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Cords of Love

A cord of love, a locust swarm that eats everything, a Lord who gives it all back, and a rock versus a sponge

  • 💧 Valiant 7–8
  • Week 47
  • 📅 Sunday, November 22, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Heavenly Father and Jesus love me no matter what, and whenever I turn back to Them with my whole heart, They help me start fresh.

I can turn back to Heavenly Father and Jesus with my whole heart whenever I make a mistake.

Study it yourself firstRead Hosea 1–6; 10–14; Joel in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Hosea 1–6; 10–14; Joel)
Know the chapters

Hosea and Joel are two of the twelve short books at the end of the Old Testament. They’re called the “minor prophets.” That’s because the books are short, not because they matter less. Hosea preached in the northern kingdom of Israel in the years before Assyria conquered it. The Lord used Hosea’s own family as a living parable. His wife, Gomer, broke her promises and left him, and Hosea still went and brought her back. That’s Hosea 1–3. The Lord was showing Israel how He felt. They’d broken their covenants with Him, and He still wanted them back. Eight-year-olds don’t need the marriage details. They need the message. The Lord keeps loving us and keeps inviting us home.

Hosea’s tenderest verses are perfect for kids. The Lord is like a parent teaching a toddler to walk, “taking them by their arms.” He draws them close “with bands of love,” in Hosea 11:3–4. He promises, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely,” in 14:4. He says there is “no saviour beside me.” He’ll “ransom them from the power of the grave,” in 13:4 and 14. Those promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ’s Atonement and Resurrection. Jesus Himself quoted Hosea 6:6, “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice.” He said it when people complained that He ate with sinners, in Matthew 9:13.

Joel describes a swarm of locusts so huge it stripped the land bare, in Joel 1:4–12. Then the Lord calls His people to turn to Him “with all your heart.” He says, “rend your heart, and not your garments,” in 2:12–13. People tore their clothes to show sorrow, but the Lord wanted real change inside. When they turned back, He sent rain and full harvests. He promised, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,” in 2:25. It’s a picture of how the Savior heals and restores what sin and hard times take from us.

Joel 2:28 promises, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” Peter quoted it on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2:16–18. The angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith in 1823. He quoted this prophecy and said it would soon be fulfilled. That’s Joseph Smith—History 1:41. For kids who’ve just been baptized and confirmed, this promise is about them. The gift of the Holy Ghost is poured out on sons and daughters, including eight-year-olds.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Hosea 11:4, Hosea 14:4 and Joel 2:12–13, 25. Grab a ball of yarn, a kitchen sponge, a rock and a cup of water. Do the Cord of Love and tell the locust story from Teach Mode, stopping for guesses. Say Hosea 14:4 with motions, do Rock or Sponge?, and close with a quiet testimony. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” Holding hands becomes the cord. Fists and open hands become the rock and the sponge.

What to bring4 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 Hosea 11:4, Hosea 14:4 and Joel 2:12–13, 25.
  2. Set the rock, sponge, cup of water and towel by your chair. Test the pour at home once so you know how much water to use.

If your class is wild

  • Take guesses only from raised hands. Every guess gets a “Great thinking!”
  • Make your wiggliest kid the Sound Helper. They tap the locust buzz and get to hear it first.
  • Locusts are loud. Before the story, practice the switch. When your hand goes up, the buzzing stops instantly.
  • During Rock or Sponge?, only the child holding the cup pours. Everyone else is a squish inspector waiting for a turn.
  • Keep the repentance talk warm and light. A kid who feels like the bad one needs to hear it clearly. Heavenly Father loves you FREELY.

The 25-minute plan24 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 Cord of Love

3 min

A gentle tug on a string shows how Heavenly Father draws us back.

  1. SAY“I need a helper who’s great at wandering.”
  2. Hand them the loose end of the yarn. They walk slowly away while it unrolls.
  3. SAY“The prophet Hosea said Heavenly Father draws us ‘with bands of love.’ He never yanks us. He invites us, and we choose to come back.”
  4. Gently reel them back, hand over hand, while everyone cheers softly. Ask, “Can we ever wander too far for His love?” No!
🌪️ The helper walks, never runs. Everyone else stays seated and watches the yarn.

Class screen: 🧶❤️ How far can you wander from His love? · 🧶 Bands of love

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A ball of yarn or string

The Human Cord

  1. SAY“I need a helper who’s great at wandering.”
  2. Hold their hand. They take three slow steps away until your arms stretch out.
  3. SAY“The prophet Hosea said Heavenly Father draws us ‘with bands of love.’ He never yanks us. He invites us, and we choose to come back.”
  4. Gently pull them back, step by step, while everyone cheers softly. Ask, “Can we ever wander too far for His love?” No!

