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We Have Waited for Him

Ancient spoilers, a Christmas story where every prophecy comes true, a symbols-of-Christ race, and a name of Jesus to carry into the new year

  • ⭐ Valiant 9–10
  • Week 52
  • 📅 Sunday, December 27, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Old Testament prophets foretold the Savior’s birth in real detail, every promise came true, and Jesus Christ is Heavenly Father’s greatest gift to me.

I can find Jesus Christ in the Old Testament and choose a gift to give Him in the new year.

Come, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Christmas)
Know the chapters

This week wraps up the whole Old Testament with Christmas. The manual’s title comes from Isaiah 25:9: “we have waited for him, and he will save us.” From Adam and Eve to Malachi, God’s people looked forward to a Messiah, a Deliverer. They needed that hope in Egypt, in Babylon and in their own sins. Prophets kept promising He would come “to proclaim liberty to the captives.” That’s Isaiah 61:1. He’d be “wounded for our transgressions” so that “with his stripes we are healed.” That’s Isaiah 53:5. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the long wait was over. Your class has just opened presents, so build to this. Jesus is Heavenly Father’s greatest gift, as John 3:16 says. And we can give Him something back.

Nine- to eleven-year-olds love a prophecy with a receipt. Isaiah foretold a son called Immanuel, which Matthew explains means “God with us.” See Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:22–23. Micah named Bethlehem, in Micah 5:2 and Matthew 2:4–6. Balaam saw “a Star out of Jacob,” in Numbers 24:17 and Matthew 2:2. Isaiah 11:1 said a Branch would grow from Jesse, King David’s father. In Luke 2:4, Joseph travels to Bethlehem because he was “of the house and lineage of David.” Matthew even saw Jesus in Hosea’s words about God calling His son out of Egypt. Hosea first spoke them about Israel. See Hosea 11:1 and Matthew 2:15. In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin knew His mother’s name would be Mary, in Mosiah 3:8. Samuel the Lamanite foretold a night with no darkness and a new star, in Helaman 14:2–6. It came true exactly, in 3 Nephi 1:15–21.

Questions may come up. Jesus’s mother is Mary, and His Father is Heavenly Father. That’s why the angel said He’d be called the Son of God, in Luke 1:35. Joseph was chosen to raise and protect Him. Jesus is also Jehovah, the God of the Old Testament. So Isaiah could call a baby “The mighty God.” He’s called “The everlasting Father” for two reasons. He created the earth under Heavenly Father’s direction. And we become His sons and daughters through our covenants, as Mosiah 5:7 teaches. He is not Heavenly Father. Keep answers short and clear.

The manual invites us to find symbols of Christ throughout the Old Testament. Look for a star, a shepherd, a lamb, water, a rock, a branch and light. Many of them hang on Christmas trees, which makes today’s Symbol Race easy to take home. Here’s a detail for the story. The shepherds came the night Jesus was born. But the wise men came later and found “the young child” in a “house.” That’s Matthew 2:11. The scriptures never say how many wise men there were. End by helping each child choose a title of the Savior to remember all next year. They’ll study His life in the New Testament.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Isaiah 7:14, 9:6 and 25:9, Micah 5:2 and Luke 2:1–16. Do the Spoiler Alert hook. Tell the Every Promise Kept story in Teach Mode. Say Isaiah 25:9 with motions. Run the Symbol Race in two teams. Finish with each child choosing a name of Jesus for the new year. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” You read the symbol verses aloud, and kids whisper names instead of writing them.

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 Isaiah 7:14, 9:6 and 25:9, Micah 5:2, Numbers 24:17 and Luke 2:1–16.
  2. Mark the Prophecy Reader’s verses in your scriptures. Isaiah 25:9. Isaiah 7:14. Micah 5:2. Isaiah 9:6. Numbers 24:17.

