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What Does the Lord Actually Want?

An offering auction, Habakkuk’s brutally honest prayers, and real-life dilemmas that put Micah 6:8 to the test

  • 🔥 Youth 14–16
  • Week 49
  • 📅 Sunday, December 6, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

The Lord isn’t impressed by a performance; He wants me to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him, and He welcomes my honest questions while I wait on His timing.

I can do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God, and bring Him my real questions instead of hiding them.

Come, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah)
Know the chapters

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah are four short books near the end of the Old Testament. Micah prophesied in Judah at the same time as Isaiah, about 700 years before Jesus was born. Judah’s leaders took bribes and its priests taught for pay, yet they felt safe, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us” (Micah 3:11). They kept up the look of religion while treating people badly. Nahum foretold the fall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. Habakkuk wrote as Babylon was rising, and Zephaniah preached in the days of King Josiah. All four warned about pride, and all four pointed to the Lord’s mercy.

Micah 6:6–8 is the center of today. Micah imagines people offering bigger and bigger sacrifices, from calves to thousands of rams to ten thousand rivers of oil, and then gives the Lord’s real answer: “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Fourteen- to sixteen-year-olds live in a world of highlight reels, where it’s easy to perform goodness for an audience. Micah cuts through that: the Lord cares about fairness when no one is watching, about wanting to be merciful (not just grudgingly forgiving), and about a humble, daily walk with Him. Jesus named the same three things, “judgment, mercy, and faith,” as the weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23).

Habakkuk is a gift for teenagers. His book opens with a complaint: “O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” (Habakkuk 1:2). When the Lord answers that He will use Babylon to discipline Judah, Habakkuk is even more confused and says so (1:12–13). Then he does something wise: he climbs his watchtower to wait for the answer (2:1). The Lord tells him the vision will come at the appointed time: “though it tarry, wait for it” (2:3). By chapter 3, with nothing on the outside fixed yet, Habakkuk sings, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD” (3:17–18). Let your class know that honest questions are not a lack of faith; bringing them to the Lord is faith. Joseph Smith asked similar questions in Liberty Jail and received peace (Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–8).

Keep Christmas in view too. Micah named the Savior’s birthplace, Bethlehem, “little among the thousands of Judah” (Micah 5:2), and 700 years later Herod’s chief priests and scribes quoted Micah to the wise men (Matthew 2:4–6). Micah also taught that the Lord “delighteth in mercy” and casts forgiven sins “into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18–19), and Zephaniah promised that the Lord will rejoice over His people with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). The God who asks us to love mercy is the most merciful Being of all, and that is exactly why He sent His Son.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Micah 6:6–8, Habakkuk 1:2 and 2:1–3, and 3:17–18. Run the Offering Auction with no supplies, let Teach Mode carry the scripture scene, have three youth teach one phrase of Micah 6:8 each, then read three dilemmas from the Dilemma Draw step out loud and let them walk to a side of the room. Close with the Real Talk questions and your own honest testimony.

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. Write these six scenarios on slips: (1) A group chat starts roasting a kid who isn’t in it, and someone sends you the screenshots. (2) Answers to tomorrow’s chemistry test are going around, and your grade really needs help. (3) A friend who ghosted you for months suddenly wants to hang out again. (4) You’re captain in a game and the new kid is obviously the weakest player. (5) You post something about church and the comments turn mean. (6) You’re right in an argument with a parent, and you’re also being kind of rude about it.
  2. Tape the JUSTLY, MERCY and HUMBLY signs on three different walls.
  3. Mark Micah 3:11, 5:2, 6:6–8; Nahum 1:7; Habakkuk 1:2, 2:1–3, 3:17–18; Zephaniah 3:17 and Matthew 2:6 in one set of scriptures (or have the readers bookmark them in Gospel Library).
  4. Add your class in the My Class tab so you can hand out the scene parts with one tap. Give Habakkuk to someone who can read with real feeling.
  5. Think of one honest question you once took to the Lord and how the answer came (or is still coming). You’ll share it briefly at the end.

