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Who Hath Ears to Hear

Parable riddles, a sower’s seeds in four kinds of ground, a race to diagnose real-life hearts, and a pearl worth everything

  • ⭐ Valiant 9–10
  • Week 12
  • 📅 Sunday, March 21, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus taught in parables so that people with ready hearts would understand, and I can make my heart good ground where His word grows.

I can hear God’s word with an honest and good heart, keep it, and let my testimony of Jesus Christ grow with patience.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13)
Know the chapters

Matthew 13 is the Savior’s great chapter of parables. They’re short stories that teach about the kingdom of heaven. There are seeds, weeds, bread dough, buried treasure, a pearl and a fishing net. So many people came to the Sea of Galilee that He climbed into a boat. He taught the crowd on the shore. The disciples asked why He spoke in parables. He explained that the stories reveal truth to people who are ready and willing to hear. Hearts that are closed miss it. That’s 13:10–17. “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear,” in 13:9, is an invitation. It isn’t a riddle to shut anyone out.

The parable of the sower is the one Jesus explained Himself. See Matthew 13:3–23 and Luke 8:4–15. The seed is the word of God, and the ground is the heart. By the wayside, the word isn’t understood, and the wicked one snatches it away. On stony ground, it springs up with joy but has no root. It withers when trouble or persecution comes. Among thorns, it’s choked by the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. On good ground, it’s heard, understood and kept. It bears fruit “with patience,” in Luke 8:15. The manual invites us to ask how to make our hearts good ground. We can soften the path, dig out rocks and pull thorns. Alma 32:28–43 takes the same seed idea further. It teaches how to nourish the word until it becomes a tree of life.

The other parables stack up beautifully for nine- to eleven-year-olds. The mustard seed and the leaven, in 13:31–33, show that God’s kingdom can start tiny and grow huge. So can a testimony. In 13:44–46, the treasure in a field and the pearl of great price show what the gospel is worth. It’s worth giving up everything else. The wheat and tares, in 13:24–30 and 36–43, teach that good and evil grow side by side until the harvest. The Lord gave Joseph Smith more insight on it, in Doctrine and Covenants 86. Luke 13 adds a woman bent over for eighteen years. Jesus lifted her and made her straight on the Sabbath, in 13:11–13. And He invites us to strive to enter the strait gate, in 13:24.

This age can handle diagnosis. Don’t just name the four soils. Let them read real-life situations and decide what kind of ground each one is, and what would fix it. Ask them to be honest about their own ground without shaming anyone. Everyone has some path, rocks and thorns. The good news is that Jesus Christ helps us change our hearts. He does it through repentance, prayer, scripture study and the sacrament.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Matthew 13:1–23 and Luke 8:15. Ask the Parable Riddles. Tell the Sower in Teach Mode while kids listen for the word “ground.” Compare Matthew 13:23 with Luke 8:15 and learn the motions. Play Soil Sort with finger signals. Close with an open-hand seed. You need nothing but scriptures. Seeds for the testimony are optional.

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 13:1–23 and Luke 8:4–15.
  2. Think of how your testimony grew from something small. You’ll share it in a sentence or two.

If your class is wild

  • Make “Ears to hear!” your freeze call: everyone stops and cups both hands behind their ears.
  • Give your most energetic kid the Seed Leader job. Their energy gets the seeds flying.
  • In Soil Sort, teams whisper and show fingers together on your count. No blurting. A shouted answer goes to the other team.
  • Keep the “which ground are you?” question private. Nobody has to answer out loud, and nobody labels a classmate.
  • Give a quiet or older kid the Scorekeeper job for the whole lesson. Responsibility calms a lot of wiggles.

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

Parable Riddles

3 min

Guessing riddles about ordinary things primes kids to look for hidden meanings in Jesus’s parables.

  1. SAY“I’ll describe three ordinary things from Matthew 13. Raise a hand to guess. Each right guess scores for your side of the room.”
  2. “I’m smaller than a crumb, but I grow into a tree where birds rest.” Mustard seed! “Mixed into dough, I make the whole loaf rise.” Leaven!
  3. “A merchant sold everything he owned to buy me.” A pearl! Say: “Jesus hid heavenly truths inside ordinary things. Let’s see if you have ears to hear.”
🌪️ Guessers raise a hand. Blurting passes the guess to the other side.

Class screen: 🧩 Riddle time! What ordinary thing am I? · 🌱 Mustard seed? · 🍞 Leaven? · 💎 Pearl?

2. Story

Story: The Sower and the Four Grounds

7 min

Jesus explained this parable Himself. God’s word grows in a heart that hears it, understands it and keeps it.