Class screen: 🤝❤️ How far can you wander from His love? · 🤝 Bands of love

2. Story

Story: The Locust Army and the Great Comeback

7 min

A swarm, a turn and a rainstorm show that the Lord welcomes us back and restores what we lost.

  1. SAY“This is a true story from the prophet Joel. I’ll stop sometimes so you can guess what happens next.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. At each “Guess!”, take two or three guesses, then read on.
  3. At scene 3, point out that this is what repenting means. It’s turning back to God with all your heart.
  4. After scene 6, ask what the Lord did when the people turned back. He sent rain and gave back more than they lost!
🌪️ If the buzzing gets loud, raise your hand. The locusts nap! Then whisper the next scene.

Class screen: 🦗 The Locust Army and the Great Comeback · 🤔 Guess what happens next! · 🦗 Bzzz!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Hosea 14:4

4 min

Kids memorize the heart of Hosea: God’s love is free, and He helps us come back.

  1. SAY“Here is the Lord’s promise for anyone who slides away.”
  2. Show the verse on your phone or tablet and read it slowly.
  3. SAY“Backsliding means sliding away from God with wrong choices. Freely means His love is free. You never have to earn it.”
  4. Teach the motions one phrase at a time. Say it together twice, once in slow motion and once super fast.
  5. Ask if anything could make Heavenly Father stop loving them. No! He keeps loving us and inviting us back.

Class screen: 💞 I will love them freely!

4. Object lesson

Rock or Sponge?

7 min

Pouring water shows what Joel meant by an open, soft heart that lets the Lord’s love in.

  1. SAY“Joel said, ‘Rend your heart.’ That means the Lord wants hearts that are open and soft inside.”
  2. Pass around the rock and sponge. Pour a little water on the rock. It runs off! Say, “When we won’t listen, His help runs off.”
  3. Pour water slowly on the sponge. It soaks up every drop. Say, “When we turn back, His love soaks in.”
  4. Let a kid squeeze the sponge into the cup. Say, “A heart full of His love spills out as kindness.”
  5. Ask, “What’s one way to turn back this week?” Maybe say sorry, pray, fix it, or take the sacrament.
🌪️ Only the child holding the cup pours. Everyone else is a squish inspector waiting for a turn.

Class screen: 🪨🧽💧 Rock or sponge: which one soaks it up? · Watch the water…

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A kitchen sponge, A rock (or a smooth plastic lid), A cup of water and a towel or tray

Rock Hands, Sponge Hands

  1. SAY“Joel said, ‘Rend your heart.’ The Lord wants hearts that are open and soft inside. Make a tight fist. That’s a rock heart.”
  2. Tap rain on the Sound Board and wiggle your fingers down onto their fists. Say, “When we won’t listen, His help runs off.”
  3. Everyone opens their hands wide like a sponge. Rain again. Say, “When we turn back, His love soaks in.”
  4. Call “Squeeze!” Everyone gives a neighbor a high five or a kind word. Say, “His love spills out as kindness.”
  5. Ask, “What’s one way to turn back this week?” Maybe say sorry, pray, fix it, or take the sacrament.

Class screen: ✊🖐️ Rock hands or sponge hands? · ✊ Rock = shut tight · 🖐️ Sponge = open wide

5. Testimony

The Welcome-Home Heart

3 min

End calm and reverent, with a simple plan for the next time they mess up.

  1. SAY“Everyone make a heart with your hands and hold it up. This is a welcome-home heart.”
  2. Briefly share that Heavenly Father and Jesus have never given up on you. Tell how repenting helps you feel clean and happy.
  3. Show the Turn-Around Challenge on the screen.
  4. Invite a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🔄❤️ This week: when you mess up, turn around! · 1. Stop · 2. Say sorry and pray · 3. Fix it and try again

6. Game

Forehead Guess: Locusts & Love Edition

4 minBONUS

A quick Heads Up–style review of the prophets, bugs and big words from today.

  1. SAY“Let’s see what you remember! Give clues, but don’t say the word.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess.
  3. One kid holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing the class. Everyone else gives clues from their seats.
  4. Tilt down for “got it” and up to pass. Each turn is 45 seconds. Then pass your phone or tablet to the next kid.
🌪️ Go around the room one clue at a time. That way nobody shouts over anybody.
▶ 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 Hosea and Joel.

  1. SAY“Team Rain versus Team Harvest!”
  2. Split the class in two and tap Scripture Showdown.
  3. Read each question out loud. Teams whisper together, then point to an answer.
  4. 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 Locust Army and the Great Comeback

Joel 1–2 ↗

Optional helpers

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

Scenes

  1. 🌾🍇☀️ A land full of good food

    Long ago in the land of Israel, fields waved with golden wheat. Grapes hung on the vines. Figs grew on the trees. There was olive oil for everyone’s bread. The farmers were happy.

