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Let Your Light Shine

This week Jesus climbs a mountain and teaches the Beatitudes, His surprising list of what makes people truly happy, and tells His disciples they are the light of the world. Kids learn that being gentle, merciful and a peacemaker isn’t boring: it’s how their light helps other people find Jesus. The week ends on Valentine’s Day, a perfect Sunday to talk about loving everyone, even people who are hard to love.

  • Week 7
  • 📅 Feb 8–14, 2027
  • 📖 Matthew 5; Luke 6
Start with Monday
Read it togetherMatthew 5; Luke 6 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualNew Testament 2027, week 7

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 · 8 min · Cozy story time

Couch Story: The Sermon on the Mount

⛰️ Story time: Jesus’s happy list!Snuggle up.Whisper “Happy!”Find the light.

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus taught that real happiness comes from being gentle, kind and a peacemaker.

  1. Read Matthew 5:7–9 together.
  2. Ask: “Which of these blessings would you like most?”
  3. Everyone shares one time being kind made them happy.

😄 Read verse 9 again in a squeaky mouse voice, then in a big bear voice.

📖 Read together: Matthew 5:1–12 ↗

  1. Pile onto the couch together.
  2. Tap Story. Read each scene out loud in your best storyteller voice.
  3. Every time you hear “Blessed,” everyone whispers “Happy!”
  4. At the salt and light scene, ask: “Would you hide a lamp under a basket?”
  5. SAY“Real happiness comes from being gentle, kind, forgiving and a peacemaker. That’s Jesus’s secret list!”

🎭 Play along: scenes 1–7 (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Which thing on Jesus’s happy list do you think is the hardest?
  • When did being kind make you feel happy inside?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one tap to the next scene and be the loudest “Happy!” whisperer.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid read Matthew 5:3–9 out loud and pick one Beatitude to explain in their own words, with a real example from school.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Have your teen read Luke 6:20–26 next to Matthew 5:3–12. Luke adds “woes” to the blessings. Is Jesus’s list realistic for a teenager today, or completely upside down? Which Beatitude would change their school most?
☕️ For grown-upsNotice who Jesus calls blessed: the poor in spirit, the mourning, the persecuted, not the comfortable. Which Beatitude fits your season of life right now? Hear that verse as a promise addressed to you.

Sticker for today: ⛰️

Tuesday · 7 min · Verse

Don’t Hide Your Light

🔦 Don’t hide your light!Hide it under a bowl?No way!Hold it up high!

✋ Grab: a flashlight · a bowl

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus wants us to let our light shine so others can see Him through us.

  1. Read Matthew 5:14–16 together.
  2. Ask: “What are some ways kids can shine?”
  3. SAY“When we’re kind, people see our light. It points them to Jesus.”

😄 Everyone makes their brightest light-up face. The grown-up picks the shiniest smile!

📖 Read together: Matthew 5:14–16 ↗

  1. Turn off the lights and switch on a flashlight.
  2. Put a bowl over the flashlight. Ask: “Can anyone see the light now?”
  3. Read Matthew 5:15 together. Then lift the bowl and hold the light up high.
  4. Tap Key Verse. Say it three times: in a whisper, in a normal voice, then loud and bright.
  5. SAY“When we’re kind and good, people see our light. It can lead them to Jesus.”

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

Talk about it
  • Who has been like a light for you?
  • What is one good work that could make someone smile tomorrow?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one lift the bowl off the light and shout “Shine!”
📚 Big kids (10–13)Let your older kid run the flashlight, then say the key verse from memory with the lights still off.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Read Matthew 5:13 with your teen. Taste a pinch of salt if you like. Ask what makes a disciple lose their flavor with friends or online, and what keeps it. Then tell them one place you’ve seen their light, since teens rarely notice their own.
☕️ For grown-upsVerse 16 has a quiet twist: people see your good works, but the glory goes to your Father in heaven. Real light points past itself. Where are you shining in a way that points to God rather than to you?

Sticker for today: 💡

Wednesday · 10 min · Draw

Draw the Happy List

🎨 Draw it, then guess the verse!Pick a verse.Draw it.Guess the blessing!

✋ Grab: paper and a pen

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus promised blessings to people who are meek, merciful and pure in heart.

  1. Read Matthew 5:3–9 together, slowly.
  2. Each person picks their favorite promise and says why.
  3. A parent shares one blessing Jesus has kept for them.

😄 Guess game. Act out one verse with only your face. Everyone guesses which one!