If your class is wild

  • Teens can smell a lecture. Ask more than you tell, and let silence sit for ten seconds after a question; someone will fill it.
  • If they’re too cool to act, don’t push theatrics. Ask readers to read with feeling and the crowd to do one small, dry reaction; deadpan often works better than big drama.
  • Some youth are carrying real doubts or hard situations. When Habakkuk comes up, make it clear questions are welcome here, and follow up privately with anyone who seems to be hurting.
  • Give the leadership to the ones who test you: the loudest youth can run the auction or read the dilemma slips.
  • Phones are fine for Gospel Library. If they wander to other apps, try: “Scriptures open, everything else face down. You can check it the second class ends.”

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 Offering Auction

3 min

A silly bidding war exposes the instinct Micah was confronting: trying to impress God with bigger, more visible performances.

  1. Grab an imaginary gavel. Say: “Welcome to the auction. The prize: God being impressed with you. What will you offer? Highest bid wins.”
  2. Split the room into two sides. Let them shout bids that one-up each other: “Read the Book of Mormon in a week!” “Never miss seminary!” “Post a scripture every day for a year!” “Bear testimony every fast Sunday!” Egg them on like an auctioneer.
  3. Bang the gavel. Have a volunteer read Micah 6:6–7 out loud, and ask: “What were these people doing?” (Offering bigger and bigger stuff: calves, thousands of rams, rivers of oil.)
  4. Have another volunteer read Micah 6:8. Ask: “So who won the auction?”
  5. SAY“Some of those bids are great things to do. But Micah’s people treated religion like something to show off, and the Lord’s answer was quieter than any of our bids. Let’s figure out why.”
🌪️ If bids get sarcastic, roll with it and name it: “Right, and that’s exactly the problem Micah saw: religion as a flex.”

Class screen: 🔨 The Offering Auction: what would impress God? · Bid big. · Then read Micah 6:6–8.

2. Story

Scripture Scene: Four Prophets and Some Honest Questions

6 min

Youth read the prophets’ own words and see Habakkuk model faith that asks hard questions and keeps waiting on God.

  1. Hand out parts (tap Roles in Teach Mode). The marked scriptures pass from Micah to Nahum to Habakkuk to Zephaniah to the Scribe. Everyone else is the Crowd.
  2. Let the Narrator read each scene while the class watches the screen. Pause for each reader and each Crowd reaction.
  3. In scene 6, Habakkuk stands on a sturdy chair while you hold it. Point out that no one voices the Lord; the Narrator reports what He said.
  4. After scene 5, pause and ask: “Have you ever gotten an answer that made things more confusing? What did Habakkuk do next?”
  5. After the last scene, ask: “Habakkuk’s circumstances didn’t change between chapter 1 and chapter 3. What did?”
🌪️ If the energy dips, turn the Crowd reactions into a challenge: the most deadpan “Seen. No reply.” wins.

Class screen: 🎭 Four prophets, one honest question: how long? · Readers read their own lines · Everyone else: the Crowd

No supplies? Do this instead

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

  1. Hand out parts (tap Roles in Teach Mode). Everyone else is the Crowd.
  2. Hold your own scriptures (or phone). When it’s a prophet’s turn, read their verse one phrase at a time and they echo it with feeling.
  3. In scene 6, Habakkuk stands by the wall on tiptoe, shading his eyes. No one voices the Lord; the Narrator reports what He said.
  4. After scene 5, ask: “Have you ever gotten an answer that made things more confusing? What did Habakkuk do next?”
  5. After the last scene, ask: “Habakkuk’s circumstances didn’t change between chapter 1 and chapter 3. What did?”
3. Wiggle break

Take a Stand

2 min

Everyone gets up and commits to an opinion, which warms the room up for honest discussion.

  1. Name one wall “Totally agree” and the opposite wall “Totally disagree.” The middle is “It’s complicated.”
  2. Read each statement and everyone walks to their spot: “It’s okay to be frustrated with God.” · “If God doesn’t answer fast, the answer is no.” · “Most people are more worried about looking good than being good.” · “Mercy is harder than justice.”
  3. After each one, ask one person from each end to say why in one sentence. No debating yet; just listen.
  4. SAY“Habakkuk would have stood on ‘agree’ for that first one. And he still ended up rejoicing.”
🌪️ If a few people always drift to wherever their friends are, add a rule: eyes closed until you’ve picked your spot.

Class screen: 🧭 Take a stand: agree, disagree, or it’s complicated? · Walk to your spot · One sentence: why?

