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Heave! Ho! Out of the Mud!

A grumpy king burns God’s words, a prophet sinks in squishy mud, and a brave helper comes with ropes and soft rags

  • 🛡️ CTR 4–6
  • Week 44
  • 📅 Sunday, November 1, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Heavenly Father and Jesus love me forever, and I can be a brave, kind helper like Ebed-melech.

I can be brave and kind like Ebed-melech when someone needs help.

Study it yourself firstRead Jeremiah 31–33; 36–39; Lamentations 1; 3 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Jeremiah 31–33; 36–39; Lamentations 1; 3)
Know the chapters

Jeremiah was a prophet in Jerusalem just before the city was destroyed. In Jeremiah 36 the Lord told him to write His words on a scroll, and his helper Baruch wrote them all down. When the scroll was read to King Jehoiakim beside a winter fire, the king cut it up and burned it. The Lord simply had Jeremiah and Baruch write it again. People can burn paper, but they can’t stop God’s word.

Years later, in Jeremiah 38, angry leaders lowered Jeremiah on ropes into a deep, empty water pit. He sank in the mud at the bottom. Ebed-melech was a servant from Ethiopia who worked in the palace. He went straight to King Zedekiah and said it was wrong. He took thirty men, ropes and some old, soft rags so the ropes wouldn’t hurt Jeremiah’s arms. Then he pulled the prophet out. In 39:18 the Lord promised to keep Ebed-melech safe “because thou hast put thy trust in me.” He’s a wonderful hero for little ones. He was an ordinary helper who was brave and kind at the same time.

Jeremiah 31:3 tells us the Lord loves His people “with an everlasting love.” That’s a love that never ends. In 31:33 He promises to write His law in our hearts. The 7-year-olds in your class are getting ready to be baptized. They’ll promise to remember Jesus and help others, and Heavenly Father will promise them the Holy Ghost. Lamentations is a book of sad poems about Jerusalem. But in 3:23 it also says the Lord’s kindness is “new every morning.” Because of Jesus Christ, we can repent and start fresh. The sacrament each Sunday helps us do that.

For 4- to 6-year-olds, keep the pit squishy and silly, not scary. Keep coming back to two words: brave and kind. You tell the story with pictures, and everyone joins in from their seats. Readers can read the captions and the verse from your phone or tablet.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Jeremiah 38:6–13. Tie a sock to a jump rope or scarf. Tell the story in Teach Mode, and let the class make the sounds. Say Jeremiah 31:3 with motions and play Heave-Ho Helpers. Close with New Every Morning. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing,” and everyone pulls an invisible rope together.

What to bring2 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. Tie or tuck the sock onto one end of the rope. Set the sock end under a chair across the room. That’s the pit. Stretch the rope toward your seat.
  2. Put the coin or rock and the bubbles in a bag. You’ll pull them out one at a time.

If your class is wild

  • Sound effects need an off switch. Raise your hand, and every sound stops.
  • Give your wiggliest kid the Rope Leader job. Now their energy starts the “Heave! Ho!” for everyone.
  • Seat each 4- or 5-year-old by a 6-year-old buddy. Little ones copy the motions, and big kids love to help.
  • Keep the mud squishy and silly, not scary. A big “Squish, squish!” gets giggles, not worries.
  • In Heave-Ho Helpers, only one child pulls the rope at a time, and only after sharing an idea. Never play rope games in a crowd.

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

Forever or Not?

3 min

A quick guessing game introduces “everlasting,”.

  1. SAY“Some things last a long time, and some don’t. Let’s guess!”
  2. Blow a few bubbles and let kids pop them from their seats. Gone so fast! Then hold up the coin or rock. Ask, “Will this last a long time?”
  3. SAY“The Lord told Jeremiah His love is everlasting. It never ends!”
  4. SAY“Jeremiah needed that forever love. He got stuck in squishy mud!”

Class screen: 🫧 Will it last forever? · 🫧 Bubbles? · 🪨 A rock?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Something that lasts a long time (a coin or a rock) and something that doesn’t (a bottle of bubbles, a banana or a flower)

Forever or Not? (Thumbs Game)

  1. SAY“Some things last a long time, and some don’t. Thumbs up for a long time. Thumbs down for not very long!”
  2. Call out: “A snowman on a sunny day!” “A mountain!” “A bubble!” “An ice cream cone!” Save “Heavenly Father’s love!” for last.
  3. SAY“Everlasting! It never ends!”
  4. SAY“Jeremiah needed that forever love. He got stuck in squishy mud!”

Class screen: 👍 Thumbs up or down: will it last? · 👍 or 👎?

