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Seek Him, Grow Like Him

A character stat sheet, everyone who came looking for the Christ child, and a game about taking “another way” when you’re warned

  • 🔥 Youth 14–16
  • Week 2
  • 📅 Sunday, January 10, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

The people who found Jesus were the ones who sought Him, and as I seek Him too I can grow the way He grew: in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man.

I can seek Jesus Christ like the shepherds, Simeon, Anna and the wise men, and grow like He did in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 2; Luke 2 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 2; Luke 2)
Know the chapters

Matthew 2 and Luke 2 are full of witnesses. Shepherds heard an angel announce “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10) and came “with haste” to Bethlehem, then told everyone (2:15–17). At the temple, Simeon, a just and devout man who had been promised by the Holy Ghost that he would see the Lord’s Christ, held the baby and praised God (2:25–32). Anna, a widow in her eighties who served in the temple “with fastings and prayers night and day,” gave thanks and spoke of Him to everyone looking for redemption (2:36–38). Wise men traveled from the east because they had seen His star and came “to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). They were humble workers and learned travelers, old and devout, local and foreign, and every one of them was looking.

Herod had the same information as the wise men. His own scribes told him exactly where the Messiah would be born (Matthew 2:4–6). But he wanted to destroy the child, not worship Him. That contrast is worth pointing out to teens: knowing about Jesus is not the same as seeking Him. Three times in Matthew 2, God warned people in dreams: the wise men went home “another way” (2:12), Joseph fled to Egypt (2:13–14), and later he turned aside to Galilee (2:22). Heavenly Father still warns and guides His children about physical and spiritual danger, through the Holy Ghost, parents, leaders and prophets.

Luke gives one glimpse of Jesus as a youth. At twelve, He stayed behind at the temple for three days, and His parents found Him with the teachers. His answer, “wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49), shows He already knew who He was. The Joseph Smith Translation of Luke 2:46 adds that the teachers were hearing Him and asking Him questions. Then He went home and “was subject unto them” (2:51), obeying His parents.

Luke 2:52 summarizes eighteen years in one verse: Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” It is the foundation of the Children and Youth program’s four areas of growth (spiritual, social, physical and intellectual), and the manual pairs it with sections of For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices: “Truth Will Make You Free” (wisdom), “Your Body Is Sacred” (stature), “Walk in God’s Light” (favor with God) and “Love God, Love Your Neighbor” (favor with others). It’s the second week of January, so this is a natural moment for youth to set a goal in each area, without turning it into a guilt trip.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Luke 2:10–11, 2:25–38, Matthew 2:1–2, 2:12–13 and Luke 2:46–52. Do the Character Stats hook, let Teach Mode carry the scripture scene, then play Four Corners of Growth with the whole room. Read three Another Way scenarios aloud and let the class suggest the other route. End with the Real Talk questions and your testimony that seeking Him is how we find Him.

What to bring4 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. Write these five Another Way slips: (1) A friend sends you a link and says, “Don’t tell your parents about this one.” (2) You’re at a sleepover and the movie everyone picked is one you already know you shouldn’t watch. (3) Your screen time is at six hours a day, and you’re more anxious and tired than ever. (4) A new friend group is fun, but you notice you’re meaner and more sarcastic when you’re with them. (5) You got a text from someone you only know online asking for a picture of you.
  2. Mark Luke 2:10–11, 15–17, 25–32, 36–38, 46–52 and Matthew 2:1–2, 11–13 in one set of scriptures (or have readers bookmark them in Gospel Library).
  3. Pick the four corners of your room for the Four Corners of Growth wiggle: WISDOM, STATURE, FAVOR WITH GOD, FAVOR WITH OTHERS.
  4. Add your class in the My Class tab so you can hand out parts with one tap.
  5. Think of one way seeking the Savior has changed you. You’ll share it briefly at the end.

