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Follow Me!

Jesus begins His ministry: He fasts and prays to be close to Heavenly Father, chooses the right when Satan tempts Him, and tells His hometown that He is the Savior Isaiah promised. Then He tells tired fishermen to try one more time, fills their nets to bursting and invites them to follow Him. This week is all about following Jesus, one choice at a time.

  • Week 5
  • 📅 Jan 25–31, 2027
  • 📖 Matthew 4; Luke 4–5
Start with Monday
Read it togetherMatthew 4; Luke 4–5 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualNew Testament 2027, week 5

What your kids learn in class

Stories, verses and games for the week come from each child’s own Primary or youth lesson, so home matches Sunday.

Daily sparks

Five to ten minutes a day, Monday to Sunday, with everyday things you already have. Grown-ups lead; kids act, play and answer. Where a step says to tap something, that’s in the Gospel Sparks app; on the web, use the “Play along” links.

Monday · 10 min · Draw

Draw the Big Catch

🎣 Draw a net so full it breaks!Draw a boat.Empty net…Now fill it with fish!

✋ Grab: paper and a pen

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Peter trusted Jesus, so he left his nets and followed Him.

  1. Read Luke 5:4–6 together.
  2. Read Luke 5:11 together.
  3. Ask: “Why do you think Peter let down the net one more time?”

😄 Fish-face contest. Everyone makes their best fish face. The first one to laugh loses.

📖 Read together: Luke 5:1–11 ↗

  1. Tap Story and read each scene out loud together.
  2. Put a big sheet of paper on the table. Draw a boat and an empty net together.
  3. Read Luke 5:5. Peter fished all night and caught nothing. The net stays empty.
  4. Read Luke 5:6. Now everyone draws fish in the net. Fill it until it’s bursting!
  5. Read Luke 5:11 together.
  6. SAY“They left their boats and fish to follow Jesus. That’s how much they trusted Him.”

🎭 Play along: scenes 3–7 (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Why do you think Peter tried again when he was so tired?
  • What did the fishermen leave behind to follow Jesus?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one scribble lots of fish into the net at the big moment.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Ask your older kid to read Luke 5:8–10 and explain why Peter felt the way he did, and what Jesus told him.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Have your teen read Luke 5:4–5. Peter was a professional fisherman taking advice from a carpenter, after a night of catching nothing. Ask about a time when doing what God asked didn’t match what they thought they knew.
☕️ For grown-upsBefore the miracle, Jesus borrowed Peter’s boat to use as a pulpit. He often asks for something ordinary we already have before He shows us what He can make of our lives.

Sticker for today: 🎣

Tuesday · 8 min · Walk

Follow-the-Leader Walk

👣 Follow the leader, say the verse!Follow the leader.Stop and say it.Switch leaders!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus invites us to follow Him and help others come to Him.

  1. Read Matthew 4:18–20 together.
  2. Ask: “What do you think a fisher of men does?”
  3. SAY“Fishers of men help people come to Jesus. Kids can do that too.”

😄 Follow the leader around the room for 30 seconds. Then switch leaders and go again.

📖 Read together: Matthew 4:19 ↗

  1. Tap Key Verse and read Matthew 4:19 together.
  2. Head outside, or walk through the house. The leader goes first and everyone follows.
  3. Every time the leader stops, everyone says the verse together.
  4. Switch leaders at each stop. Try tiptoes, giant steps or a silly walk.
  5. SAY“Fishers of men means helping people come to Jesus. Kids can do that too!”

📖 Play along: the key verse (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • What does it mean to be one of Jesus’s “fishers of men”?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one be the leader first, and copy whatever silly walk they choose.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Let your older kid lead a harder route and say the verse from memory at every stop.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen what skills the fishermen already had, like patience, teamwork and working through the night. Jesus used them in a new way. Then have your teen name one skill of their own He could use.
☕️ For grown-upsJesus didn’t erase the fishermen’s personalities. He redirected them. Your children’s strong traits, even the ones that wear you out, may be the very gifts He plans to use.

Sticker for today: 👣

Wednesday · 8 min · Dinner table

Tricky Choices at Dinner

🛡️ Tricky choices at the table!Hear the tricky choice.What would you do?Jesus will help you!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus used the scriptures to stay strong when Satan tried to trick Him.

  1. Read Matthew 4:3–4 together.
  2. Ask: “How did Jesus start His answer to Satan?” He said, “It is written.”
  3. SAY“The scriptures can help us choose the right too.”

