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Make Room for the King

Haggai’s leaky bags, a temple rebuilt, and a King who rides a donkey

  • 💧 Valiant 7–8
  • Week 50
  • 📅 Sunday, December 13, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ is our King, and when we put Him and His house first, He blesses us and helps us become holy.

I can make room for Jesus by putting Him first every day, before screens and games.

Study it yourself firstRead Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14)
Know the chapters

After about 70 years as captives in Babylon, the Jews were finally allowed to go home. King Cyrus of Persia even told them to rebuild the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, which had been destroyed. That’s Ezra 1. They laid the foundation with trumpets and shouting. The old people who remembered Solomon’s glorious temple wept, in Ezra 3:10–13. Then enemies caused trouble, and the work stopped for about 15 years, in Ezra 4. The people told themselves, “The time is not come,” in Haggai 1:2. They put their energy into their own nice houses.

Around 520 B.C. the Lord sent two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to get the work going again. That’s Ezra 5:1–2. Haggai asked, “Is it time for you… to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?” That’s Haggai 1:4. “Cieled” means paneled with fine wood. He told them, “Consider your ways.” They worked hard but never had enough, like a worker who “earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes,” in 1:5–6. The people listened. Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest led them back to work in about three weeks. That’s Haggai 1:1 and 14–15. The Lord promised, “I am with you,” in 1:13. The temple was finished a few years later and dedicated with joy, in Ezra 6:15–16.

Zechariah encouraged the builders with visions. The Lord told Zerubbabel his mountain of problems would be leveled, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.” That’s Zechariah 4:6–7. In another vision, the filthy clothes of Joshua the high priest were replaced with clean ones, in Zechariah 3:3–5. It’s a picture of how the Savior removes our sins, and it ties beautifully to baptism and the sacrament. Zechariah also prophesied of Jesus Christ. He saw a humble King riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, in 9:9. That came true when crowds shouted “Hosanna” on the first Palm Sunday, in Matthew 21:1–11. He also saw the Second Coming, with the Savior on the Mount of Olives showing the wounds in His hands. See Zechariah 13:6 and 14:4, and Doctrine and Covenants 45:48–53.

For eight-year-olds, the message is simple. Put the Lord first. Haggai’s people weren’t wicked. They were just busy with their own stuff, and kids understand that! Zechariah saw a day when even horse bells and cooking pots would carry the words “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD,” in 14:20. Today those words are on every temple: “Holiness to the Lord. The House of the Lord.” In December, remember there was no room at the inn. We can make room for our King.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Haggai 1:2–8 and Zechariah 9:9. Poke a few holes in a paper bag and grab a handful of dry beans. Tell the story from Teach Mode. Say the key verse with motions, do Big Rocks First, and close with a quiet testimony. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” The leaky bag becomes pretend, and classmates become the rocks.

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 Haggai 1:2–8 and Zechariah 4:6 and 9:9. Poke 5 or 6 pencil-sized holes in the bottom of the paper bag.
  2. Test the jar at home. Put the rocks in first, then fill to the top with rice. Pour it back into the bowl and pick out the rocks.

If your class is wild

  • Echo lines work anytime. Say “Consider your ways!” in a whisper, and wait for it to come back.
  • Make your wiggliest kid the Sound Helper. Tapping the sounds keeps their hands busy.
  • The Leaky Bag makes a small mess on purpose. Only your helper touches the bag. The stillest kid counts the beans left inside.
  • Zechariah 9:9 uses an old word for donkey that can make kids giggle. Calmly say, “That’s the old word for donkey,” and keep going.
  • At scene 7, drop your voice. Jesus riding in as a gentle King is the quiet, special moment.

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 Leaky Bag

3 min

A surprise spill makes Haggai 1:6 impossible to forget.

  1. SAY“You worked SO hard this week. Here’s your pay!”
  2. A helper holds the bag over the tray. Pour in the beans.
  3. Watch them rattle out the bottom. Act shocked! Ask, “What if your allowance always went into a bag like this?”
  4. SAY“A prophet named Haggai said God’s people were living just like this. Let’s find out why.”
🌪️ Only the helper touches the bag. The kid who’s sitting stillest counts the beans left inside.

