed forever and make temple work for ancestors possible.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“as we live the law of tithing, we often receive significant but subtle blessings that are not always what we expect and easily can be overlooked.”

— Elder David A. Bednar, “The Windows of Heaven,” October 2013

Share in the Wherein? The Windows of Heaven scripture step, when you ask whether the windows of heaven always mean money.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Family History—I Am Doing It Children’s Songbook, p. 94

    A fun, upbeat reminder that youth can do the work Elijah’s keys made possible. Find it ↗

  • Families Can Be Together Forever Children’s Songbook, p. 188

    The sealing keys Elijah brought are exactly what makes the promise in this song possible. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Your Best, Not Your Leftovers

This week, give the Lord something first instead of last: pay tithing on any money you’ve earned or received, and spend 15 minutes with a parent, leader or the FamilySearch app finding one ancestor’s name or story. If you have a temple recommend, ask about taking that name on the next temple trip.

Text the parents

Today in class we finished the Old Testament with Malachi: the Lord said “I have loved you,” asked for our best instead of our leftovers, promised to open the windows of heaven for tithe payers (Malachi 3:10), and promised to send Elijah, who came to the Kirtland Temple in 1836 (Doctrine and Covenants 110). Ask your youth: could we spend 15 minutes together this week finding one ancestor’s name or story, maybe one to take to the temple?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🔍 Spot the Difference · 5 min

  1. Half the class reads Malachi 4:5–6; the other half reads Joseph Smith—History 1:38–39.
  2. Race to list every difference in how Moroni quoted it.
  3. Ask: “What does ‘plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers’ mean? Which fathers? Which promises?” (The covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.)

📖 Book of Remembrance · 4 min

  1. Read Malachi 3:16–17: the Lord keeps a book of remembrance for those who fear Him and think on His name.
  2. Ask: “What would you want in a book of remembrance about you? About your grandparents?”
  3. Invite them to write or record one family memory this week and share it with a relative.

🔥 Refiner’s Fire · 4 min

  1. Read Malachi 3:2–3. Explain that a refiner heats silver until the impurities rise to the top and can be removed, leaving the silver pure.
  2. Ask: “How can hard things in life work like a refiner’s fire? Why does it matter that the Lord “shall sit” by the fire as the Refiner?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

All Youth 11–14 lessons