    🙌 Guess! What could happen to all this good food?

  2. 🦗🦗🦗 Bzzz! Here comes the swarm!

    Then the sky turned dark. Locusts! Hopping, chomping bugs, more than anyone could count! They ate the wheat. They ate the grapes. They even ate the bark off the fig trees. The farmers had nothing left.

    🙌 Rub your hands fast: “Bzzz!” Then chomp: “Munch, munch!”

  3. 🔄❤️ “Turn ye even to me with all your heart”

    The prophet Joel said to blow a trumpet and gather everyone, even tiny babies. The Lord had a message. It’s not too late! “Turn ye even to me with all your heart.” Heavenly Father wanted His people to come back.

    🙌

  4. 👕❤️ “Rend your heart, and not your garments”

    In Joel’s day, people ripped their clothes to show they were sorry. But the Lord said, “Rend your heart, and not your garments.” No show on the outside! He wanted a real change inside.

    🙌 Guess! What will the Lord do when they turn back?

  5. 🌧️🌱 Rain, glorious rain!

    The people turned back to the Lord and prayed, and He heard them. He sent rain, and more rain! Green grass sprang up. The trees grew leaves and fruit again. The whole land was coming back to life.

    🙌

  6. 🌾🎉 Barns full to the top!

    Soon the floors were piled high with wheat, and the barrels overflowed. The Lord promised, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” He did! Everything the locusts took, He gave back. And even more.

    🙌

  7. 🕊️👧👦 “I will pour out my spirit”

    Then the Lord promised, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.” That means everyone! He said, “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” Later, the angel Moroni came to Joseph Smith. He said it would soon come true. That’s for kids like you!

    🙌 You say each child’s name. Each child answers, “That’s me!”

Key verse

Hosea 14:4 ↗
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely”
In kid words: The Lord says, “When you slide away from Me, I’ll help you come back. I love you, and you never have to earn it.”
🙌 “I will heal” = both hands over your heart · “their backsliding” = slide your feet backward (moonwalk!) · “I will love them” = give yourself a big hug · “freely” = fling your arms wide open

More verses

Hosea 11:4 ↗
“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love”
In kid words: Heavenly Father gently pulls us close with His love, like a soft rope tied to our hearts.
Joel 2:13 ↗
“rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness”
In kid words: Don’t just act sorry on the outside. Open your heart and come back to God. He is kind and patient and full of love.
Joel 2:25 ↗
“I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten”
In kid words: Everything the locusts ate, the Lord will give back.
Joel 2:28 ↗
“I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”
In kid words: God will pour out His Spirit on everyone, even on kids!

Forehead Guess words19 words

  • 🧔 Hosea
  • 📣 Joel
  • 🦗 Locust
  • 🎺 Trumpet
  • ❤️ Heart
  • 🌧️ Rain
  • 🌾 Wheat
  • 🍇 Grapes
  • 🌱 Seeds
  • 🪢 Rope
  • 👶 Baby
  • 🧽 Sponge
  • 🪨 Rock
  • 🕊️ Holy Ghost
  • 🔄 Repent
  • 🍞 Sacrament
  • 🫒 Olive Tree
  • 💧 Dew
  • 👦 Joseph Smith
Clues for each word
  • Hosea: Prophet who said God loves us freely
  • Joel: Prophet who saw a giant swarm of locusts
  • Locust: Hopping bug that eats every green thing
  • Trumpet: Blow it to call everyone together
  • Heart: Joel said to open this, not rip your clothes
  • Rain: The Lord sent it so crops could grow again
  • Wheat: Golden grain that fills the barns
  • Grapes: Purple fruit that grows on a vine
  • Seeds: You sow these, and they grow into food
  • Rope: God draws us with cords of love
  • Baby: God is like a parent teaching one to walk
  • Sponge: Soaks up water like a soft heart
  • Rock: Hard. Water runs right off it
  • Holy Ghost: God promised to pour out His Spirit
  • Repent: Turn around and come back to God
  • Sacrament: Bread and water we take every Sunday
  • Olive Tree: Hosea said God’s people would be beautiful like one
  • Dew: Tiny drops on the grass in the morning
  • Joseph Smith: Moroni told him Joel’s promise would soon come true
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown8 questions

  1. What hopping bugs ate up all the crops in Joel’s day?
    • A. Crickets
    • B. Locusts
    • C. Ladybugs
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Locusts Joel 1:4. A swarm so big it ate every green thing!