😄 Thumbs-up vote. A grown-up names quick choices, like share a toy or grab it. Thumbs up for Jesus’s way.

📖 Read together: Matthew 4:1–4 ↗

  1. At dinner, read Matthew 4:1–2. Jesus fasted and prayed to be close to Heavenly Father.
  2. Read Matthew 4:3–4. Satan tried to trick Jesus. Jesus answered with scripture.
  3. SAY“Jesus said, ‘It is written.’ The scriptures helped Him choose the right.”
  4. Take turns sharing tricky choices. Your brother knocks over your tower. The show ends, but you want one more.
  5. For each one, talk about what Jesus would want you to choose.
  6. SAY“Jesus knows what it’s like to be tempted. He’ll help you be strong.”
Talk about it
  • What helped Jesus say no to Satan?
  • What helps you make good choices when it’s hard?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Give your little one easy choices, like “Share or grab?” Cheer when they pick share.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Ask your older kid to come up with a tricky choice someone their age might face, and how a scripture could help.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Have your teen read Matthew 4:3–10 and notice that two temptations begin with “If thou be the Son of God.” Talk about how the adversary attacks who we are, and what messages about identity they hear online.
☕️ For grown-upsEvery answer Jesus gave came from Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16 and 6:13. He had made that scripture His own long before the wilderness. What we store up in calm times is what we can reach for in hard ones.

Sticker for today: 🛡️

Thursday · 8 min · Game

Gone Fishing Game Night

🐟 Guess the word, catch a fish!Give clues.Catch a fish.Most fish wins!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus healed many people because He loves each one.

  1. Read Luke 4:40 together.
  2. Ask: “How does Jesus help people today?”
  3. Each person shares one time they felt Jesus’s help.

😄 Quick guess game. One person thinks of a word from this week. Everyone gets five yes-or-no questions to guess it.

  1. Tap Forehead Guess. One player holds your phone or tablet on their forehead.
  2. Everyone else gives clues. Tilt down for got it. Tilt up to pass.
  3. Every right guess catches a fish. Count your fish on your fingers.
  4. Whoever catches the most fish is captain at dinner. The captain picks who says the prayer.

🤔 Play along: Forehead Guess (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Which word from this week’s story did you like best?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one sit with a big helper and shout out guesses.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Challenge your older kid to give clues using only three words each time.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Let your teen play on hard mode. Before each clue, they have to say whether the word comes from Matthew 4, Luke 4 or Luke 5.
☕️ For grown-upsGame night is spiritual work too. The laughter and trust you build tonight make the harder gospel talks possible later.

Sticker for today: 🐟

Friday · 8 min · Service

Net of Kindness

💞 Catch people with kindness!Pick a kind mission.Do it!Tell your family.

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus came to heal broken hearts, and we can help Him.

  1. Read Luke 4:18 together.
  2. Ask: “Who do we know who needs cheering up?”
  3. Pick one kind thing to do for them tomorrow.

😄 High-five chain. Each person says one kind thing they’ll do, then high-fives the next person.

📖 Read together: Luke 4:18 ↗

  1. Read Luke 4:18 together. Jesus came to heal broken hearts and help people who hurt.
  2. SAY“We can help Jesus do His work. Who needs a friend or some cheering up?”
  3. Each child picks one kind mission. Sit with someone new, call a grandparent or help a sad sibling.
  4. When someone finishes a mission, they tell the family. Everyone cheers, “One more in the net!”
Talk about it
  • Who do you know that might feel sad or left out?
  • How is being kind like helping people come to Jesus?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Help your little one call or video-chat a grandparent or neighbor to say “I love you.”
📚 Big kids (10–13)Ask your older kid to reach out to someone their age who seems lonely, with a message or an invitation.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Have your teen read Luke 4:18–19 and write a one-sentence mission statement of their own. Then invite them to do one thing this week that fits it.
☕️ For grown-upsWhen Jesus announced His mission in Nazareth, He described it almost entirely in terms of people: the poor, the brokenhearted, the captive, the blind and the bruised. His work is people work, and so is ours at home.

Sticker for today: 💞

Saturday · 8 min · Scripture detective

What Jesus Always Did

📜 Find the clue: what did Jesus always do?Find the clue.Play the quiz.Get ready for church!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus went to church every Sabbath, and we can too.

