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The Great Page Rescue

Prophets write God’s words, two brave sisters save them from the street, and Jesus uses scripture to stand strong

  • 💧 Valiant 7–8
  • ⚡ Fast Sunday
  • 📅 Sunday, March 7, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Heavenly Father speaks through His prophets, and the scriptures they wrote down are His words to me, with power to help me choose the right.

I can treasure the scriptures by reading them, remembering them, and using them to choose the right, like Jesus did.

Study it yourself firstRead Exodus 20:1–17; Matthew 4:1–11; 1 Nephi 15:23–24; 2 Nephi 32:3; Helaman 13:4; Doctrine and Covenants 84:85; Joseph Smith—History 1:17 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this fast-Sunday lesson (Exodus 20:1–17; Matthew 4:1–11; 1 Nephi 15:23–24; 2 Nephi 32:3; Helaman 13:4; Doctrine and Covenants 84:85; Joseph Smith—History 1:17)
Know the chapters

This is the March fast-Sunday lesson from Appendix B of the 2027 manual. It replaces the regular Come, Follow Me lesson on fast Sunday. Some kids may be hungry or trying to fast with their families today. Children aren’t required to fast. The key verse fits beautifully. After Jesus fasted forty days, He said we don’t live by bread alone, but by every word from God. That’s Matthew 4:4. Keep the energy positive and skip food rewards.

Heavenly Father speaks to His children through prophets. Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Prophets write His words down so they don’t get lost or changed. Those writings become scripture: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. We also have a living prophet today, the President of the Church. Kids love scripture stories, like an ark, a lions’ den, and shining stones. But the real reason we love the scriptures is that they’re messages from God. And they all point to Jesus Christ. See John 5:39.

The Lord uses big, active words when He invites us to study. In 1 Nephi 15:23–24, Nephi told his brothers the rod of iron in Lehi’s dream is the word of God. Whoever listens to it and holds fast to it won’t be overpowered by the adversary’s temptations. In 2 Nephi 32:3, Nephi invites us to feast on the words of Christ. They’ll tell us everything we should do. In Doctrine and Covenants 84:85, the Lord told early missionaries to treasure up His words in their minds. Then the right words would come in the very moment they needed them. Hold fast, feast, treasure up. Each one comes with a promise.

The story comes from early Church history. See “Mary and Caroline Rollins” in Doctrine and Covenants Stories and Saints, volume 1. As a young girl in Kirtland, Ohio, Mary Rollins borrowed the only copy of the Book of Mormon in town. She read it nearly all night. Later, Joseph Smith let her keep that copy. Her family moved to Independence, Missouri. There, angry men wrecked the building where the Church was printing the Book of Commandments. It was an early collection of Joseph Smith’s revelations. Mary and her sister Caroline dashed into the street and gathered armfuls of pages. They hid in a cornfield until the men chasing them gave up. Those revelations are in the Doctrine and Covenants today. Tell the chase with suspense, but keep it gentle. The sisters were brave and safe, and no one got hurt.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Matthew 4:1–4. Skim the Mary and Caroline Rollins story in Doctrine and Covenants Stories in Gospel Library. Play Telephone, then tell the page rescue in Teach Mode while kids listen for the word “pages.” Say the key verse with motions. Walk the string “iron rod,” and close with your testimony. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” The iron rod becomes a line of linked arms.

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. Read Matthew 4:1–4 and the Mary and Caroline Rollins story in Doctrine and Covenants Stories.
  2. Before class, tie the string to a chair leg. Weave it around two or three chairs. The far chair is the Tree of Life.

If your class is wild

  • It’s fast Sunday. Some kids may be hungry and short-tempered. Give your crankiest kid the Sound Helper job. Use high-fives instead of treats.
  • The cornfield scene is a built-in quiet moment. Hold the “Shhh!” for five silent seconds before you read on.
  • During Hold Fast, walkers go slowly with one hand always on the string. Mist Makers can whisper and wave, but never touch.
  • If the class gets loud, whisper “It is written…” and wait. Teach them to whisper it back and fold their arms.

The 25-minute plan23 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

Telephone Trouble

3 min

A quick game of Telephone shows why prophets write God’s words down instead of just passing them along.

  1. SAY“Let’s pass a secret message. I’ll whisper it just once. No repeats!”
  2. Whisper to the first kid, “Seven silly squirrels skateboard on Saturday.” Each kid whispers it to the next. The last kid says it out loud.
  3. Read the real message and enjoy the giggles. Ask, “Why did it get mixed up? How could we keep it from changing?” Listen for “Write it down.”
  4. SAY“Heavenly Father tells His prophets His words. They write them down. We call them the scriptures.”
🌪️ Whisper, don’t shout. Anyone who says the message out loud early goes to the end of the line.