📖 Read together: Matthew 5:3–9 ↗

  1. Read Matthew 5:3–9 together once, slowly.
  2. Each person secretly picks one “Blessed are” verse.
  3. Draw a quick picture of someone living it. A peacemaker might be two kids shaking hands.
  4. Show your drawing. Everyone guesses which verse it is.
  5. Read that verse’s promise together.
  6. SAY“Jesus always keeps His promises. When we try to live like this, He blesses us.”
Talk about it
  • Which blessing would you most like to have?
  • Meek means gentle and teachable. What does that look like at school?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one draw a sad face and a happy face. Tell them Jesus comforts people who are sad.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Let your older kid be the caller who reads each verse’s promise and keeps score.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Hand your teen Matthew 5:21–44 and have them find the pattern “Ye have heard … but I say unto you.” Ask them to put one of Jesus’s upgrades into modern words. Why did He aim at the heart and not just the behavior?
☕️ For grown-upsAgain and again Jesus moves the law from actions to the heart: not only “don’t kill” but “don’t nurse anger.” That isn’t meant to crush us. It shows where real change starts. Where do you keep the letter of a commandment but not yet its spirit?

Sticker for today: 🧩

Thursday · 10 min · Game

Game Night: Lights Can’t Hide

🕯️ Guess the word, then find the glow!Guess the word.Hide with the light on.Can they find you?

✋ Grab: a flashlight

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 We don’t hide our goodness, because a kind heart is meant to be seen.

  1. Read Matthew 5:15 together.
  2. Ask: “Why would it be silly to hide a lamp?”
  3. Name one good thing each person can do where others will see it.

😄 Thirty-second challenge. Name as many things that give light as you can before time’s up!

📖 Read together: Matthew 5:15 ↗

  1. Tap Forehead Guess. Give clues and cheer for every right guess.
  2. Then turn off the lights. One person hides with a flashlight switched on.
  3. Everyone else finds them by the glow.
  4. Read Matthew 5:15. Ask: “Could you hide with your light turned on?”
  5. SAY“Jesus doesn’t want us to hide our goodness. A kind kid is hard to miss!”

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

Talk about it
  • What does it mean to hide your light?
  • How can people tell when someone is following Jesus?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Pair your little one with a big helper for hide-and-seek, and let them hold the flashlight.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid host Forehead Guess and give only one-word clues to make it harder.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Let your teen be the first seeker. Then ask where it’s hardest to openly follow Jesus: at school, with friends or online. What’s one small, non-preachy way to let their light show there?
☕️ For grown-upsKids learn more from the light they watch than the lectures they hear. Tonight, just enjoy playing with them. A parent laughing on the floor is a pretty bright light.

Sticker for today: 🎲

Friday · 7 min · Service

Peacemaker Mission

🕊️ Secret peacemaker mission!What would a peacemaker do?Get your secret mission.Go make peace!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus asks us to love and pray for people, even when they aren’t kind to us.

  1. Read Matthew 5:9 and 5:44 together.
  2. Ask: “What could a peacemaker say when siblings argue?”
  3. Each person picks one peacemaker word to use this weekend.

😄 High-five chain. Each person says “peace” and high-fives the next person, faster each round!

📖 Read together: Matthew 5:9, 44 ↗

  1. Read Matthew 5:9 and 5:44 together.
  2. SAY“Jesus asks us to make peace, and to be kind even when others aren’t.”
  3. Ask: “What would a peacemaker do?” A sibling grabs your toy. Two friends both want the swing.
  4. Give each child a secret peacemaker mission for the weekend.
  5. Ideas: stop a fight before it starts, let someone go first, or be kind to someone grumpy.
  6. At bedtime, ask: “Did you get to be a peacemaker today?”
Talk about it
  • What is hard about being kind to someone who was mean?
  • What peacemaker words can you use when your family is arguing?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Teach your little one one peace move, like saying “Your turn!” and handing over a toy. Cheer every time they try it.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Ask your older kid to think of a real person who is hard to be kind to, and plan one quiet, kind thing to do for them this week.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Read Matthew 5:23–24 with your teen. Jesus said to make things right with your brother before bringing your gift to the altar. Invite them to take one real step this weekend to repair a frayed friendship or group chat. No report required.
☕️ For grown-upsMatthew 5:44 asks us to pray for people who have hurt us. Try it tonight, specifically and by name. It rarely changes them overnight, but it usually changes the person praying.

Sticker for today: 🕊️

Saturday · 9 min · Dinner table

Quiz and Valentine Notes

🏆 Quiz time, then secret love notes!Play the quiz.Write a love note.Hide it!

✋ Grab: paper and a pen

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus wants our love to be real and to show in how we treat our family.