  2. Joel said to “rend,” or tear, your ___ instead of your clothes.
    • A. Heart
    • B. Homework
    • C. Pillow
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Heart Joel 2:13. The Lord wants a real change on the inside, not just a show on the outside.

  3. What did the Lord send when the people turned back to Him?
    • A. More locusts
    • B. Snow
    • C. Rain and a huge harvest
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Rain and a huge harvest Joel 2:23–24. Floors full of wheat and barrels overflowing!

  4. Hosea said Heavenly Father draws us to Him with bands of…
    • A. Steel
    • B. Spaghetti
    • C. Love
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Love Hosea 11:4. He invites us with love, and we choose to follow.

  5. Hosea 14:4 says the Lord will love us…
    • A. Only when we’re perfect
    • B. Freely
    • C. Only on Sundays
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Freely “Freely” means His love is a gift. We never have to earn it.

  6. Hosea said God was like a parent teaching a little child to…
    • A. Walk
    • B. Drive a car
    • C. Juggle
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Walk Hosea 11:3. He held them by their arms, like helping a toddler take first steps.

  7. Joel said the Lord will pour out His ___ on sons and daughters.
    • A. Lemonade
    • B. Money
    • C. Spirit
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Spirit Joel 2:28. That promise includes kids like you who have the gift of the Holy Ghost!

  8. Which angel quoted Joel’s promise to Joseph Smith?
    • A. Gabriel
    • B. Moroni
    • C. Michael
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Moroni Joseph Smith—History 1:41. Moroni said it would soon be fulfilled.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Repentance Children’s Songbook, p. 98

    Sing it right after Rock or Sponge?, while hearts are soft. Find it ↗

  • The Holy Ghost Children’s Songbook, p. 105

    Joel promised the Spirit would be poured out on sons and daughters. Find it ↗

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

    Hosea says He loves us freely. Sing it after the yarn trail. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Turn-Around Challenge

When you make a mistake this week, turn around fast. Stop and say sorry to the person. Tell Heavenly Father in prayer, and try to fix it. Then notice how Jesus helps you feel clean and happy again.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we learned from Hosea and Joel that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us freely. That’s Hosea 14:4. They always invite us back when we make mistakes. We watched a yarn cord of love pull a wanderer home. We heard about a locust swarm that ate everything. When the people turned to the Lord, He restored the harvest. Ask your child what happened when we poured water on the rock and on the sponge. Then share a time repenting helped you feel happy again.

📝 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?

👶 Wobbly First Steps · 4 min

  1. Read Hosea 11:3: “I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms.”
  2. Pair kids up. One closes their eyes and takes wobbly toddler steps. The other holds their arms and guides them. Then switch.
  3. Ask, “How did it feel to have someone holding your arms?”
  4. Then ask who helps hold their arms as they learn to follow Jesus. Parents, teachers, the Holy Ghost!

🤝 Mercy Moments · 4 min

  1. Read Hosea 6:6: “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice.”
  2. Say, “Jesus quoted this verse too, when people complained that He ate dinner with sinners.”
  3. Read a situation and ask for a merciful answer. Try, “Your brother knocks down your Lego tower.”
  4. After each one, ask how Jesus showed mercy. Then ask how we can.

⏰ Around the Clock · 3 min

  1. Read Hosea 10:12: “it is time to seek the LORD.” Ask, “When is it time?” All the time!
  2. Call out a time, like 7:00 or lunchtime. Everyone acts out a way to seek the Lord then, like praying.
  3. Let kids take turns calling out a time and inventing the action.

🦗 Locust Swarm! · 4 min

  1. Split into two teams. Team 1 is wheat, kneeling tall and swaying. Team 2 is locusts.
  2. Tap Timer for about 20 seconds. Locusts hop in, buzzing. A gentle two-finger tap on the shoulder eats a stalk, and it flops.
  3. When time’s up, everyone kneels and says, “We turn to the Lord!” Then you say, “And the Lord said, ‘I will restore!’”
  4. Every stalk springs back up, and the locusts become wheat too.
  5. Switch teams. Read Joel 2:25. Say, “When we turn to Jesus, He can heal what we lost, and bless us with even more.”

🌱 Sow, Rain, Grow, Reap · 2 min

  1. Read Hosea 10:12: “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy.”
  2. Teach four moves. Poke seeds in to sow. Wiggle fingers down for rain. Rise on tiptoes to grow. Scoop up crops to reap.
  3. Call them in order, then mix them up faster and faster. Secret command is “Locust!” Everyone freezes like a statue.
  4. Say, “When we plant good choices, Heavenly Father rains blessings on us.”

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