Class screen: 📞 Telephone! Will the message make it? · 📝 Write it down!

2. Story

Story: The Great Page Rescue

7 min

Two brave sisters show kids how much the Lord’s written words are worth.

  1. SAY“This is a true story about two sisters who were brave for the scriptures. Listen for the word ‘pages.’”
  2. Each time kids hear “pages,” they hold up their hands like a book. Open the story in Teach Mode and read each scene.
  3. After scene 5, ask, “Why would the girls risk so much for some pages?” Listen for “They were God’s words.”
  4. At the end, hold up your Doctrine and Covenants. Say, “Here they are! These are the words those girls saved.”
🌪️ If the room drifts, whisper “pages” and watch the books pop up.

Class screen: 📄 The Great Page Rescue · 👂 Listen for “pages” · 📖 Hands up like a book!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Matthew 4:4

4 min

Jesus shows kids exactly how to use scripture when they’re tempted, and the verse is perfect for fast Sunday.

  1. SAY“Jesus fasted for forty days. Then Satan tried to trick Him three times. Each time, Jesus answered with scripture. He said, ‘It is written.’”
  2. Show the verse on your phone or tablet. Read it slowly.
  3. SAY“It’s fast Sunday. Kids don’t have to fast. But we can all feed our spirits today.”
  4. Teach the motions one phrase at a time. Then say it three ways: normal, whisper, and super-strong.
  5. Ask, “Say someone dares you to do something wrong. What could you say, like Jesus did?”

Class screen: ✨ It is written!

4. Object lesson

Hold Fast to the Rod

6 min

Walking the string with eyes closed shows how God’s word guides us through confusing moments.

  1. SAY“In Lehi’s dream, an iron rod led to the tree of God’s love. Nephi tells us the rod is the word of God. It’s in First Nephi, chapter fifteen.”
  2. Everyone else stays seated and whispers distractions like mist, such as “Skip it!” or “This way!” They never touch.
  3. Send one walker at a time. They close their eyes, keep a hand on the string, and walk slowly to the Tree of Life.
  4. Ask, “What helped you get there when you couldn’t see?” Listen for “Holding on.” Then ask, “How do the scriptures help when life gets confusing?”
🌪️ Walk right beside each walker as the safety spotter.

Class screen: 🧵 Hold fast to the word of God! · Eyes closed · Hand on the rod · Don’t let go!

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A long piece of string or yarn, about 20 feet (the iron rod)

Hold Fast to My Arm

  1. SAY“In Lehi’s dream, an iron rod led to the tree of God’s love. Nephi tells us the rod is the word of God. It’s in First Nephi, chapter fifteen.”
  2. Pick a far chair as the Tree of Life. Hold your arm out straight. That’s the rod. Everyone else stays seated and whispers distractions like mist.
  3. Send one walker at a time. They close their eyes, hold your sleeve, and walk slowly with you to the Tree.
  4. Ask, “What helped you get there when you couldn’t see?” Listen for “Holding on.” Then ask, “How do the scriptures help when life gets confusing?”

Class screen: 🤝 Hold fast to the word of God! · Eyes closed · Hand on the rod · Don’t let go!

5. Testimony

Testimony & Treasure Up

3 min

End calm and reverent, with something to do at home.

  1. SAY“Mary and Caroline knew those pages were God’s words. I know the scriptures are His words to you.”
  2. Wait for quiet. In a sentence or two, share a time a verse or a prophet’s words helped or comforted you.
  3. SAY“The scriptures aren’t just old stories. They’re Heavenly Father’s words to YOU. And they always point to Jesus.”
  4. Share the Treasure Up challenge. Then ask a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 💎 This week: treasure up God’s words! · Read scriptures 5 minutes a day · Pick one verse to treasure · Teach it to your family

6. Game

Forehead Guess: Prophets & Scriptures Edition

4 minBONUS

A Heads Up–style guessing game that reviews prophets, scripture stories and the page rescue.

  1. SAY“Let’s see what you remember! Give clues, but don’t say the word.”
  2. Open Forehead Guess. One kid holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing the class. Everyone else gives clues from their seats.
  3. Tilt down for “got it” and up to pass. After about 45 seconds, your phone or tablet moves to the next kid.
🌪️ Go around the room. Each kid gives one clue, then it’s the next kid’s turn.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

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

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz reviews everything they learned.