  1. SAY“Jesus told this story from a boat. Listen for the word ‘ground.’ Tap your knees twice when you hear it.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. Read each scene, and listen for the taps. Read Jesus’s words yourself.
  3. After scene 6, volunteers read Matthew 13:10 and 13:16 from their seats. Ask: “Why do you think Jesus taught in stories instead of just saying it?”
  4. After scene 7, ask: “Could a patch of ground ever change?” Then ask: “How?” Soften it, dig out rocks and pull thorns, with Jesus’s help.
🌪️ If the room drifts, call “Ears to hear!” and wait for every pair of cupped hands.

Class screen: 🧑‍🌾 The Sower and the Four Grounds · 👂 Listen for “ground” · 👏 Tap, tap!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Luke 8:15

4 min

Comparing Matthew’s and Luke’s descriptions of good ground shows what makes a heart ready.

  1. SAY“Matthew and Luke both wrote down what good ground does. Let’s compare.”
  2. Volunteers read Matthew 13:23 and Luke 8:15 from their seats.
  3. Count on your fingers together what good ground does. It hears. It understands. It keeps it. It bears fruit. With patience.
  4. Ask: “Which of those is hardest for you?” Then: “Why do you think Luke added with patience?”
  5. Show the key verse and teach the motions phrase by phrase, all seated. Say it together twice.

Class screen: ❤️ An honest and good heart: hear it, keep it, grow · Luke 8:15

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each team: Bibles, a quad, or Gospel Library on a parent-approved device

  1. SAY“Matthew and Luke both wrote down what good ground does. Let’s compare.”
  2. Show Luke 8:15 on your phone or tablet and read it slowly.
  3. Point out Matthew 13:23: good ground hears, understands and bears fruit. Count on your fingers. Hears. Understands. Keeps it. Bears fruit. With patience.
  4. Ask: “Which of those is hardest for you?” Then: “Why do you think Luke added with patience?”
  5. Teach the motions phrase by phrase, all seated. Say it together twice.
4. Game

Soil Sort

7 min

Teams diagnose real-life situations as path, rocks, thorns or good ground, and name the fix.

  1. SAY“Doctors diagnose bodies. Today, you’ll diagnose hearts! It’s Team Mustard Seed against Team Pearl. I’ll read a situation. Your team shows the ground.”
  2. Fingers: 1 is path, 2 is rocks, 3 is thorns, 4 is good ground. Teams whisper, then show together. One point for the ground, one more for a fix.
  3. Round 1: Ethan played with his shoelaces all lesson. Lila stopped praying after a friend laughed. Ava quit a scripture challenge the first hard day.
  4. Round 2: Jack always has one more video before he prays. Sofia cares more about the newest phone than church. Grace kept reading when it got hard.
  5. Ask: “Which ground do you find yourself in most?” Then ask: “What’s one fix you could try this week?” No one has to answer out loud.
🌪️ Teams show fingers together on your count of three. Shouted answers go to the other team.

Class screen: 🩺 Path, rocks, thorns or good ground? Diagnose it! · 1️⃣ Path: listen closer · 2️⃣ Rocks: grow roots · 3️⃣ Thorns: pull them out · 4️⃣ Good ground: keep watering

5. Testimony

Testimony: Good Ground

3 min

End reverently with a personal commitment to nourish the word.

  1. SAY“Hold out an open hand, like you’re holding one tiny seed.”
  2. If you brought seeds, give one to each child.
  3. In a sentence or two, share how your testimony of Jesus Christ grew from something small. Or share what keeps your heart soft.
  4. SAY“Your heart can be good ground. Each morning this week, give the word a place to grow. Pray, and read a few verses.”
  5. Share the Weed Your Garden challenge on the screen, then ask a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🌱 Hear it. Keep it. Grow with patience. · Luke 8:15

6. Game

Forehead Guess: Parables Edition

4 minBONUS

A quick Heads Up–style team review of the story and the scriptures.

  1. SAY“Team Mustard Seed versus Team Pearl! Give clues, but don’t say the word. Or any word in the hint.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess. One kid holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing the class. Their team gives clues from their seats.
  3. Tilt down for “got it,” up to pass. Teams trade after 45 seconds. Most words wins.
🌪️ Pass your phone or tablet hand to hand to the next guesser, never tossed.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess: no saying words from the hint!

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz reviews the story and the verses.

  1. SAY“Team Mustard Seed versus Team Pearl!”
  2. Keep the same teams and tap Scripture Showdown. Read each question aloud. Teams get 10 seconds to whisper, then point to an answer.
  3. Tap the team that got it right. Bonus point if they can name the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

The Sower and the Four Grounds

Matthew 13:1–23 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Seed LeaderFrom their seat, starts the finger-flick “Scatter!” when the sower throws seed.
  • Sound HelperSits next to you and taps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet.