If your class is wild

  • Teens love the stat-sheet idea but will instantly start ranking each other. Keep it about themselves: “Rate yourself, not your neighbor.”
  • Four Corners of Growth gets loud. Before you start, set the rule: walk, don’t sprint, and the last one to a corner has to give the next example.
  • The Another Way slips touch real risks (secret links, online strangers). Keep the tone matter-of-fact, never shocked. If someone’s reaction suggests they’re dealing with one of these right now, talk to them privately after class and involve parents or the bishop as needed.
  • Give the youth who talk most the job of reading slips or running the corners; give quieter youth scripture-reading parts where they don’t have to perform.

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

Character Stats

3 min

A video-game stat sheet makes Luke 2:52 feel fresh and personal before they even know it’s a verse.

  1. SAY“You’re building a video game character: you. You get four stats to max out. What are they?” Let them shout ideas (strength, IQ, charisma, luck, speed…).
  2. SAY“Luke gives us Jesus’s stat sheet from age twelve to thirty in one verse.” Have someone read Luke 2:52 from the screen or their scriptures.
  3. Ask: “Which of those four would you say is your strongest stat right now? Your weakest?” Keep it to themselves, not each other.
  4. SAY“Today we’ll see everyone who came looking for Jesus when He was born, and then we’ll see how He grew. The two go together: the more we seek Him, the more we grow like Him.”
🌪️ If it turns into a debate about the best video game ever, give them 15 seconds, then say: “Great. Now let’s look at the ultimate character build.”

Class screen: 🎮 Build your character: which four stats would you max out? · Shout your ideas · Then read Luke 2:52

2. Story

Scripture Scene: Everyone Who Came Looking

6 min

Youth read the witnesses’ own words and notice that the people who found Jesus were the ones who were looking for Him.

  1. Hand out parts (tap Roles in Teach Mode). Readers read their verses from the marked scriptures. Anyone left over joins the Shepherds or Wise Men.
  2. The Narrator reads each scene while the class watches the screen. Pause for each reader.
  3. After scene 6, ask: “Herod knew exactly where Jesus was. The wise men traveled a long way. What’s the difference between knowing about Jesus and seeking Him?”
  4. After scene 8, point out that the Narrator reads Jesus’s words, and ask: “He was twelve, about your age. What does His answer tell you about who He knew He was?”
🌪️ Let Herod be dramatic but not scary; one grumpy arm-cross per scene is plenty.

Class screen: ⭐ Shepherds, Simeon, Anna, wise men: everyone who came looking for Him · Readers: read your verses · Watch for who was seeking

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each group (their own, a classroom set, or Gospel Library on their phones)

  1. Hand out parts (tap Roles in Teach Mode). Anyone left over joins the Shepherds or Wise Men.
  2. Hold your own scriptures (or phone). When it’s a character’s turn, read their verse one phrase at a time and they echo it.
  3. After scene 6, ask: “Herod knew exactly where Jesus was. The wise men traveled a long way. What’s the difference between knowing about Jesus and seeking Him?”
  4. After scene 8, ask: “He was twelve, about your age. What does His answer tell you about who He knew He was?”
3. Wiggle break

Four Corners of Growth

2 min

Running to corners turns Luke 2:52 into real-life choices and gets everyone moving.

  1. Name the four corners: WISDOM, STATURE, FAVOR WITH GOD, FAVOR WITH OTHERS.
  2. Read an activity and everyone walks to the corner it grows most: studying for a chemistry test · getting eight hours of sleep · seminary before school · apologizing to your sibling · going on a run · deleting an app that drags you down · praying about a decision · sitting with the new kid · learning an instrument · going to the temple.
  3. When people land in different corners, ask one person to defend their pick in one sentence. Many activities grow more than one stat.
🌪️ Last one to a corner gives the next example. That keeps it quick.

Class screen: 🧭 Four Corners: wisdom, stature, favor with God, favor with others · Walk to the corner it grows most · Defend your pick in one sentence

4. Scripture

Scripture Spotlight: Luke 2:52, Taught by You

4 min

Youth teach one part of Luke 2:52 each, connecting it to For the Strength of Youth, which makes the verse their own.