  1. SAY“It’s Team Mary against Team Caroline!”
  2. Split the class in two and open Scripture Showdown. Read each question aloud. Teams whisper together, then point to an answer.
  3. Tap the team that got it right to give them a point.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

The Great Page Rescue

Doctrine and Covenants Stories, “Mary and Caroline Rollins”; Saints, vol. 1, pp. 177–79

Optional helpers

  • Sound HelperSits next to you and taps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet.

Scenes

  1. 📘🏘️ Only one Book of Mormon in town

    Mary Rollins was twelve years old. She lived in Kirtland, Ohio. One day, missionaries came to town with a brand-new book. The Book of Mormon! But the whole town had just one copy. And Brother Isaac Morley had it.

    🙌

  2. 🕯️📖 Reading almost all night

    Brother Morley let Mary borrow it until morning. She read almost all night! He was so surprised, he told her to take it home and finish it. Later, Joseph Smith let her keep that copy.

    🙌 Would you stay up all night to read? Hands up if yes!

  3. 🖨️📄 Printing the Lord’s words

    Mary’s family moved to Independence, Missouri. Church leaders there were printing a new book. It held the revelations Jesus Christ had given to Joseph Smith. It was called the Book of Commandments.

    🙌 Fist on palm, like a printing press: “Ka-CHUNK! Ka-CHUNK!”

  4. 😠💥 Angry men wreck the press

    But some people in town didn’t like the Church. Angry men broke into the printing building. They threw the press out the window. They scattered the pages in the street. Mary and her sister Caroline watched from behind a fence.

    🙌

  5. 🏃‍♀️📄 Grab the pages and run!

    Caroline was scared. But both girls knew those pages held the word of God. When the men weren’t looking, the sisters scooped up armfuls of pages. Some men yelled, “Stop!” The girls held on tight. And they ran.

    🙌 Quick guess: will they get away? Thumbs up or thumbs down.

  6. 🌽🤫 Hiding in the cornfield

    They ran into a cornfield so tall they couldn’t see out. They lay down flat on the pages. They stayed perfectly still. Two men walked through the corn, looking and looking.

    🙌 Finger to lips. Freeze: “Shhh!”

  7. 📚🙌 The pages are saved!

    Finally, the men gave up. Mary and Caroline were safe. And so were the Lord’s words! Those revelations are in the Doctrine and Covenants today. You can read them anytime.

    🙌

Key verse

Matthew 4:4 ↗
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”
In kid words: Jesus taught that food keeps our bodies alive, but our spirits need every word God speaks.
🙌 “Man shall not live” = shake your head and wag a finger · “by bread alone” = hold a pretend loaf, then set it down · “but by every word” = open your hands like a book · “that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” = fingers move out from your mouth, then point up

More verses

Amos 3:7 ↗
“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets”
In kid words: Heavenly Father always tells His prophets what He is going to do.
Matthew 4:2 ↗
“when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred”
In kid words: Jesus fasted for forty days and nights, and then He was very hungry.
John 5:39 ↗
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”
In kid words: Jesus told us to search the scriptures, because they tell about Him.
2 Timothy 3:15 ↗
“from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures”
In kid words: Even when you’re a child, you can know and love the scriptures.

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 🧔 Prophet
  • 📖 Scriptures
  • 🪨 Moses
  • 🔟 Ten Commandments
  • 🚢 Noah
  • 🌳 Lehi
  • 🧵 Iron Rod
  • 🧱 Samuel the Lamanite
  • 👨 Joseph Smith
  • 📘 Book of Mormon
  • 👧 Mary Rollins
  • 🖨️ Printing Press
  • 📄 Pages
  • 🌽 Cornfield
  • 📗 Doctrine and Covenants
  • 🏜️ Wilderness
  • ✍️ It Is Written
  • 📞 Telephone
Clues for each word
  • Prophet: God tells him His words, and he shares them
  • Scriptures: Holy books where prophets wrote God’s words
  • Moses: Received the Ten Commandments
  • Ten Commandments: God’s rules written on stone tablets
  • Noah: Built an ark full of animals
  • Lehi: Dreamed about the tree of life
  • Iron Rod: Hold fast! It stands for the word of God
  • Samuel the Lamanite: Stood on a wall to say Jesus was coming
  • Joseph Smith: Translated the Book of Mormon
  • Book of Mormon: Mary Rollins read it almost all night
  • Mary Rollins: Brave girl who rescued the pages
  • Printing Press: Machine that goes “Ka-CHUNK” and makes books
  • Pages: Scattered in the street, then saved
  • Cornfield: Where the sisters hid
  • Doctrine and Covenants: Book with the revelations the sisters saved
  • Wilderness: Where Jesus fasted for forty days
  • It Is Written: What Jesus said when Satan tempted Him
  • Telephone: Whisper game where messages get mixed up
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown8 questions

  1. Which prophet received the Ten Commandments from God?
    • A. Noah
    • B. Moses
    • C. Jonah
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Moses God gave Moses the commandments to teach the people (Exodus 20).

