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I Will Love Them Freely

A locust army, a torn robe, and a God who keeps calling His people home

  • ⭐ Valiant 9–10
  • Week 47
  • 📅 Sunday, November 22, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

The Lord keeps loving me and inviting me back, even when I wander, and when I turn to Him with my whole heart, He heals me, restores what was lost and pours out His Spirit.

I can turn to the Lord with my whole heart, not just on the outside, and trust that He always wants me back.

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 they’re short, not because they matter less. Hosea preached to the northern kingdom of Israel, often called Ephraim, before Assyria conquered it. The Lord used Hosea’s own family as a living parable, in Hosea 1–3. Hosea’s wife broke her marriage promises and left. The Lord told Hosea to go and bring her home. That’s how the Lord felt about Israel. They had broken their covenant with Him, and He still wanted them back. For 9–11s, keep the marriage details simple. Covenants are promises of loyal love. The Lord keeps His side even when we don’t.

Hosea’s tenderest verses show the Lord as a parent teaching a toddler to walk. He’s “taking them by their arms” and drawing them “with bands of love.” That’s 11:3–4. He asks, “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?” in 11:8. And in 14:4 He promises, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.” In 13:4 He declares “there is no saviour beside me.” In 13:14 He promises to “ransom them from the power of the grave.” Jesus Christ’s Atonement and Resurrection fulfill that. Hosea also complains that Israel’s goodness is “as a morning cloud” that burns off by noon, in 6:4. In 6:6, the Lord wants mercy more than sacrifices. Jesus quoted that verse when people criticized Him for eating with sinners, in Matthew 9:13.

Joel describes wave after wave of locusts stripping the land bare, in Joel 1:4–12. Then comes a call: “turn ye even to me with all your heart.” And “rend your heart, and not your garments.” That’s 2:12–13. People tore their clothes to show sorrow. The Lord wanted a changed heart, not a show. When they turned back, He sent rain and full harvests. He promised, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.” That’s 2:25. It’s a picture of how the Savior restores what sin and hard times take from us.

Joel 2:28–29 promises the Lord will “pour out my spirit upon all flesh.” Sons and daughters will prophesy. Peter quoted it at Pentecost, in Acts 2:16–18. In 1823, the angel Moroni quoted it to Joseph Smith. He said it wasn’t yet fulfilled but soon would be. That’s Joseph Smith—History 1:41. The Restoration and the gift of the Holy Ghost are part of that outpouring. Your 11-year-olds are about to receive more responsibility. The Spirit is how they’ll know what to do. It’s not always dramatic. It’s usually quiet and steady.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Hosea 11:1–4, Hosea 14:1–4 and Joel 2:12–13 and 25–28. Ask who held on to them while they learned to ride a bike. Tell Joel’s locust story in Teach Mode. Teach Hosea 14:4 with the motions. Play Robe or Heart, then close with Hosea 13:4. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” The robe tear becomes a class “RRRIP!” and the heart is a fist that slowly opens.

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 Hosea 11:1–4, Hosea 14:1–4 and Joel 2:12–13 and 25–28. Bookmark Joel 2:12, 2:13 and 2:25 for your reader.
  2. Draw the robe and the heart, then crumple the heart into a hard ball.

If your class is wild

  • In the hook, keep answers to one sentence each. The point is how easy it is to miss who has been holding us up all along.
  • Give your loudest kid the Locust Leader job. They start the buzz, and they stop it the moment you raise your hand.
  • When the paper robe tears, let it be loud. Then go very quiet for the crumpled heart. The contrast is the lesson.
  • In Robe or Heart?, some moments are honestly in between. Reward good reasoning, not just the “right” answer.
  • If the buzzing gets out of hand, raise your hand. Then whisper an echo line and wait for it to come back.

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

Who Held On?

3 min

Kids remember someone who held on while they learned, the way Hosea says the Lord taught Israel to walk.

  1. SAY“Think of learning to ride a bike or to swim. Who held on to you while you learned?”
  2. Take two or three quick answers. Ask: “Did you notice everything they did for you back then?” Probably not! Say: “Hosea says Israel didn’t notice either.”
  3. A kid reads Hosea 11:3–4 from their seat. Ask: “What didn’t Israel notice?” Listen for: “They knew not that I healed them.”
🌪️ Keep answers to one sentence each, from seats, then move right to Hosea 11:3–4.

Class screen: 🤝 Who Held On to You? · 🚲 Who held on?

2. Story

Story: The Locust Army and the Great Comeback

7 min

Joel’s locusts, his call to turn back and the great comeback show a Lord who restores what was lost. He pours out His Spirit too.