  1. Split into four groups (pairs are fine for a small class). Assign each one part of the verse and a For the Strength of Youth section to skim in Gospel Library: wisdom (“Truth Will Make You Free”) · stature (“Your Body Is Sacred”) · favor with God (“Walk in God’s Light”) · favor with man (“Love God, Love Your Neighbor”).
  2. Give them 90 seconds to find one idea and one realistic example of how a teen could grow in that area this month.
  3. Each group teaches in 30 seconds. Add a thought if needed: Doctrine and Covenants 93:12–13 teaches that even the Savior didn’t receive everything at first but kept growing, grace by grace, until He received a fulness; growth is a direction, not a finish line.
  4. Say the key verse together with the four motions, then once with the screen hidden.

Class screen: 📈 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. · Wisdom · Stature · Favor with God · Favor with others

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each group (their own, a classroom set, or Gospel Library on their phones)

  1. Split into four groups and assign each one part of the verse: wisdom, stature, favor with God, favor with others. The verse stays on the screen.
  2. Give them 90 seconds to come up with what their part means in normal words and one realistic way a teen could grow in it this month.
  3. Each group teaches in 30 seconds. Mention that For the Strength of Youth has a section for each area, and invite them to read theirs in Gospel Library this week.
  4. Say the key verse together with the four motions, then once with the screen hidden.
5. Game

Another Way

4 min

Real-life scenarios show that Heavenly Father still warns us about danger and that taking “another way” is smart, not weak.

  1. SAY“Three times in Matthew 2, God sent a warning and someone changed direction. Each slip is a road that’s heading somewhere bad. Your job: find another way.”
  2. Split into two teams. A volunteer draws a slip and reads it out loud. Each team gets 30 seconds to agree on the warning sign and a realistic “another way.”
  3. Teams share. The class votes (thumbs up) on which answer a real teen could actually pull off. Point to the team that wins the vote.
  4. Play three or four slips. After the last one, ask: “How does the Holy Ghost usually warn you? A feeling, a thought, a parent’s text?”
🌪️ If answers get preachy (“just never have a phone”), push back: “Would you actually do that? What’s the version you’d really do?”

Class screen: 🛣️ Warned of God… they departed another way. What’s your other way? · Spot the warning · Find another way · Could a real teen do it?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Five Another Way slips (see prep), folded into a bowl, bag or hat

  1. SAY“Three times in Matthew 2, God sent a warning and someone changed direction. Each scenario is a road heading somewhere bad. Your job: find another way.”
  2. Split into two teams. Read a scenario: a friend sends a link and says “don’t tell your parents” · the sleepover movie is one you know you shouldn’t watch · six hours a day of screen time and you’re more anxious than ever · a friend group that makes you meaner · someone you only know online asks for a picture.
  3. Each team gets 30 seconds to name the warning sign and a realistic “another way.” The class votes with thumbs on the most realistic one.
  4. After three or four, ask: “How does the Holy Ghost usually warn you?”
6. Game

Forehead Guess: Nativity Hard Mode

4 minBONUS

A fast, competitive review of the people, places and ideas from Matthew 2 and Luke 2.

  1. Split into two teams. Tap Forehead Guess. The guesser holds your phone or tablet on their forehead facing their team.
  2. Teammates give clues without saying the word. Tilt down for got it, up to pass. Turns are 45 seconds.
  3. Hard mode: clues must include a chapter number (Matthew 2 or Luke 2).
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess: Nativity Hard Mode · No saying the word · Name the chapter for a bonus

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A quick team quiz reviews the whole lesson.

  1. Split into two teams and pick captains. Tap Scripture Showdown.
  2. Teams huddle for ten seconds; only the captain answers.
  3. Steal rule: if a team misses, the other team can steal by naming the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

8. Talk it over

Real Talk

4 min

Honest questions help the youth see themselves among the witnesses and think about how they’re growing.

  1. Sit in a circle or wherever they’re comfortable. One question per screen.
  2. Let silence sit for ten seconds. Share your own answer to at least one.
  3. You don’t need a perfect answer to every question; honest is better than polished.
💬 Ask the class
  • Shepherds, Simeon, Anna, wise men: which one are you most like right now, and why?
  • Herod had all the right information about Jesus but none of the right desires. How can someone know a lot about the gospel and still not seek Christ?
  • Jesus was twelve when He said He had to be about His Father’s business. What could that look like for someone your age?
  • Which of the four areas in Luke 2:52 is easiest for you to grow in? Which one do people your age ignore the most?
  • The wise men were warned and went home another way. What makes it hard to change direction once your friends are all headed one way?