Class screen: 👜 Why does the money keep disappearing? · 🫘 Where did it go?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A paper lunch bag with 5–6 holes poked in the bottom, a handful of dry beans, and a baking tray to catch the spill

The Invisible Leaky Bag

  1. SAY“You worked SO hard this week. Here’s your pay!”
  2. Hold out an invisible bag and drop in pretend coins. Everyone says “Plink!” as each one falls right out the bottom.
  3. Act shocked! Ask, “What if your allowance always went into a bag with holes?” Let two kids show their best shocked faces.
  4. SAY“A prophet named Haggai said God’s people were living just like this. Let’s find out why.”

Class screen: 👜 Your pay… in a bag with holes! · 🪙 Plink! Plink!

2. Story

Story: Build the Lord’s House!

7 min

The people go from stuck to joyful when they put the Lord first, and Zechariah points ahead to Jesus the King.

  1. SAY“This is a true story from the Old Testament. Sometimes I’ll say a line, and you say it right back to me.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. When a line shows at the bottom, say it first. Then the class says it back.
  3. After scene 3, ask what the people put first. Their own houses! Then ask what they should’ve put first. The Lord!
  4. At scene 7, read softly. Ask, “Who is the King?” Jesus! Ask why He rode a donkey. He’s gentle and humble.
🌪️ If the room drifts, say the next line in a silly voice. They’ll echo it back the same way.

Class screen: 🔨 Build the Lord’s House! · 🔁 Say it back!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Zechariah 9:9

4 min

Motions help kids remember that Jesus is the King Zechariah saw coming.

  1. SAY“Zechariah saw Jesus coming more than five hundred years early. Here are his words.”
  2. Show the verse on your phone or tablet and read it slowly.
  3. SAY“‘Rejoice greatly’ means be super happy. ‘Behold’ means look! ‘Having salvation’ means He comes to save us.”
  4. Teach the motions one phrase at a time. Say it together twice, once normal and once in a parade voice.
  5. SAY“Jesus came as a baby. He rode in as a gentle King. And He will come again. Christmas is a great time to make room for Him.”

Class screen: 👑 Behold, thy King cometh!

4. Object lesson

Big Rocks First

7 min

A jar that only fits when the rocks go in first practices the big idea: put the Lord first, and He helps everything else fit.

  1. SAY“These rocks are the big things Heavenly Father asks us to do. This rice is everything else.”
  2. Five kids each hold a rock and name it, like pray or be kind. The class names the rice, like games and snacks.
  3. First, pour most of the rice in. Rock holders try to fit their rocks. No room! Say, “That’s what Haggai’s people did.”
  4. Now dump it back. Put the rocks in first, then pour the rice around them. Shake gently. It all fits!
  5. SAY“When we put Jesus first, He helps everything else fit. Which big rock will you put first tomorrow morning?”
🌪️ Five rocks means five jobs. Rock holders keep their rock in their lap until it’s their turn.

Class screen: 🪨 Big rocks first, then everything fits! · Pray · Scriptures · Church · Family · Be kind

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A clear jar or big clear cup, 5 rocks (or walnuts) that fit inside, and a bowl of dry rice

Big Rocks First: Drawing Edition

  1. SAY“Let’s fill a jar!”
  2. Draw a big jar on the board or any paper. Five kids name the Big Rocks, like pray, church, and be kind.
  3. First, the class names rice, like games and screens, as you fill the jar with dots. No room for rocks!
  4. Now draw a new jar. Five kids draw the Big Rocks first. Then add rice dots in the gaps. Everything fits!
  5. SAY“When we put Jesus first, He helps everything else fit. Which big rock will you put first tomorrow morning?”

Class screen: 🪨 Big rocks first, then everything fits! · Pray · Scriptures · Church · Family · Be kind

🌪️ Draw fast and silly. Kids love watching the first jar overflow with dots.
5. Testimony

Testimony & Lord First Mornings

3 min

End quietly with one simple way to put the Lord first at home.

  1. SAY“Let’s get as still as a stone wall.”
  2. Wait until the room is quiet.
  3. Briefly share how putting the Lord first has blessed you. Tell them Jesus is your King, and He loves each of them.
  4. Ask, “What’s one big rock you can do before screens tomorrow?” Let two or three kids answer.
  5. Show the Lord First Mornings challenge. Then invite a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 📝 This week: put the Lord first every morning! · Pray, read, or sing · Before screens and games

6. Game

Forehead Guess: Temple Builders Edition

4 minBONUS

A quick Heads Up–style review of the prophets, the builders and the King on a donkey.