  1. SAY“Hosea and Joel both show a Lord who keeps calling His people home. Some lines, you’ll say back to me.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. Say each line for the class to echo. The Reader reads Joel 2:12, 2:13 and 2:25 at scenes 3, 4 and 5.
  3. At scene 4, ask: “Why doesn’t the Lord want the torn robe?” He wants a changed heart, not a show.
  4. After scene 7, ask: “Joel’s prophecy came true at least twice. When?” At Pentecost and in the Restoration.
🌪️ If the room drifts, whisper “Turn back” and wait for the whisper to come back.

Class screen: 🦗 The Locust Army and the Great Comeback · 🔁 Say it back! · ❤️ Turn back!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Hosea 14:4

4 min

Kids memorize what the Lord promises to do when we turn back: heal us and love us freely.

  1. SAY“Here’s what the Lord promises when we turn back. Read it with me from the screen.”
  2. Read Hosea 14:4 together once. Teach the motions. Say it three times: normal, whispered, then one word per kid around the room.
  3. Ask: “What does backsliding mean?” Sliding back into old mistakes.
  4. Ask: “Why does it matter that He loves us freely?” We don’t have to earn it.
  5. SAY“Hosea 14:1 is the invitation. ‘O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God.’ Verse 4 is what He does when we come.”

Class screen: 💚 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.

4. Object lesson

Robe or Heart?

8 min

A torn robe and a crumpled heart show the difference between looking sorry and turning back. Then teams practice telling them apart.

  1. SAY“Back then, tearing your robe showed you were sorry.”
  2. A volunteer tears the paper robe loudly. Ask: “Did anything change inside?” Hand a kid the crumpled heart to smooth flat. Say: “The Lord wants your heart, not a show.”
  3. Play Robe or Heart? Read a moment. Teams show a ripping motion for robe, or hands on hearts for heart. A point for the right answer, another for why.
  4. Moments: “Sorry!” then doing it again. Fixing what you broke. Praying only when caught. Telling Mom the truth. A sorry you really mean.
  5. Ask: “What’s the difference between looking sorry and really turning back?” Point them to Joel 2:13.
🌪️ Teams answer together on “3, 2, 1, show!” so nobody shouts first.

Class screen: 👘 Torn robe or changed heart? · 👘 Robe = just for show · ❤️ Heart = real change

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Two sheets of paper: draw a simple robe on one; draw a heart on the other and crumple it into a tight ball

Robe or Heart? (Invisible Edition)

  1. SAY“Back then, tearing your robe showed you were sorry.”
  2. A volunteer rips an invisible robe while everyone yells “RRRIP!” Ask: “Did anything change inside?” Everyone makes a tight fist, a stony heart. Then open it slowly over your heart.
  3. Play Robe or Heart? Read a moment. Teams show a ripping motion for robe, or hands on hearts for heart. A point for the right answer, another for why.
  4. Moments: “Sorry!” then doing it again. Fixing what you broke. Praying only when caught. Telling Mom the truth. A sorry you really mean.
  5. Ask: “What’s the difference between looking sorry and really turning back?” Point them to Joel 2:13.
5. Testimony

No Saviour Beside Me

3 min

End quietly with how the Lord feels about each child and the Savior who always welcomes us back.

  1. SAY“Listen to what the Lord says in Hosea 11:8. ‘How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?’ Now put your own name there. That’s how He feels about you.”
  2. Read Hosea 13:4: “there is no saviour beside me.” Say: “That’s Jesus Christ. Whenever we turn back, He’s already waiting.”
  3. Share a short testimony of the Savior’s love and a time He helped you come back.
  4. Share the Seek-the-Lord Clock challenge, then ask a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🏡 How shall I give thee up? · He always wants you back

6. Game

Forehead Guess: Locusts and Love Edition

4 minBONUS

A quick Heads Up–style review of the story and the key words, with a little team competition.

  1. SAY“Valiant rules! Give clues, but don’t say the word. And don’t say any word from its hint.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess. One kid holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing the class. Teammates give clues from their seats.
  3. Teams alternate 45-second turns. Double point if the guesser can name the chapter where the word shows up.
🌪️ Go around the room: each kid gives one clue, then it’s the next kid’s turn, so 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 Hosea versus Team Joel, one last time!”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown. Read each question aloud. Teams get 10 seconds to whisper, then point to an answer.
  3. Give a bonus point to a team that can name the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

The Locust Army and the Great Comeback

Joel 1–2; Acts 2:16–18; Joseph Smith—History 1:41 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Scripture ReaderReads Joel 2:12 at scene 3, 2:13 at scene 4 and 2:25 at scene 5 aloud from their seat.
  • Locust LeaderFrom their seat, starts “Bzzz! Munch, munch!” when the locusts come, and stops it when you raise your hand.