Class screen: 💬 Real talk: are you seeking Him, or just knowing about Him?

9. Testimony

Bring Him a Gift

2 min

End quietly by turning Luke 2:52 into one personal goal to bring to the Savior this year.

  1. Lower your voice. Say: “The wise men brought their best gifts. We can bring Him our growth.” Share briefly how seeking the Savior has changed you, and your testimony that He can be found by anyone who looks.
  2. Hand out cards. Invite each person to write one goal for this year in the area of Luke 2:52 they most want to grow in. It stays private unless they want to share. Mention that the Children and Youth program is built on these same four areas.
  3. Show the challenge on the screen and invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🎁 Wise men brought gold. What will you bring Him this year? · One goal · Wisdom · stature · God · others

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One index card or sticky note per person, and a few pens

  1. Lower your voice. Say: “The wise men brought their best gifts. We can bring Him our growth.” Share briefly how seeking the Savior has changed you.
  2. Invite everyone to type one goal for the year in their phone’s notes (or just decide on it quietly) in the area of Luke 2:52 they most want to grow in.
  3. Show the challenge on the screen and invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Story drama

Everyone Who Came Looking

Luke 2:1–52; Matthew 2:1–23 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • NarratorReads each scene and reports what the young Jesus said (no one plays Jesus).
  • AngelAnnounces the good news to the shepherds by reading Luke 2:10–11.
  • ShepherdsTwo or three youth who hurry to Bethlehem and then tell everyone they meet.
  • SimeonA devout old man led by the Holy Ghost; reads Luke 2:29–30.
  • AnnaA prophetess who served at the temple night and day; reads Luke 2:38.
  • Wise MenTwo or three travelers who follow the star; one reads Matthew 2:2.
  • Joseph and MaryTwo youth: Joseph acts on warnings in dreams; Mary reads Luke 2:48 in the temple scene.
  • King HerodHas all the facts and none of the faith; sulks on a chair “throne.”

Scenes

  1. 🏘️🌾 No room, so a manger will do

    Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, a name that means “house of bread.” There was no room for them in the inn, so when Jesus was born, Mary wrapped Him in cloth and laid Him in a manger, a feeding trough for animals. The Bread of Life began His life in a place where animals ate.

    🎬 Joseph and Mary walk slowly across the room and get turned away by the Crowd with a shake of the head. The Narrator reads Luke 2:7.

  2. 🐑👼 Good tidings of great joy to all people

    Out in the fields, shepherds were on the night shift. Suddenly an angel stood by them and the glory of the Lord shone around them. The first people told of the Savior’s birth were ordinary workers who were awake when everyone else was asleep.

    🎬 The Shepherds yawn and slump, then jump to their feet. The Angel reads Luke 2:10–11.

  3. 🏃📣 They came with haste, then told everyone

    The shepherds didn’t debate it or wait until morning. They said, “Let’s go and see.” They hurried to Bethlehem, found the baby just as the angel said, and then told everyone they met.

    🎬 The Shepherds speed-walk across the room, kneel for two seconds, then turn and “tell” three classmates with big gestures. The Narrator reads Luke 2:16–17.

  4. 🧓🕊️ Simeon: led by the Spirit to the temple

    Weeks later, Mary and Joseph brought the baby to the temple. An old man named Simeon had been promised by the Holy Ghost that he wouldn’t die until he saw the Messiah. That day, the Spirit prompted him to go to the temple. He took the baby in his arms and praised God.

    🎬 Simeon walks in slowly, “holds” the baby, and reads Luke 2:29–30. The room is silent.

  5. 👵🙏 Anna: eighty-four years old and still serving

    Right then, Anna walked in. She was a prophetess who had been a widow for decades and never left the temple, serving God with fasting and prayer night and day. She gave thanks and told everyone who was waiting for the Redeemer about this child.

    🎬 Anna reads Luke 2:38. The Crowd leans in to listen to her.