2. Story

Story: Jeremiah and the Muddy Pit

7 min

A true rescue story shows a helper who was brave and kind at the same time.

  1. SAY“This is a true story about a prophet and a brave helper. You get to make the sounds.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. When a sound shows, everyone makes it. Big kids can read the caption first.
  3. After scene 5, ask, “Was Ebed-melech brave?” Yes! He told the king it was wrong.
  4. After scene 7, ask, “How was he kind?” He sent soft rags so the ropes wouldn’t hurt.
🌪️ If the room drifts, do ten seconds of the fastest “Heave! Ho!” ever. Then whisper the next scene.

Class screen: 🕳️ Jeremiah and the Muddy Pit · ✍️ Scritch, scratch! · 🔥 Crackle! · 🟤 Squish! · 🪢 Heave! Ho!

3. Wiggle break

Heave-Ho Tug of War

2 min

A quick team burst gets the wiggles out before the verse.

  1. SAY“It’s Team Rope versus Team Rags!”
  2. Split the class in two and tap Tug of War. Each team taps its side of your phone or tablet as fast as it can. Play two quick rounds.
  3. SAY“Ebed-melech couldn’t pull Jeremiah out alone. Helpers work together!”
🪢 Tug of War (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🪢 Team Rope vs. Team Rags!

4. Scripture

Key Verse: Jeremiah 31:3

3 min

Motions help every age remember that Heavenly Father’s love never ends.

  1. SAY“Jeremiah was stuck in the mud. But the Lord still loved him.”
  2. Show the verse on your phone or tablet. Let a big kid read it slowly.
  3. Teach the motions one part at a time. Say it three ways: a normal voice, a tiny mouse voice, then a big Ebed-melech voice.
  4. Hide the screen. Can the class say it alone?
  5. Ask, “When you feel stuck or sad, is His love still there?” Yes! It’s everlasting!

Class screen: 💞 I have loved thee with an everlasting love.

5. Game

Heave-Ho Helpers

7 min

Kids practice brave, kind ways to help, and every good idea pulls the “soft rags” out of the pit.

  1. SAY“Let’s be brave, kind helpers like Ebed-melech! Every good idea pulls the rags one step out of the pit.”
  2. Point to the sock under the chair. Then describe someone who needs help: “A friend fell down at recess.”
  3. Kids with an idea raise a hand. One shares a brave, kind way to help. Then they pull the rope once while everyone says, “Heave! Ho!”
  4. Try more: “Someone is left out.” “Your little brother is crying.” “Kids are teasing a new kid.” Keep going until the sock is out. Cheer!
  5. SAY“Ebed-melech was brave and kind. When you help like that, you’re showing Heavenly Father’s everlasting love.”
🌪️ Only the child who shared an idea pulls, one pull each. Everyone else pulls a pretend rope from their seat.

Class screen: 🧦 Every kind idea pulls the rags out! · ✋ Share an idea · 🪢 Heave! Ho!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A jump rope, long scarf or towel (the rope) with an old sock or washcloth tied to one end (the soft rags)

Heave-Ho Helpers (Invisible Rope)

  1. SAY“Let’s be brave, kind helpers like Ebed-melech! Every good idea pulls Jeremiah’s invisible rope one step out of the mud.”
  2. Describe someone who needs help: “A friend fell down at recess.” Kids with an idea raise a hand. One shares a brave, kind way to help.
  3. Everyone pulls the invisible rope together: “Heave! Ho!” Try five or six more, like someone left out or a crying brother.
  4. On the last pull, shout, “Out of the mud!” Cheer!
  5. SAY“When you help like that, you’re showing Heavenly Father’s everlasting love.”

Class screen: 🪢 Every kind idea pulls the rope! · ✋ Share an idea · 🪢 Heave! Ho!

6. Testimony

New Every Morning

3 min

End quietly with the Lord’s kindness and a fresh start through Jesus.

  1. SAY“Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has hard days. Let’s rest our heads on our arms, like it’s nighttime.”
  2. Whisper: “The scriptures say the Lord’s kindness is new every morning. Good morning!”
  3. Kids stretch up slowly, like the sun coming up.
  4. SAY“Because of Jesus, we get a fresh start when we say sorry.”
  5. Share a sentence or two about Jesus, our greatest Rescuer. Show the Be an Ebed-melech challenge. Then ask a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🌅 His kindness is new every morning. · Good morning!

7. Game

Forehead Guess: Muddy Pit Edition

4 minBONUS

A quick Heads Up–style review of the story words.