  1. Read Luke 6:31 together.
  2. Go around and say one thing you love about the person on your right.
  3. Ask: “How do you want to be treated this week?”

😄 Thumbs-up vote. Who gives the best hugs in the family? Then everyone gets one!

  1. After dinner, tap Quiz. Play kids against parents, or all together for a perfect score.
  2. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Pass around paper and a pen.
  3. Each person writes or draws one thing they love about each family member.
  4. Hide the notes in shoes or on pillows for a Sunday morning surprise.
  5. Set Sunday clothes by the door. A calm morning is a peaceful morning!

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

Talk about it
  • What was your favorite part of this week?
  • What would you like to learn in Primary tomorrow?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one scribble on the notes and choose the hiding spots.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid read the quiz questions aloud as the game-show host and keep score.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Put your teen in charge of the family valentines, with one rule: every note has to name something specific and true. Specific kindness takes more thought, and it lands deeper.
☕️ For grown-upsAs you write your notes, write one for your spouse or a close friend too. The Sermon on the Mount is lived mostly in ordinary kitchens, and the people closest to us often get our most tired selves.

Sticker for today: 🏆

Sunday · 7 min · Sabbath

Love Everyone Sunday

❤️ Jesus asks us to love everyone!Tell what you learned in Primary.Send some love.Say thank you.

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus asks us to love everyone, not just the people who love us back.

  1. Read Luke 6:35 together.
  2. Ask: “Who might feel lonely this week?”
  3. Pick one way to show that person Jesus’s kind of love.

😄 Everyone says “love everyone” in a whisper, then a cheer, then a robot voice.

📖 Read together: Luke 6:31, 35 ↗

  1. After church, ask: “What did you learn in Primary today?” Let your kids teach you one thing.
  2. Read Luke 6:31 and 6:35 together.
  3. SAY“On Valentine’s Day, most people love the people who love them. Jesus asks us to love everyone.”
  4. Think of someone who might feel lonely. Send them a kind text or voice message together.
  5. Sing “Jesus Said Love Everyone” from the Children’s Songbook, if you know it.
  6. Each person thanks Heavenly Father for someone who shines for them. A parent shares a short testimony.
Talk about it
  • What did you learn about Jesus in Primary today?
  • Who can we show Jesus’s kind of love to this week?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one say hello or “We love you!” in the voice message.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Invite your older kid to share which Beatitude they want to work on this month and why.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Read Matthew 5:48 with your teen. Do they hear “Be ye therefore perfect” as pressure or as a promise? The word points to being complete or fully grown. It’s something Jesus Christ finishes in us over time, not a score we reach alone.
☕️ For grown-upsLuke 6:35 says God is kind “unto the unthankful and to the evil.” That includes us on our worst days. Let His kindness to you set the tone for how you speak to your kids tonight.

Sticker for today: ❤️

Family challenge

Light Spotters

Each night at dinner, everyone names one time they saw someone in the family let their light shine that day. Give each one a round of twinkly jazz hands and keep a running count out loud. Can you reach 20 by Sunday?

Parent Corner

The Sermon on the Mount doesn’t lower the law of Moses; it moves it inward. Six times Jesus quotes the old standard and then goes deeper: from murder to anger, from adultery to lust, from oaths to plain honesty, from revenge to loving enemies. Read straight through, it can feel impossible, especially when it lands on “Be ye therefore perfect.” But the sermon opens with the Beatitudes, and they describe people who know they are not enough: the poor in spirit, the mourning, the hungry for righteousness. The higher law is not a scorecard for the self-sufficient. It is a portrait of who our Father is and of what Christ will make of anyone who keeps coming to Him. Perfection, in the New Testament sense, is being made complete, and that is His work in us as much as ours.

  • Ponder: Which of Jesus’s “but I say unto you” teachings do you quietly avoid, and what would it look like to bring that one to Him instead of hiding it?
  • Try this: Read Matthew 5–7 in one sitting this week (about 20 minutes) as if you were on the hillside hearing it for the first time. Mark the one line that feels written for you, and keep it on your phone’s lock screen until Sunday.

From general conference

“If we admit that honestly and are trying to improve, we are not hypocrites; we are human.”

— Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” October 2017

For parents who feel they keep falling short; read it before Sunday’s talk about Matthew 5:48.

Read the talk ↗

Dinner-table questions

  • If you could add one thing to Jesus’s happy list, would it already be on there?
  • Who in our family was a peacemaker today?
  • What is something good you saw someone do today?
  • Why would Jesus want us to be kind even to people who are mean?
  • What does “blessed” mean to you?
  • Where is a place you could shine your light tomorrow?

Sources

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

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