4. Scripture

Scripture Spotlight: Micah 6:8, Taught by You

4 min

Youth teach each phrase of the key verse to each other, which makes it theirs.

  1. Split into three groups. Assign each a phrase: “do justly,” “love mercy,” “walk humbly with thy God.”
  2. Give them 90 seconds with their scriptures to prepare a 30-second teach: what it means in normal words, one real example from school, sports or online, and one other verse that fits (hint: Matthew 23:23 works for everyone; Micah 7:18–19 for mercy).
  3. Each group teaches. Add one thought if needed: loving mercy means wanting to show it, not just doing it when forced; walking humbly means staying close to God every day and admitting you need Him.
  4. Say the verse together in three beats (see the motions), then once with the screen hidden.

Class screen: ⚖️ Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with thy God. · Group 1: do justly · Group 2: love mercy · Group 3: walk humbly

No supplies? Do this instead

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

  1. Split into three groups. Assign each a phrase: “do justly,” “love mercy,” “walk humbly with thy God.” The verse stays on the screen.
  2. Give them 90 seconds to prepare a 30-second teach: what it means in normal words and one real example from school, sports or online.
  3. Each group teaches. Read Matthew 23:23 from your own scriptures and ask: “Which of Micah’s three did Jesus name?”
  4. Say the verse together in three beats, then once with the screen hidden.
5. Game

Dilemma Draw

4 min

Real-life scenarios show that Micah 6:8 isn’t abstract; it’s tested in group chats, classrooms and car rides home.

  1. Point out the three signs: JUSTLY, MERCY, HUMBLY.
  2. A volunteer draws a slip and reads the scenario out loud. Everyone walks to the sign for the part of Micah 6:8 that’s being tested most.
  3. Ask one person at each sign to make their case in one sentence. Then ask the whole room: “Okay, but what would you actually do?”
  4. Play three or four slips. There’s no single right sign; many scenarios test all three.
🌪️ If they cluster where their friends are, ask each group to argue for a sign they didn’t choose.

Class screen: 🎲 Which part gets tested: justly, mercy or humbly? · Draw a dilemma · Walk to a sign · Then: what would you actually do?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Six scenario slips (see prep), folded into a bowl, bag or hat, Three sheets of paper labeled JUSTLY, MERCY and HUMBLY, taped to three walls

  1. Point to three walls and name them: JUSTLY, MERCY, HUMBLY.
  2. Read a scenario and everyone walks to a wall: a group chat roasting a kid who isn’t in it · test answers going around the night before · a friend who ghosted you wants back in · your post about church gets mean comments · you’re right in a fight with a parent, but you’re being rude about it.
  3. Ask one person at each wall to make their case in one sentence. Then: “What would you actually do?”
  4. Play three or four scenarios. There’s no single right wall; many test all three.
6. Game

Forehead Guess: Minor Prophets Edition

4 minBONUS

A quick, competitive review of the people, places and ideas from today.

  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. Bonus point if the clue-giver names the book where the word shows up.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess: Minor Prophets Edition · No saying the word · Bonus: name the book

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast 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 the point by naming the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

8. Talk it over

Real Talk

4 min

Honest questions connect Micah and Habakkuk to what they’re actually living.

  1. Sit in a circle or wherever they’re comfortable. One question per screen.
  2. Let silence sit for ten seconds before you rescue anyone. Share your own answer to at least one, briefly and honestly.
  3. You don’t need to fix every answer. If something heavy comes up, thank them and follow up after class.
💬 Ask the class
  • Why do you think it’s so tempting to perform religion for other people instead of living it? Where do you see that online?
  • What’s the difference between doing merciful things and loving mercy? Who is hardest for you to be merciful to?
  • Habakkuk told God exactly how he felt. Do you think God is okay with that kind of prayer? Why?
  • What helps you keep going when an answer to prayer is taking a long time?
  • Habakkuk said “Yet I will rejoice” before anything was fixed. Is that realistic? What would it look like on a hard week?

Class screen: 💬 Real talk: what does this look like for us?

9. Testimony

Testimony & One Honest Question

2 min

End quietly, with a way to take Habakkuk’s pattern home: ask honestly, watch, and wait.