  6. ⭐🧭 Wise men follow a star; a king panics

    Wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem asking where the newborn King of the Jews was, because they had seen His star. King Herod was troubled. His own scholars told him the answer: Bethlehem. Herod had all the facts, but he wanted to destroy the child. The wise men followed the star, found Jesus, worshipped Him, and gave Him gold, frankincense and myrrh.

    🎬 A Wise Man reads Matthew 2:2. Herod scowls on his throne. The Wise Men kneel and offer three pretend gifts.

  7. 😴🛣️ Warned in a dream: take another way

    God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they went home another way. Then an angel told Joseph in a dream to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt, because Herod would try to destroy the child. Joseph got up in the night and left. Later, still following warnings, he settled his family in Nazareth.

    🎬 The Wise Men turn and take a different path around the room. Joseph jolts awake, grabs Mary’s arm, and they tiptoe out. The Narrator reads Matthew 2:12.

  8. 🏛️📖 Twelve years old, about His Father’s business

    When Jesus was twelve, His family went to Jerusalem for Passover. On the way home, they realized He wasn’t with them. After three days of searching, they found Him in the temple with the teachers, who were amazed at His understanding. He told His mother He needed to be about His Father’s business. Then He went home with them and obeyed them, and He grew.

    🎬 Mary and Joseph search the room frantically, then stop. Mary reads Luke 2:48. The Narrator reads Luke 2:49 and 2:52.

Key verse

Luke 2:52 ↗
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
In plain words: As Jesus grew up, He kept growing in four ways: in what He knew, in His body, in His closeness to God, and in His friendships with people.
🙌 Four moves: “wisdom” (tap your head), “stature” (flex or stand tall), “favour with God” (point up), “and man” (put a hand on a neighbor’s shoulder). Do it three times, faster each time, then once with the screen hidden.

More verses

Matthew 2:2 ↗
“Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
In plain words: Where is the new King? We saw His star, and we came all this way to worship Him.
Matthew 2:12 ↗
“And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.”
In plain words: God warned the wise men not to go back to Herod, so they took a different road home.
Luke 2:49 ↗
“wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”
In plain words: Didn’t you know I needed to be doing my Father’s work?
Luke 2:10–11 ↗
“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
In plain words: Don’t be afraid. I have the best news ever, and it’s for everyone: today the Savior, Christ the Lord, was born.

Forehead Guess words19 words

  • 🏘️ Bethlehem
  • 🌾 Manger
  • 🐑 Shepherds
  • 👼 Angel
  • 🧓 Simeon
  • 👵 Anna
  • 🧭 Wise Men
  • ⭐ Star
  • 🪙 Gold
  • 💨 Frankincense
  • 🫙 Myrrh
  • 👑 Herod
  • 🏜️ Egypt
  • 🏡 Nazareth
  • 🏛️ Temple
  • 😴 Dream
  • 🛣️ Another Way
  • 💼 Father’s Business
  • 🧠 Wisdom
Clues for each word
  • Bethlehem: Its name means “house of bread”
  • Manger: A feeding trough that became a baby bed
  • Shepherds: Night-shift workers who came with haste
  • Angel: Brought good tidings of great joy
  • Simeon: Promised he’d see the Messiah before he died
  • Anna: Prophetess who served at the temple night and day
  • Wise Men: Followed a star from the east
  • Star: What the wise men saw in the east
  • Gold: A gift fit for a king
  • Frankincense: Sweet-smelling gift burned in worship
  • Myrrh: A spice gift, later used for burial
  • Herod: Knew where Jesus was but wanted to destroy Him
  • Egypt: Where Joseph took his family to escape
  • Nazareth: The town where Jesus grew up
  • Temple: Where Jesus was found at age twelve
  • Dream: How God warned the wise men and Joseph
  • Another Way: How the wise men went home
  • Father’s Business: What young Jesus said He had to be about
  • Wisdom: First of four ways Jesus grew
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. The angel’s good tidings of great joy were for whom?
    • A. Only the shepherds
    • B. All people
    • C. Only the priests
    Show answer

    ✅ B. All people Luke 2:10. The news of the Savior is for everyone.