  1. SAY“Let’s see what you remember! Give clues, but don’t say the word.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess. The guesser holds your phone or tablet on their forehead. Everyone gives clues from their seats. Little ones can show a motion.
  3. Tilt down for “got it” and up to pass. Give each guesser about 30 seconds. Pair a little one with a big-kid buddy.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess! · Give clues, don’t say the word!

8. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz reviews the lesson.

  1. SAY“It’s Team Rope versus Team Rags!”
  2. Split into two teams, mixing big and little kids. Tap Scripture Showdown.
  3. A big kid on each team reads the question out loud. The team whispers, then points to an answer.
  4. Tap the team that got it right to give them a point. Cheer for both teams.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

Jeremiah and the Muddy Pit

Jeremiah 36; 38:1–13; 39:15–18 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Rope LeaderStarts the pretend-rope “Heave! Ho!” from their seat whenever the story needs it.
  • Sound HelperSits next to you and taps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet.

Scenes

  1. 📜✍️ Write God’s words on a scroll!

    Jeremiah was a prophet. The Lord told him to write down His words. His helper Baruch wrote every word on a long roll of paper called a scroll.

    🙌 Write in the air: “Scritch, scratch!”

  2. 👑🔥 The grumpy king burns the scroll

    The scroll was read to King Jehoiakim while he sat by a warm fire. He did not like God’s words. So he cut the scroll into pieces. And he tossed them into the fire!

    🙌 Wiggle your fingers like flames: “Crackle, crackle!”

  3. 📜✨ “Write it all again!”

    Did the king win? No way! The Lord told Jeremiah to write it all again. And Baruch did. You can burn paper, but you can’t stop God’s words.

    🙌

  4. 🕳️🟤 Down into the squishy mud

    Later, some angry men let Jeremiah down on ropes into a deep, empty pit. There was no water, just squishy mud. And Jeremiah sank in it. But Heavenly Father knew right where he was.

    🙌 Slide down low in your seat: “Squish, squish!”

  5. 🧑🏾📣 Ebed-melech speaks up!

    A helper in the king’s palace heard what happened. His name was Ebed-melech. He wasn’t a prince or a prophet. But he went right to the king. He said, “This is wrong! Jeremiah needs help!”

    🙌

  6. 🪢🧦 Ropes and soft rags

    The king said, “Take thirty men and pull him out.” So Ebed-melech got old, soft rags. He let them down on the ropes. He said, “Put these under your arms, so the ropes won’t hurt.” He was brave AND kind!

    🙌

  7. 💪🎉 Heave! Ho! Out of the mud!

    Everybody pulled together. Heave! Ho! Up, up, up came Jeremiah, out of the mud! And the Lord promised to keep Ebed-melech safe, because he trusted the Lord.

    🙌 Pull hand over hand, faster and faster: “Heave! Ho!” Then cheer!

Key verse

Jeremiah 31:3 ↗
“I have loved thee with an everlasting love”
In kid words: The Lord says, “I love you forever and ever.”
🙌 “I have loved thee” = hug yourself · “with an everlasting” = draw a giant circle in the air that never stops · “love” = make a heart with your hands and hold it out to a friend.

More verses

Jeremiah 38:13 ↗
“So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon”
In kid words: They pulled Jeremiah up with ropes, right out of the pit!
Jeremiah 36:28 ↗
“Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words”
In kid words: Get another scroll and write all the same words again!
Jeremiah 31:33 ↗
“write it in their hearts”
In kid words: God wants His words to live in our hearts.
Lamentations 3:22–23 ↗
“They are new every morning”
In kid words: The Lord’s kindness is brand-new every morning.

Forehead Guess words16 words

  • 🧔 Jeremiah
  • 📜 Scroll
  • 👑 King
  • 🔥 Fire
  • 🟤 Mud
  • 🕳️ Hole
  • 🪢 Rope
  • 🧦 Sock
  • 🧑🏾 Ebed-melech
  • 🦁 Brave
  • ❤️ Heart
  • ✏️ Pencil
  • 💧 Baptism
  • 🌅 Sunrise
  • 🫧 Bubbles
  • 🤝 Helper
Clues for each word
  • Jeremiah: The prophet who got stuck in the mud
  • Scroll: A long paper all rolled up
  • King: He wears a crown
  • Fire: Hot! Crackle, crackle!
  • Mud: Squishy, brown and sticky
  • Hole: A deep pit in the ground
  • Rope: Pull, pull, pull!
  • Sock: Soft and goes on your foot
  • Ebed-melech: The brave helper who saved Jeremiah
  • Brave: Not scared to do what’s right
  • Heart: God writes His words here
  • Pencil: You write with it
  • Baptism: You go all the way under the water
  • Sunrise: The sun comes up in the morning
  • Bubbles: Pop! They don’t last long
  • Helper: Someone who helps you
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown8 questions

  1. Who wrote God’s words on the scroll?
    • A. Baruch ✍️
    • B. The king 👑
    • C. A dog 🐕
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Baruch ✍️ Baruch was Jeremiah’s helper. He wrote it all down, and then wrote it again!