Scenes

  1. 🦗🌾 Wave after wave of bugs

    It started with one swarm. Then another. Joel names four kinds of crawling, chewing insects. Each one ate whatever the one before it had left. Vines stripped. Fig trees bare. Barns empty.

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

  2. 🎺🌑 “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion!”

    Joel said this was a warning. It was a picture of a great and terrible day. Blow the trumpet! Sound the alarm! The people had turned away from the Lord. They needed to wake up.

    🙌

  3. 💔🔁 “Turn ye even to me”

    Then came the most important words in the book. It wasn’t too late! The Lord was calling His people back. And He wanted all of their hearts, not just part.

    🙌 Say it back: “Turn ye even to me.”

  4. 👘✋ Rend your heart, not your robe

    Back then, people tore their clothes to show they were sorry. It looked impressive. But Joel said the Lord didn’t want a torn robe. He wanted a changed heart. Because He is gracious, merciful and of great kindness.

    🙌 Say it back, softly: “Rend your heart.”

  5. 🌧️🌾 Rain and a great comeback

    The people turned back, and the Lord answered! He drove the locusts away. He sent the early and the latter rain. The floors filled with wheat. Then He made a promise even bigger than one good harvest.

    🙌

  6. 🔥🗣️ Pentecost: “This is that!”

    Joel promised the Lord would pour out His Spirit on sons and daughters, old and young. Hundreds of years later came Pentecost. The Holy Ghost came on Jesus’s disciples. And Peter said this was what Joel had prophesied.

    🙌 Say it back: “Sons and daughters!”

  7. 👼🌙 1823: Moroni quotes Joel to Joseph

    In 1823, the angel Moroni visited young Joseph Smith at night. He quoted Joel 2. He said it wasn’t fulfilled yet, but soon would be. The Restoration was about to begin. The Spirit would be poured out again.

    🙌

Key verse

Hosea 14:4 ↗
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him”
In kid words: When we slide backward, the Lord promises to heal us. He loves us freely, not because we earned it.
🙌 “I will heal their backsliding” = lean back in your seat, then place hands over your heart · “I will love them freely” = open arms wide · “for mine anger is turned away from him” = turn your head away and smile.

More verses

Hosea 11:4 ↗
“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love”
In kid words: The Lord pulls us close gently, with ropes made of love.
Hosea 6:6 ↗
“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings”
In kid words: The Lord cares more about mercy and really knowing Him than about showy offerings.
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 look sorry on the outside. Change your heart and come back to the Lord. He is kind and merciful.
Joel 2:28 ↗
“I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy”
In kid words: The Lord will pour out His Spirit on everyone, including kids like you.

Forehead Guess words20 words

  • 🧔 Hosea
  • 📢 Joel
  • 👶 Ephraim
  • 🤝 Covenant
  • 🪢 Cords of love
  • ☁️ Morning cloud
  • 🛝 Backsliding
  • 🌱 Sow
  • 🪨 Fallow ground
  • 🦗 Locust
  • 🐛 Palmerworm
  • 🐛 Cankerworm
  • 🎺 Trumpet
  • ✂️ Rend
  • 🌧️ Rain
  • 🔄 Restore
  • 🔥 Pentecost
  • 👼 Moroni
  • ✝️ Saviour
  • 🕊️ Holy Ghost
Clues for each word
  • Hosea: Prophet whose family became a living parable of God’s love
  • Joel: Prophet who warned about the locust army
  • Ephraim: The Lord taught him to walk, “taking them by their arms”
  • Covenant: A two-way promise with God
  • Cords of love: How the Lord draws us close, Hosea 11:4
  • Morning cloud: Israel’s goodness vanished like this
  • Backsliding: Slipping back into old mistakes; the Lord heals it
  • Sow: Plant seeds; Hosea 10:12 says do it in righteousness
  • Fallow ground: Hard, unplowed soil that needs breaking up
  • Locust: Grasshopper-like bug that swarms and eats everything
  • Palmerworm: The first chewing bug named in Joel 1:4
  • Cankerworm: Another crop-eating bug in Joel’s swarm
  • Trumpet: “Blow ye the ___ in Zion”
  • Rend: Old word for tear, as in your heart, not your garments
  • Rain: The Lord sent the former and latter kinds
  • Restore: Give back what was lost, like the locust years
  • Pentecost: Day Peter said Joel’s prophecy was happening
  • Moroni: Angel who quoted Joel 2 to Joseph Smith
  • Saviour: Hosea 13:4: there is no other beside the Lord
  • Holy Ghost: Poured out on sons and daughters
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. In Hosea, the Lord compares His covenant with Israel to what?
    • A. A business deal
    • B. A marriage
    • C. A sports team
    Show answer

    ✅ B. A marriage Hosea 2:19–20. A covenant is a promise of loyal, lasting love.