  2. How did the shepherds go to Bethlehem?
    • A. With haste
    • B. The next morning
    • C. On camels
    Show answer

    ✅ A. With haste Luke 2:16. They didn’t wait, and afterward they told everyone.

  3. What had the Holy Ghost promised Simeon?
    • A. He’d become a priest
    • B. He’d live in Bethlehem
    • C. He’d see the Lord’s Christ before he died
    Show answer

    ✅ C. He’d see the Lord’s Christ before he died Luke 2:26. The Spirit led him to the temple at exactly the right moment.

  4. How did Anna serve God at the temple?
    • A. With fastings and prayers night and day
    • B. By guarding the gate
    • C. By singing in the choir
    Show answer

    ✅ A. With fastings and prayers night and day Luke 2:37. At about 84 years old, she was still all in.

  5. Why did the wise men say they came to Jerusalem?
    • A. To trade gold
    • B. To worship him
    • C. To meet Herod
    Show answer

    ✅ B. To worship him Matthew 2:2. They traveled a long way just to worship the new King.

  6. Which of these was NOT a gift from the wise men?
    • A. Frankincense
    • B. Myrrh
    • C. Silver
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Silver Matthew 2:11: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

  7. After being warned in a dream, how did the wise men go home?
    • A. Through Jerusalem
    • B. Another way
    • C. By ship
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Another way Matthew 2:12. When God warns us, changing direction is wisdom.

  8. Where did an angel tell Joseph to take his family?
    • A. Egypt
    • B. Rome
    • C. Galilee
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Egypt Matthew 2:13. Joseph got up and left that same night.

  9. How old was Jesus when He stayed behind at the temple?
    • A. Eight
    • B. Sixteen
    • C. Twelve
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Twelve Luke 2:42. He was already about His Father’s business.

  10. Luke 2:52: Jesus increased in wisdom, stature, and favor with whom?
    • A. Kings and priests
    • B. God and man
    • C. His brothers
    Show answer

    ✅ B. God and man Four areas of growth, the same ones the Children and Youth program uses.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains Hymns, no. 212

    The shepherds’ night in the fields and the angels’ announcement. Find it ↗

  • O Little Town of Bethlehem Hymns, no. 208

    The “house of bread” where the Savior was born. Find it ↗

  • Come, Follow Me Hymns, no. 116

    The witnesses came to Him before He ever called anyone; this hymn is about following Him as we grow. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Four-Stat Week

Do one small thing this week in each area of Luke 2:52: something that grows your mind, something good for your body, something that brings you closer to God, and something kind for someone else. Read the For the Strength of Youth section that goes with the area you wrote on your card. And if you get a warning feeling this week, take another way.

Text the parents

Today in class we met everyone who came looking for Jesus when He was born (shepherds, Simeon, Anna and the wise men) and read Luke 2:52: “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Your teen wrote a private goal in one of those four areas. Ask them: which of the witnesses are you most like, and what’s one “another way” choice teens have to make today?

📝 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?

🔎 Symbols Hiding in the Story · 5 min

  1. Give pairs one symbol each: Bethlehem, “house of bread” (Luke 2:4; John 6:35) · the manger, a place where animals eat (Luke 2:7; John 6:51) · shepherds (Luke 2:8; John 10:11) · the star (Matthew 2:2; John 8:12).
  2. Each pair reads both verses and explains in one sentence what the detail teaches about who Jesus is.
  3. Ask: “Why do you think Heavenly Father arranged His Son’s birth with so many clues?”

🛡️ Protected by Revelation · 5 min

  1. Read Matthew 2:13–14, 19–23. Count how many times Joseph acted on a warning or direction from God.
  2. Ask: “What physical and spiritual dangers do families face today? How can parents, and you, receive guidance to stay safe?”
  3. Invite them to thank a parent or leader this week for a time they protected them.

🏛️ Found in the Temple · 4 min

  1. Point out how often people find the Savior at the temple in Luke 2: Simeon, Anna, and His own parents after three days.
  2. Ask: “Why is the temple a place where people still find Him?”
  3. Invite anyone with a temple recommend to plan a temple trip this month, and anyone preparing for one to look at a temple photo this week.

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 14–16 lessons