  1. Lower your voice. Share briefly an honest question you once brought to the Lord and how the answer came, or that you are still waiting and still trust Him.
  2. Hand out cards. Invite each person to write one real question for Heavenly Father on one side (it stays private) and “Micah 6:8” on the other.
  3. Show the challenge on the screen and invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🗼 Climb your watchtower: ask honestly, watch closely, wait faithfully · Write one real question · Take it to God this week

No supplies? Do this instead

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

  1. Lower your voice. Share briefly an honest question you once brought to the Lord and how the answer came, or that you are still waiting and still trust Him.
  2. Invite everyone to type one real question for Heavenly Father in their phone’s notes (or just hold it in their mind) and keep it private.
  3. Show the challenge on the screen and invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Story drama

Four Prophets and Some Honest Questions

Micah 3; 5–7; Nahum 1; Habakkuk 1–3; Zephaniah 3; Matthew 2:1–6 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • NarratorA strong reader who reads each scene, including what the Lord told the prophets (no one voices the Lord).
  • MicahThe country prophet: reads Micah 3:11 and 5:2 straight from the scriptures.
  • NahumReads Nahum 1:7 and waves the crowd into the “stronghold” corner.
  • HabakkukReads his complaint (Habakkuk 1:2) with real feeling, stands on the watchtower and reads 3:17–18.
  • ZephaniahReads Zephaniah 3:17 as the one bright promise in a heavy week of news.
  • Herod’s ScribeSeven hundred years later, reads Matthew 2:6 to a nervous King Herod.
  • The CrowdEveryone else: a comfortable nation, a proud city, and people waiting for answers.

Scenes

  1. 🧑‍🌾📣 Micah calls out a comfortable nation

    Micah was a prophet from a small country town. In Judah, judges took bribes and priests taught for money, but everyone felt safe. After all, they still went through the motions of worship. They told themselves the Lord was on their side, so nothing bad could happen.

    🎬 The Crowd strikes a relaxed, scrolling-on-my-phone pose. Micah reads Micah 3:11. The Crowd shrugs: “We’re fine.”

  2. 🏘️⭐ A tiny town, named 700 years early

    Then Micah looked far ahead. Israel’s true Ruler would not come from a capital city or a palace. He would be born in Bethlehem, a village so small it barely showed up on the map. And this Ruler had existed from everlasting.

    🎬 Micah reads Micah 5:2. The Crowd leans in: “Wait. Bethlehem?”

  3. 🏙️🛡️ Nahum: a proud city falls, a stronghold stands

    Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, had gone back to cruelty long after Jonah’s visit. Nahum prophesied that the proud city would fall, and it did. But he also told God’s people where real safety was.

    🎬 The Crowd stands tall and proud, then slowly sinks to a crouch. Nahum reads Nahum 1:7 and waves everyone toward one corner, the stronghold.

  4. 🙋❓ Habakkuk prays: How long? Why?

    Habakkuk saw violence and injustice everywhere, and it looked like God was doing nothing. So he told the Lord exactly how he felt. He didn’t dress it up or pretend. He asked how long he would have to cry out before God listened.

    🎬 Habakkuk reads Habakkuk 1:2 with honest frustration. The Crowd checks imaginary phones: “Seen. No reply.”

  5. 🌪️😳 The answer made it even more confusing

    The Lord answered: He was raising up Babylon, a fierce nation, to discipline Judah. Habakkuk was stunned. Babylon was even worse! So he asked again: how could a holy God use people more wicked than the ones being punished? He kept talking to God instead of walking away.

    🎬 Habakkuk throws up his hands: “That makes it worse!” The Crowd reacts with one quiet “Oof.”

  6. 🗼👀 Climbing the watchtower to wait

    Habakkuk decided to watch and wait for the Lord’s answer, like a guard on a tower. The Lord told him to write the vision plainly, and promised it would come at its appointed time: even if it seems slow, wait for it, because it will surely come.

    🎬 Habakkuk stands on a sturdy chair (hold it steady) and scans the horizon. The Crowd whispers, “Wait for it…” The Narrator reads Habakkuk 2:3.

  7. 🌳🎶 “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD”

    Nothing on the outside had changed yet. But something had changed in Habakkuk. He wrote a song: even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom, the crops fail and the barns are empty, he would still rejoice in the Lord. His joy was anchored to God, not to his circumstances.