  1. Read Luke 4:16 together.
  2. SAY“Going to church was something Jesus always did.”
  3. Ask: “What’s your favorite part of going to church?”

😄 Thumbs-up vote. Name three Primary songs. The winner is the one you’ll hum on the way to church.

📖 Read together: Luke 4:16–21 ↗

  1. Read Luke 4:16 together.
  2. SAY“Detectives, find the words that show Jesus went to church every Sabbath.”
  3. The clue is “as his custom was.” A custom is something you always do.
  4. Read Luke 4:17–18. Jesus read Isaiah’s words and said they were about Him.
  5. Tap Quiz and answer the questions together.
  6. Lay out Sunday clothes. Put your scriptures by the door.

🏆 Play along: Scripture Showdown (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Why do you think Jesus went to church every Sabbath?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one hold the scriptures open and point to the page with you.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Ask your older kid to read Isaiah 61:1 and compare it with Luke 4:18.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen to read Luke 4:22–30. Why couldn’t the people who watched Jesus grow up accept Him? Is it harder to change in front of people who knew you before?
☕️ For grown-upsLuke 4:16 says going to the synagogue on the Sabbath was Jesus’s custom. Worship as a habit, even on weeks it feels routine, was part of how He lived.

Sticker for today: 📜

Sunday · 6 min · Sabbath

Close to Heavenly Father

🙏 What did you learn in Primary today?Teach your family one thing.When do you feel close to Heavenly Father?

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus fasted and prayed to be close to Heavenly Father.

  1. Read Matthew 4:1–2 together.
  2. Ask: “Who could our family pray for on fast Sunday?”
  3. SAY“When we pray, we can feel close to Heavenly Father too.”

😄 30-second challenge. A grown-up counts to 30 while everyone names people they love.

📖 Read together: Matthew 4:1–2 ↗

  1. After church, ask: “What did you learn in Primary today?” Let each child teach you one thing.
  2. Read Matthew 4:1–2. Jesus fasted and prayed to be close to Heavenly Father.
  3. Sit together quietly. Each person shares one way they feel close to Heavenly Father.
  4. SAY“Next Sunday is fast Sunday. Let’s think about who our family could pray for.”
  5. A parent ends with a short testimony.
Talk about it
  • When do you feel closest to Heavenly Father?
  • What is one way you followed Jesus this week?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Help your little one fold their arms and say one thing they love about Heavenly Father.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Invite your older kid to share a short testimony of Jesus, or a time they felt close to God.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Invite your teen to plan their own short wilderness time this week: 15 minutes somewhere quiet, no phone, just prayer and scriptures. Afterward they can share with you if they want to.
☕️ For grown-upsThe Joseph Smith Translation says Jesus went into the wilderness “to be with God.” When did you last spend time with God simply to be with Him, not to get something done?

Sticker for today: 🙏

Family challenge

Fill the Net

Keep the Net of Kindness going all week: at dinner, everyone shares a kind act or right choice, and the family hauls in a pretend net for each one while someone keeps a tally on paper on the fridge. If you catch 20 fish by Sunday, celebrate with a family walk (or a treat if you have one that’s safe for your family’s allergies).

Parent Corner

Before He preached a single sermon, Jesus went into the wilderness to fast and be with His Father, and that is where He met the adversary. The temptations were aimed at His hunger, at proving Himself and at power, but underneath each one was a question about identity. Jesus answered from scripture and from certainty about who He was. The same chapters show how costly that certainty could be: His own neighbors in Nazareth heard Him say Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled that day, and when He reminded them that God’s prophets are often not accepted at home, they tried to throw Him off a cliff (Luke 4:21–29). Then comes Peter, tired and skeptical, who lowers the nets anyway because Jesus asked. Peter left his boats and discovered that the Lord could make far more of his life than he could have made on his own.

  • Ponder: What has the Savior asked our family to leave in the boat, and are we still holding on to it?
  • Try this: Next Sunday is fast Sunday. Plan your fast now, and give it a real purpose: one question about your life or your role as a parent that you want to take to the Lord.

Dinner-table questions

  • If Jesus asked you to follow Him, what would be hard to leave behind?
  • Would you rather be a fisherman or a shepherd? Why?
  • What’s a tricky choice you had this week? How did you choose?
  • How can you be one of the “fishers of men” at school?
  • Why is it good to try again even when you’re tired?

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

All family weeks