  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 everything they learned.

  1. SAY“Team Haggai versus Team Zechariah!”
  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

Build the Lord’s House!

Ezra 1; 3–6; Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 4:6; 9:9; Matthew 21:1–11 ↗

Optional helpers

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

Scenes

  1. 🏚️ Home again, but the temple is rubble

    For about seventy years, God’s people lived far away in Babylon. Then the king said they could go home and build the Lord’s house again! They hiked back to Jerusalem. The temple was just a pile of broken stones.

    🙌

  2. 🛑🏡 The work stops… for 15 years

    They laid the first stones and shouted for joy. Then grumpy neighbors made trouble, and the work stopped. Years went by. People said, “The time is not come.” They built nice houses for themselves instead.

    🙌 Say it back in a grumpy voice: “The time is not come.”

  3. 👜🕳️ Money in a bag with holes

    Then the Lord sent the prophet Haggai. He said: You plant a lot but harvest a little. You eat but stay hungry. Your pay goes into a bag with holes! Why? Because the Lord’s house is still in ruins.

    🙌 Say it back: “Consider your ways!”

  4. 📣🔨 “Go up to the mountain… and build!”

    “Consider your ways,” Haggai said. “Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house.” The people listened! Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest led everyone back to work. The Lord said, “I am with you.”

    🙌

  5. ⛰️💨 Not by might, nor by power

    Zerubbabel still had a mountain of problems. So the Lord sent him a message through the prophet Zechariah. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.” The Lord would flatten that mountain!

    🙌 Say it back: “Not by might, but by my spirit!”

  6. 🏛️🎉 The temple is finished!

    A few years later, the Lord’s house was finished! Everyone celebrated with great joy. And Zechariah saw something even better coming. One day Jerusalem’s King would come. He’d be gentle and humble, riding on a donkey.

    🙌

  7. 🫏🌿 Behold, thy King cometh!

    More than five hundred years later, it happened. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a war horse. The crowds spread their coats on the road, waved branches and shouted, “Hosanna!” Jesus is the King.

    🙌 Whisper it back: “Hosanna!”

Key verse

Zechariah 9:9 ↗
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation”
In kid words: Be super happy and shout! Your King is coming to you. He is fair and good, and He brings salvation.
🙌 “Rejoice greatly” = jump once with jazz hands · “O daughter of Zion” = sweep your arm around the whole class · “shout, O daughter of Jerusalem” = cup your hands around your mouth for a silent shout · “behold” = shade your eyes and look far away · “thy King” = make a crown on your head with your fingers · “cometh unto thee” = march in place, then point to yourself · “having salvation” = cross your arms over your heart

More verses

Haggai 1:5–6 ↗
“Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little … he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes”
In kid words: Think about what you’re doing! You work hard, but it’s like putting your money in a bag with holes.
Haggai 1:8 ↗
“Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it”
In kid words: Go get the wood and build My house, and it will make Me happy.
Zechariah 4:6 ↗
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
In kid words: You won’t do it by being strong or powerful. You’ll do it with the help of My Spirit.
Zechariah 13:6 ↗
“What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.”
In kid words: When Jesus comes again, He will show the marks in His hands, and everyone will know He is the Savior who suffered for them.

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 📣 Haggai
  • 🕯️ Zechariah
  • 🧱 Zerubbabel
  • 🏛️ Temple
  • 🔨 Hammer
  • 🪵 Wood
  • 🕳️ Bag with Holes
  • 🫏 Donkey
  • 🌿 Palm Branch
  • 🙌 Hosanna
  • 👑 King
  • 👕 Clean Clothes
  • ⛰️ Mountain
  • 💪 Muscles
  • 🛝 Playground
  • 🫒 Mount of Olives
  • 🏗️ Foundation
  • 🏙️ Babylon
Clues for each word
  • Haggai: Prophet who shouted, “Consider your ways!”
  • Zechariah: Prophet who saw visions and a King on a donkey
  • Zerubbabel: Governor with a super long name who led the builders
  • Temple: The house of the Lord they rebuilt
  • Hammer: Builders bang nails with it
  • Wood: Haggai said go up the mountain and bring this
  • Bag with Holes: Money you put in falls right out
  • Donkey: Jesus rode one into Jerusalem
  • Palm Branch: The crowd waved these for Jesus
  • Hosanna: What the crowd shouted when Jesus came
  • King: Zechariah said, “Behold, thy ___ cometh!”
  • Clean Clothes: Joshua got these instead of filthy ones
  • Mountain: Zerubbabel’s problems would get flattened like one
  • Muscles: “Not by might,” so not by these!
  • Playground: Where kids play at recess, like the streets Zechariah saw
  • Mount of Olives: Where Jesus will stand when He comes again
  • Foundation: The first stones at the very bottom of a building
  • Babylon: Where God’s people lived for about 70 years before coming home
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown8 questions