  2. What did the grumpy king do with the scroll?
    • A. Ate it 🍽️
    • B. Burned it 🔥
    • C. Hugged it 🤗
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Burned it 🔥 He tossed it in the fire, but God had it written again.

  3. What was at the bottom of the pit?
    • A. Toys 🧸
    • B. Water 💧
    • C. Mud 🟤
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Mud 🟤 No water, just squishy mud. Jeremiah sank right in!

  4. Who bravely helped Jeremiah?
    • A. Ebed-melech 🧑🏾
    • B. The grumpy king 👑
    • C. Nobody 🙈
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Ebed-melech 🧑🏾 Ebed-melech told the king it was wrong and came to the rescue.

  5. How did they pull Jeremiah out?
    • A. With a ladder 🪜
    • B. With ropes 🪢
    • C. With a crane 🏗️
    Show answer

    ✅ B. With ropes 🪢 They pulled him up with ropes (Jeremiah 38:13).

  6. Why did Ebed-melech send down soft rags?
    • A. To make a pillow 🛏️
    • B. To clean the mud 🧽
    • C. So the ropes wouldn’t hurt 🧦
    Show answer

    ✅ C. So the ropes wouldn’t hurt 🧦 He was brave AND kind.

  7. How long does Heavenly Father love you?
    • A. One day 📅
    • B. Forever 💖
    • C. Only when I’m good 👍
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Forever 💖 “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” It never ends!

  8. When is the Lord’s kindness brand-new?
    • A. Every morning 🌅
    • B. Only on birthdays 🎂
    • C. Never 🚫
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Every morning 🌅 It’s new every morning. Every day is a fresh start.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Dare to Do Right Children’s Songbook, p. 158

    Ebed-melech dared to do right when nobody else did. Sing it after the story. Find it ↗

  • My Heavenly Father Loves Me Children’s Songbook, p. 228

    Goes with the key verse about Heavenly Father’s everlasting love. Find it ↗

  • When I Am Baptized Children’s Songbook, p. 103

    Goes with the Promise Hearts extra and the promises we make at baptism. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Be an Ebed-melech

This week, look for someone who needs help. It might be a friend who fell down, a sad brother or sister, or someone left out. Be brave and kind, and help them. Tell your family about it at dinner.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we heard how a brave helper named Ebed-melech pulled the prophet Jeremiah out of a muddy pit. He used ropes and soft rags. We learned from Jeremiah 31:3 that Heavenly Father loves us “with an everlasting love.” Then we practiced brave, kind ways to help. Every idea pulled the rags a little farther out of the pit. Ask your child, “What did Ebed-melech do that was brave? What did he do that was kind?”

📝 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?

🟤 Squishy Mystery Mud · 4 min

  1. Before class, stir about ½ cup of water into 1 cup of cornstarch. It should feel hard when you tap it but drip when you lift it.
  2. Let kids who are sitting ready tap it fast. It’s hard! Then have them sink a finger in slowly. Goo!
  3. Set a small toy person on top and watch it sink. Then pull it out slowly.
  4. Ask, “Could Jeremiah climb out by himself?” No! Then ask, “Who helped him?”
  5. Throw the mud in the trash, not the sink.

📖 Storybook or Scriptures? · 3 min

  1. Hold up a children’s picture book and your scriptures. Ask, “How are these the same? How are they different?”
  2. SAY“The scriptures are special. They’re God’s words, written by prophets like Jeremiah.”
  3. Let a reader find and read Jeremiah 36:28 out loud. Then share a scripture that’s special to you.

❤️ Promise Hearts · 4 min

  1. Hand each child a paper heart. Show Jeremiah 31:33 on your phone or tablet.
  2. SAY“The Lord told Jeremiah He wants to write His words in our hearts.”
  3. SAY“At baptism we promise to remember Jesus and keep His commandments. We promise to help people, like Ebed-melech did. And Heavenly Father promises us the Holy Ghost.”
  4. Kids draw one promise on their heart, like Jesus, a helping hand, praying or being kind. Readers can write a word like “Help” or “Jesus.”
  5. SAY“Put your heart in your pocket. It can remind you of your promise all 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 CTR 4–6 lessons