Scenes

  1. 🚤🏖️ Jesus teaches from a boat

    People crowded the shore of the Sea of Galilee. There were so many that Jesus climbed into a boat. He sat down to teach. He told parables. Those are everyday stories, with heavenly truths hidden inside.

    🙌

  2. 🧑‍🌾🌱 Behold, a sower went forth to sow

    Jesus said, “Behold, a sower went forth to sow.” The farmer grabbed handfuls of seed. He flung them across his field, the way farmers did then. The seeds landed on four kinds of ground.

    🙌 Flick your fingers like tossing seeds: “Scatter!”

  3. 🛤️🐦 Seeds on the hard path

    Some seeds fell on the hard-packed path where people walked. They couldn’t sink in. Birds swooped down and gobbled them up. They never had a chance.

    🙌 Flap your hands like hungry birds!

  4. 🪨☀️ Quick sprouts, no roots

    Some fell on rocky ground, with only a thin layer of dirt. They sprang up fast! But their roots couldn’t go deep. When the hot sun came up, they were scorched. And they withered away.

    🙌

  5. 🌿🌵 Choked by the thorns

    Some fell among thorns. The seeds grew. But the thorns grew faster and taller. They crowded and choked the seeds. Until they couldn’t produce anything.

    🙌

  6. 🌾🎉 Good ground: a hundredfold!

    But some fell into good ground. They sank deep roots and brought forth fruit. Some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Then Jesus said, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

    🙌 Hand on heart: “Good ground!”

  7. 🔑❤️ The seed is the word; the ground is the heart

    Later, Jesus explained. The seed is God’s word, and the ground is the heart. The path doesn’t understand. The rocks have no roots. The thorns are worries and riches. Good ground hears, understands and bears fruit.

    🙌

Key verse

Luke 8:15 ↗
“But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
In kid words: The good ground is people with honest, good hearts who hear God’s word, keep it, and keep growing good fruit, even when it takes time.
🙌 “But that on the good ground are they” = pat your knees, then point to yourself · “which in an honest and good heart” = both hands on your heart · “having heard the word” = cup a hand behind your ear · “keep it” = hug your arms tight to your chest · “and bring forth fruit” = hands open upward like offering a basket · “with patience” = tap your wrist like a watch and nod slowly

More verses

Matthew 13:16 ↗
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.”
In kid words: You are blessed because your eyes can see and your ears can hear God’s truth.
Matthew 13:31–32 ↗
“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree”
In kid words: God’s kingdom is like a tiny mustard seed. It starts as the smallest seed but grows into a tree.
Matthew 13:45–46 ↗
“the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
In kid words: God’s kingdom is like a merchant who found one amazing pearl and sold everything he had to get it.
Luke 13:13 ↗
“And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”
In kid words: Jesus put His hands on her, and right away she stood up straight and praised God.

Forehead Guess words20 words

  • 🧑‍🌾 Sower
  • 🛤️ Wayside
  • 🐦 Fowls
  • 🪨 Stony Places
  • ☀️ Scorched
  • 🌵 Thorns
  • 🌾 Good Ground
  • 💯 Hundredfold
  • 📖 Parable
  • 🌳 Mustard Seed
  • 🍞 Leaven
  • 💰 Treasure Hid in a Field
  • 🦪 Pearl of Great Price
  • 🥀 Tares
  • 🧺 Harvest
  • 🎣 Net
  • 👂 Ears to Hear
  • 🧍 Eighteen Years
  • 🚪 Strait Gate
  • ⏳ Patience
Clues for each word
  • Sower: Farmer who scattered seed on four kinds of ground
  • Wayside: The hard path where birds ate the seed
  • Fowls: KJV word for the birds that devoured the seed
  • Stony Places: Thin dirt; seeds sprang up fast with no roots
  • Scorched: What the sun did to the rootless plants
  • Thorns: They sprang up and choked the seed
  • Good Ground: The honest and good heart that bears fruit
  • Hundredfold: The biggest harvest from the good ground
  • Parable: A short story with a heavenly meaning inside
  • Mustard Seed: Least of all seeds, but it becomes a tree
  • Leaven: Hidden in the meal until the whole was risen
  • Treasure Hid in a Field: A man sold all he had to buy that field
  • Pearl of Great Price: A merchant sold everything for it
  • Tares: Weeds an enemy sowed among the wheat
  • Harvest: When the wheat and tares are finally separated
  • Net: Cast into the sea, it gathered every kind
  • Ears to Hear: “Who hath ____ __ ____, let him hear”
  • Eighteen Years: How long the woman was bent over
  • Strait Gate: Luke 13:24: strive to enter in at it
  • Patience: Luke 8:15: good ground bears fruit with it
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. Why did Jesus teach the crowd from a boat?
    • A. He was going fishing
    • B. The multitude was so great
    • C. It was raining
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The multitude was so great Matthew 13:2. The whole crowd stood on the shore to listen.