  2. Which prophet stood on a city wall to say Jesus would come?
    • A. Samuel the Lamanite
    • B. Lehi
    • C. Daniel
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Samuel the Lamanite Samuel climbed the wall when people wouldn’t let him into the city (Helaman 13:4).

  3. What did Mary Rollins do with the borrowed Book of Mormon?
    • A. Lost it in the snow
    • B. Used it as a pillow
    • C. Read it almost all night
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Read it almost all night She loved it so much she became the first person in Kirtland to finish it.

  4. Where did Mary and Caroline hide with the pages?
    • A. In a river
    • B. In a cornfield
    • C. In a tree house
    Show answer

    ✅ B. In a cornfield The corn was so tall that the men searching for them gave up.

  5. Those rescued revelations are in which book today?
    • A. The Doctrine and Covenants
    • B. A phone book
    • C. A dictionary
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The Doctrine and Covenants You can read the revelations Mary and Caroline saved in the Doctrine and Covenants.

  6. What did Jesus say each time Satan tried to trick Him?
    • A. “Maybe later.”
    • B. “Let me think about it.”
    • C. “It is written…”
    Show answer

    ✅ C. “It is written…” Jesus answered every temptation with scripture (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10).

  7. Nephi said the iron rod stands for…
    • A. A fence
    • B. The word of God
    • C. A fishing pole
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The word of God Hold fast to God’s word and temptations can’t pull you away (1 Nephi 15:24).

  8. Amos 3:7 says God reveals His secrets to whom?
    • A. Kings
    • B. His servants the prophets
    • C. Nobody
    Show answer

    ✅ B. His servants the prophets Heavenly Father speaks through prophets, then and now.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Search, Ponder, and Pray Children’s Songbook, p. 109

    How we treasure up the scriptures ourselves. Find it ↗

  • Follow the Prophet Children’s Songbook, p. 110

    A fun review of the prophets from the Pose-Off. Find it ↗

  • We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet Hymns, no. 19

    Say thank you for our living prophet. Find it ↗

  • Book of Mormon Stories Children’s Songbook, p. 118

    The book Mary Rollins loved so much. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Treasure Up

Read or listen to the scriptures for five minutes every day this week. Pick one verse you love and learn it by heart. Matthew 4:4 is a great one. Teach it to your family on Sunday.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we learned that Heavenly Father speaks through prophets, who write His words in the scriptures. We heard the true story of Mary and Caroline Rollins. They rescued pages of the Lord’s revelations and hid in a cornfield. We learned how Jesus answered temptation with “It is written.” Ask your child why those pages were worth saving. Then ask which verse they’ll treasure up this week.

📝 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?

💎 Feast, Hold Fast, Treasure Up · 5 min

  1. Split into three teams. Give each team one passage to find. Use 2 Nephi 32:3, 1 Nephi 15:23–24, and Doctrine and Covenants 84:85.
  2. Each team finds the Lord’s action word and the promised blessing. The words are feast, hold fast, and treasure up.
  3. Each team gives clues for its action word without saying it. The others guess. Then the team shares the blessing in their own words.

✍️ It Is Written Challenge · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 4:1–11 together, or tell it simply. Count how many times Jesus says “It is written.” It’s three!
  2. Name an everyday temptation. Maybe a friend dares you to lie, or you want to hit your brother back or skip your prayers.
  3. The class shouts “It is written!” and helps choose a verse or Primary song line that would help. Say, “The more words we treasure up, the more we have ready.”

🕵️ Scripture Story Clues · 4 min

  1. Whisper a favorite scripture story to a volunteer. Try Noah’s ark, Daniel and the lions, or the brother of Jared’s shining stones. David and Goliath or Jesus calming the storm work too.
  2. They give three clues without saying any names. The class guesses.
  3. After each one, ask, “What does this story teach us about Heavenly Father or Jesus?”

🧍 Prophet Pose-Off · 3 min

  1. Teach the poses. Moses holds up two stone tablets. Noah hammers a boat. Lehi spreads arms like tree branches. Samuel the Lamanite points from a wall. Joseph Smith kneels and looks up.
  2. Read a clue, then say, “3, 2, 1, POSE!” Try “God gave him ten commandments” and “He saw a tree of God’s love.” Then “He stood on a wall to say Jesus would be born” and “He built an ark.”
  3. For the last clue, say, “The prophet and President of the Church today.” Everyone cups a hand to their ear. We listen! Share one thing he’s taught recently.

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 Valiant 7–8 lessons