    🎬 With each loss, the Crowd slumps a little lower. Habakkuk reads Habakkuk 3:17–18, and on “Yet I will rejoice,” everyone stands up.

  8. 👑📜 Seven hundred years later, someone checks Micah

    Zephaniah promised that one day the Lord would rejoice over His people with singing. Centuries passed. Then wise men showed up in Jerusalem asking where the newborn King was. Herod panicked and called his experts, who opened Micah’s old words: Bethlehem. The promise had been sitting there the whole time.

    🎬 Zephaniah reads Zephaniah 3:17. Then Herod’s Scribe reads Matthew 2:6. Everyone: “Micah called it.”

Key verse

Micah 6:8 ↗
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
In plain words: You already know what’s good: be fair and do what’s right, actually want to be merciful, and walk through life humbly beside God.
🙌 Say it in three “beats” as a class: one side of the room says “to do justly,” the other says “and to love mercy,” and everyone says “and to walk humbly with thy God.” Then swap sides and try it with no screen.

More verses

Habakkuk 1:2 ↗
“O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!”
In plain words: Lord, how long do I have to keep praying before You answer? I keep telling You about the bad things happening, and nothing changes.
Habakkuk 2:3 ↗
“though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
In plain words: Even if the answer seems slow, wait for it. It is coming, right on God’s schedule.
Habakkuk 3:17–18 ↗
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines … Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
In plain words: Even if everything I was counting on falls through, I will still choose joy in the Lord, because He is the one who saves me.
Micah 7:18–19 ↗
“he delighteth in mercy … thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”
In plain words: God loves being merciful. When we repent, He throws our sins into the deepest part of the ocean.

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 🧑‍🌾 Micah
  • 🏰 Nahum
  • 🗼 Habakkuk
  • 🎶 Zephaniah
  • 🏘️ Bethlehem
  • 🏙️ Nineveh
  • 🌪️ Babylon
  • 👀 Watchtower
  • 🛡️ Stronghold
  • 🛢️ Rivers of Oil
  • 🌳 Fig Tree
  • ⚖️ Justice
  • 💗 Mercy
  • 🙇 Humility
  • 💰 Bribe
  • 🌊 Depths of the Sea
  • 👑 Herod
  • 🔭 Wise Men
Clues for each word
  • Micah: Country prophet who named Bethlehem 700 years early
  • Nahum: Said the Lord is a strong hold in the day of trouble
  • Habakkuk: Asked God “How long?” and waited on a watchtower
  • Zephaniah: Said the Lord will rejoice over His people with singing
  • Bethlehem: “Little among the thousands of Judah”
  • Nineveh: Assyria’s proud capital that Nahum said would fall
  • Babylon: The fierce nation that confused Habakkuk even more
  • Watchtower: Where Habakkuk climbed to wait for an answer
  • Stronghold: A fortress; Nahum says the Lord is one
  • Rivers of Oil: Ten thousand of them still aren’t what God wants
  • Fig Tree: Even if it didn’t blossom, Habakkuk would rejoice
  • Justice: Being fair and doing right when no one’s watching
  • Mercy: The Lord delights in it, Micah says
  • Humility: How Micah says to walk with God
  • Bribe: Judah’s judges took these, says Micah 3:11
  • Depths of the Sea: Where forgiven sins get thrown
  • Herod: Nervous king whose scribes quoted Micah
  • Wise Men: Asked in Jerusalem where the newborn King was
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. Micah 6:7 imagines offering ten thousand rivers of what?
    • A. Oil
    • B. Milk
    • C. Wine
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Oil Micah 6:7. Even that wouldn’t replace a just, merciful, humble heart.

  2. What three things does Micah 6:8 say the Lord requires?
    • A. Fast, pray, tithe
    • B. Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly
    • C. Build, sacrifice, obey
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly Three quiet things that are harder than any big show.

  3. Jesus called judgment, mercy and faith the “weightier matters” of what?
    • A. The temple
    • B. The harvest
    • C. The law
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The law Matthew 23:23: the same three ideas Micah taught.

  4. Why did Judah’s leaders feel safe in Micah 3:11?
    • A. They had a huge army
    • B. They said, “Is not the LORD among us?”
    • C. They had paid Assyria
    Show answer

    ✅ B. They said, “Is not the LORD among us?” They kept the look of religion while taking bribes. Micah called it out.