  2. In the parable of the sower, what is the seed?
    • A. The word of the kingdom
    • B. Money
    • C. Our friends
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The word of the kingdom Matthew 13:19. Jesus explained it Himself: the seed is God’s word.

  3. Why did the seeds on stony places wither?
    • A. Birds ate them
    • B. Thorns choked them
    • C. They had no root
    Show answer

    ✅ C. They had no root Matthew 13:6, 21. No roots means giving up when trouble comes.

  4. What did Jesus say the thorns stand for?
    • A. Wicked kings
    • B. Cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches
    • C. Hard school tests
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches Matthew 13:22. Worries and wanting stuff can crowd out the word.

  5. Luke 8:15 says good ground bears fruit with what?
    • A. Patience
    • B. Gold
    • C. Speed
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Patience Testimonies grow over time, not overnight.

  6. What did the enemy sow among the wheat while men slept?
    • A. Stones
    • B. Thorns
    • C. Tares
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Tares Matthew 13:25. The good and bad grow together until the harvest.

  7. Why didn’t the householder let his servants pull up the tares?
    • A. They were too tired
    • B. They might root up the wheat too
    • C. Tares are good to eat
    Show answer

    ✅ B. They might root up the wheat too Matthew 13:29–30. He would separate them at harvest.

  8. What did the merchant sell everything to buy?
    • A. One pearl of great price
    • B. A field of wheat
    • C. A fishing boat
    Show answer

    ✅ A. One pearl of great price Matthew 13:46. The gospel is worth more than everything else.

  9. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven hidden in three measures of…
    • A. water
    • B. gold
    • C. meal
    Show answer

    ✅ C. meal Matthew 13:33. A little leaven makes the whole batch rise.

  10. How long had the woman in Luke 13 been bent over?
    • A. Eighteen years
    • B. Twelve years
    • C. Forty years
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Eighteen years Luke 13:11–13. Jesus laid His hands on her and she was made straight.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Faith Children’s Songbook, p. 96

    It compares faith to a seed that grows, just like Matthew 13 and Alma 32. Find it ↗

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

    How to become good ground: search the word, think about it, pray. Find it ↗

  • I Want to Live the Gospel Children’s Songbook, p. 148

    Good ground doesn’t just hear the word; it keeps it and bears fruit. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Weed Your Garden

Pick one thorn or rock in your life this week. Maybe it’s too much screen time before prayer, giving up when it gets hard, or forgetting what you learned. Choose one fix and do it every day. Pray before screens, read a few verses of Matthew 13, or tell your family one thing you learned. Bonus: read Alma 32:28–43 and compare it to the sower.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we heard the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1–23. We sorted real-life situations into path, rocks, thorns or good ground. Our key verse was Luke 8:15. Good ground hears the word, keeps it and bears fruit with patience. Ask your child: what are some “thorns” for kids today, and what’s one fix they chose to try 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?

✏️ Parable Sketch · 5 min

  1. Tap Draw & Guess. One kid secretly picks a parable from Matthew 13:24–52. Choose from the mustard seed, leaven, treasure in a field, pearl of great price, net, or wheat and tares.
  2. They sketch it in 30 seconds while their team guesses. A bonus point if the team can explain what it teaches about the kingdom of God.
  3. Ask: “Which parable describes your testimony right now?”

🌾 Wheat and Tares · 5 min

  1. Read Matthew 13:24–30 and 36–43. Explain that tares look almost exactly like wheat when they are young.
  2. Ask: “Why wouldn’t the householder pull them up right away? What does that teach about living in a world with good and bad side by side?”
  3. Mention that the Lord explained more about this parable to Joseph Smith, in Doctrine and Covenants 86.

🧍 Made Straight · 4 min

  1. Have everyone bend over and try to look at the ceiling for 10 seconds. Ask: “Now imagine eighteen years like this.”
  2. Read Luke 13:10–17. Ask: “Why was the synagogue ruler angry? What did Jesus call her in verse 16?” A daughter of Abraham.
  3. Ask: “How does Jesus lift people today? How can we help?”

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 9–10 lessons