  2. How did the Lord teach Ephraim to walk in Hosea 11:3?
    • A. Taking them by their arms
    • B. With a map
    • C. By sending a chariot
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Taking them by their arms Like a parent with a toddler, “but they knew not that I healed them.”

  3. Hosea said Israel’s goodness was like a morning cloud. Why?
    • A. It was very beautiful
    • B. It brought rain
    • C. It disappeared quickly
    Show answer

    ✅ C. It disappeared quickly Hosea 6:4. Morning clouds and dew burn off by midday.

  4. Jesus quoted which Hosea phrase when people criticized Him for eating with sinners?
    • A. “Blow ye the trumpet”
    • B. “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice”
    • C. “Sow to yourselves”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice” Hosea 6:6, quoted in Matthew 9:13.

  5. Hosea 13:4 says there is no ___ beside the Lord.
    • A. Saviour
    • B. King
    • C. Prophet
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Saviour Jesus Christ is our only Savior and Redeemer.

  6. What stripped the land bare in Joel 1?
    • A. A great flood
    • B. An enemy army of horses
    • C. Swarms of locusts and other insects
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Swarms of locusts and other insects Joel 1:4 names four kinds of crop-eating bugs, wave after wave.

  7. Joel said to rend your heart and not your…
    • A. Garments
    • B. Scrolls
    • C. Tents
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Garments Joel 2:13. The Lord wants a changed heart, not a show.

  8. What did the Lord promise to restore in Joel 2:25?
    • A. The temple’s gold
    • B. The years that the locust had eaten
    • C. Israel’s king
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The years that the locust had eaten What was lost doesn’t have to stay lost. The Savior restores.

  9. Who quoted Joel 2:28 on the day of Pentecost?
    • A. John the Baptist
    • B. Paul
    • C. Peter
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Peter Acts 2:16: “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.”

  10. Who quoted Joel 2 to Joseph Smith in 1823?
    • A. Moroni
    • B. Nephi
    • C. Elijah
    Show answer

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

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Repentance Children’s Songbook, p. 98

    Turning back to the Lord with all your heart is the message of Hosea and Joel. Find it ↗

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

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

  • I Feel My Savior’s Love Children’s Songbook, p. 74

    “I will love them freely.” A song about feeling that love. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Seek-the-Lord Clock

Hosea 10:12 says “it is time to seek the LORD.” Pick three times each day this week, like waking up, after school and bedtime. Each time, pray, read a verse or thank Heavenly Father. Each night, write down one moment you felt the Holy Ghost. Make it a Children and Youth spiritual goal if you want.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we learned from Hosea that the Lord keeps loving His people. He invites them back even after they break their promises. Hosea 14:4 says, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.” We heard Joel’s story of the locust plague and the great comeback. We learned that Peter at Pentecost and the angel Moroni both quoted Joel’s promise. The Spirit will be poured out on sons and daughters. Ask your child: what’s the difference between tearing your robe and changing your heart?

📝 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?

💧 Pour, Don’t Drip · 3 min

  1. Over a tray, drip one drop of water into a clear cup. Then pour a whole pitcher in.
  2. Read Joel 2:28. Ask: “Why does the Lord say ‘pour’ instead of ‘drip’?”
  3. Ask: “What can we do to be a bigger cup?” Pray, read, keep covenants, go to the temple and listen.

📖 Two Books, One Promise · 4 min

  1. Read Joel 2:28, then Acts 2:16–18, then summarize Joseph Smith—History 1:41 in your own words.
  2. Kids make a timeline on the floor: Joel → Pentecost → 1823 → today.
  3. Ask: “Where are you on the timeline? How is the Spirit being poured out now?”

🏡 Welcome Home · 4 min

  1. Read Hosea 14:1–7 together. Kids find every picture word, like dew, lily, roots, olive tree, corn and vine.
  2. Tap Draw & Guess: kids take turns drawing one picture word while the class guesses.
  3. Ask: “Why would the Lord describe coming back to Him with growing things?”

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