  5. What was Habakkuk’s first prayer in his book?
    • A. “How long shall I cry?”
    • B. “Thank you for everything”
    • C. “Send me”
    Show answer

    ✅ A. “How long shall I cry?” Habakkuk 1:2. An honest complaint, and it’s in the scriptures on purpose.

  6. Which nation did the Lord say He would raise up, confusing Habakkuk?
    • A. Egypt
    • B. Persia
    • C. Babylon (the Chaldeans)
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Babylon (the Chaldeans) Habakkuk 1:6. Habakkuk couldn’t see why, so he kept asking.

  7. What did the Lord tell Habakkuk about the vision that seemed slow?
    • A. Forget about it
    • B. Wait for it; it will surely come
    • C. It already happened
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Wait for it; it will surely come Habakkuk 2:3. God’s timing isn’t our timing, but it’s sure.

  8. Nahum 1:7 calls the Lord a strong hold in the day of what?
    • A. Trouble
    • B. Harvest
    • C. Battle
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Trouble When life gets hard, He’s the safe place.

  9. Who read Micah’s Bethlehem prophecy to King Herod?
    • A. The wise men
    • B. The shepherds
    • C. The chief priests and scribes
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The chief priests and scribes Matthew 2:4–6. Herod’s own experts knew the answer was in Micah.

  10. Micah 7:19 says forgiven sins are cast where?
    • A. Into a fire
    • B. Into the depths of the sea
    • C. Behind a mountain
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Into the depths of the sea The Lord delights in mercy. When we repent, He doesn’t keep our sins on display.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • O Little Town of Bethlehem Hymns, no. 208

    The little town Micah named 700 years early. A great opening hymn for the first Sunday of December. Find it ↗

  • Did You Think to Pray? Hymns, no. 140

    Habakkuk took everything, even his frustration, to the Lord in prayer. Find it ↗

  • Choose the Right Hymns, no. 239

    “Do justly” in hymn form: choosing right when it’s hard and no one is watching. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Watchtower Week

Take your one honest question to Heavenly Father in prayer every night this week. Each night, write one thing you noticed that day (a verse, a thought, a moment) in a note on your phone. And do one Micah 6:8 thing a day: something fair, something merciful, or something humble that no one else sees.

Text the parents

Today in class we looked at what the Lord actually wants from us: not a performance, but to “do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8). We also studied Habakkuk, who asked God hard questions and waited on His timing. Ask your teen: which of the three parts of Micah 6:8 is hardest right now, and what do you think Habakkuk would say to someone who’s waiting on an answer?

📝 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?

🚜 Swords into Plowshares · 5 min

  1. Read Micah 4:1–3 and Isaiah 2:2–4. They’re almost identical, because Micah and Isaiah lived at the same time.
  2. Ask: “What is ‘the mountain of the house of the LORD’ today?” (The temple.)
  3. Ask: “What would it look like to turn a ‘sword’ into a ‘plowshare’ at school or online, taking something used to hurt and using it to help?”

🧾 Knowing Isn’t Going · 4 min

  1. One youth reads Micah 5:2; another reads Matthew 2:1–6.
  2. Ask: “Herod’s scribes knew the answer instantly. Why do you think they didn’t go to Bethlehem themselves?”
  3. Ask: “Is it possible to know the scriptures and still miss the Savior? How do we avoid that?”

🌱 Seek Ye the Lord, All Ye Meek · 5 min

  1. Read Zephaniah 2:3 and 3:12–13. Make two quick lists: what the proud were doing, and what the meek people the Lord preserved were like.
  2. Compare it to “Make inspired choices” at the start of For the Strength of Youth, which invites you to make Jesus Christ your standard and measure your choices by His teachings.
  3. Ask: “Is meek the same as weak? Who is someone you know who is meek and strong?”

⛈️ Questions in the Storm · 5 min

  1. Read Habakkuk 1:2 and Mark 4:37–40. Summarize Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–8, where Joseph Smith asked the Lord “Where art thou?” in Liberty Jail.
  2. Ask: “All three asked some version of ‘Don’t You care?’ How did the Lord respond each time?”
  3. Invite them to think of one place they could take their questions: prayer, scriptures, seminary, a parent, a leader.

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