  1. Which prophet said, “Consider your ways”?
    • A. Jonah
    • B. Haggai
    • C. Moses
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Haggai Haggai told the people to think hard about what they were putting first.

  2. What building did God’s people need to rebuild?
    • A. The temple
    • B. A castle
    • C. A barn
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The temple The Lord’s house in Jerusalem was a pile of rubble.

  3. Haggai said their money was like putting it in…
    • A. a treasure chest
    • B. a piggy bank
    • C. a bag with holes
    Show answer

    ✅ C. a bag with holes Haggai 1:6. No matter how hard they worked, it never felt like enough.

  4. About how long did work on the temple stop?
    • A. 15 minutes
    • B. About 15 years
    • C. 15 days
    Show answer

    ✅ B. About 15 years About 15 years, until Haggai and Zechariah got everyone building again.

  5. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my…”
    • A. Spirit
    • B. muscles
    • C. money
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Spirit Zechariah 4:6. The Lord helps us do hard things through His Spirit.

  6. Zechariah said the King would come riding on a…
    • A. war horse
    • B. chariot
    • C. donkey
    Show answer

    ✅ C. donkey Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, just as Zechariah said (Matthew 21:1–11).

  7. What did the crowd shout when Jesus rode into Jerusalem?
    • A. “Goodbye!”
    • B. “Hosanna!”
    • C. “Touchdown!”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “Hosanna!” Hosanna is a Hebrew word that means “save us, please!” They were praising Jesus as their King.

  8. What words are written on every temple today?
    • A. Holiness to the Lord
    • B. Keep Out
    • C. Built in a Day
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Holiness to the Lord Zechariah 14:20 said “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD” would be written on everyday things too.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • I Love to See the Temple Children’s Songbook, p. 95

    The people in Haggai’s day worked hard to rebuild the house of the Lord. Find it ↗

  • Joy to the World Hymns, no. 201

    Zechariah said to rejoice because the King was coming. Sing it for the King who came at Christmas. Find it ↗

  • When He Comes Again Children’s Songbook, p. 82

    Zechariah saw the Savior’s Second Coming on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Lord First Mornings

Stick a note that says LORD FIRST on your bedroom door. Every morning this week, do one big rock before screens or toys. Say a prayer, read a verse, or sing a Primary song.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we learned how the prophet Haggai told God’s people to consider their ways. They needed to rebuild the temple, not just their own fancy houses. That’s Haggai 1:4–8. We watched beans fall out of a bag with holes. Then we fit big rocks in a jar by putting them in first. We also learned that Zechariah said the King would come riding a donkey, and Jesus did! Ask your child what big rock they put first today.

📝 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?

🌿 Hosanna Wave · 4 min

  1. Cut green paper into long strips and fringe the edges to make palm branches.
  2. Read Zechariah 9:9 and Matthew 21:8–9.
  3. Read verse 9 again. Everyone waves their branches from their seats and whispers, “Hosanna!”
  4. Say, “Jesus came as a humble King. We can welcome Him into our hearts every day.”

👕 Clean Clothes · 3 min

  1. Draw a shirt on paper and scribble pencil mud all over it.
  2. Read Zechariah 3:4: “Take away the filthy garments from him.”
  3. Let a child erase the mud until the shirt is clean.
  4. Ask, “How does Jesus make us clean?”
  5. Then ask when we promised to follow Him. At baptism, and every week at the sacrament!

🔍 Compassion Detectives · 3 min

  1. Read Zechariah 7:9: “shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother.”
  2. Zechariah said to care for widows, children without parents, strangers and the poor.
  3. As a class, think of someone who might feel alone this Christmas. Maybe a new kid or a grandparent far away.
  4. Plan one kind thing together. Make a card, draw a picture, or visit with a parent.

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