If your class is wild

  • Kids may be tired or sugar-high after Christmas. Pointing at the screen pulls every eye back to the front.
  • Give the Prophecy Reader job to a strong reader. Being “the voice of the prophets” is a real honor at 9 or 10. Let visiting cousins take turns too.
  • In the Symbol Race, only the team whose turn it is may read. The other team may steal only after a wrong answer.
  • If attendance is tiny, play the Symbol Race as the whole class against the clock with the Big Timer.
  • At scene 4, drop your voice to a whisper. Kids almost always match your volume.

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

Spoiler Alert!

3 min

Ancient “spoilers” get them guessing and show the prophets knew the Christmas story early.

  1. SAY“Imagine someone told you the ending of a movie seven hundred years before it was made. The Old Testament did that with Christmas!”
  2. Split into two teams. Read each spoiler: Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14, then Numbers 24:17. The first team to raise hands and name the Christmas detail scores.
  3. SAY“Every one was written hundreds of years early. Today, we’ll watch every spoiler come true.”
🌪️ Tap drumroll on the Sound Board before each spoiler. Anyone who shouts before raising a hand gives the point to the other team.

Class screen: 🍿 Spoiler alert! Which Christmas detail did the prophet reveal? · Micah 5:2 · Isaiah 7:14 · Numbers 24:17

2. Story

Story: Every Promise Kept

7 min

Hearing each prophecy read, then seeing it come true, turns the Christmas story into a chain of promises kept.

  1. SAY“Prophets promised a Savior for thousands of years. Let’s check off every promise as it comes true. Watch the pictures closely.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. Before scenes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Prophecy Reader reads the verse. At “Find,” let kids point before you go on.
  3. Keep scene 4 quiet and reverent. After scene 6, ask: “Why did Heavenly Father tell people about Jesus’s birth hundreds of years early?”
  4. After scene 7, ask: “Which kept promise surprised you most?” Then: “What does it tell you about God’s promises to you?”
🌪️ If the room drifts, ask everyone to point to something on the screen. Then read on.

Class screen: ⭐ Every Promise Kept · 👀 Look closely! · ✔️ Promise kept!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Isaiah 25:9

4 min

The week’s theme verse, with motions, helps them feel the joy of the long-awaited Savior. Simeon shows what waiting looks like.

  1. SAY“Here’s the verse this whole week is named for.”
  2. Show it on your phone or tablet and read it together once. Teach the motions, then say it twice with extra joy.
  3. A kid reads Luke 2:25–26 from their seat. Say: “Simeon lived Isaiah 25:9. He waited his whole life. Then he held baby Jesus in the temple.”
  4. Ask: “What are people waiting for Jesus to do in their lives today?” Comfort, forgiveness, healing, His Second Coming.

Class screen: 🎉 We have waited for Him, and He will save us! · Isaiah 25:9

4. Game

Symbol Race

7 min

Two teams race through the scriptures to see how Old Testament symbols point to Jesus. Many are on our Christmas trees too.

  1. SAY“The Old Testament hides symbols of Jesus everywhere. Many are on your Christmas tree! Pick a symbol from the screen. Find the verse, and explain it.”
  2. Teams take turns choosing a symbol. They look up the verse, read it aloud and say in one sentence how it points to Jesus: 2 points.
  3. Wrong or stuck? The other team may steal. Help when needed: the Lamb was sacrificed for us. The Light shows the way.
  4. Ask: “Which of these did you see on a tree or card this week?” Then: “Which one means the most to you, and why?”
🌪️ Readers stay seated and swap every turn. Only the team whose turn it is may answer.

Class screen: 🔎 Find the symbol. Read the verse. Explain it! · ⭐ Star: Numbers 24:17 · 🧑‍🌾 Shepherd: Psalm 23:1 · 🐑 Lamb: John 1:29 · 💧 Water: John 4:14 · 🪨 Rock: 1 Samuel 2:2 · 🌿 Branch: Isaiah 11:1 · 💡 Light: John 8:12

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each team (their own, a classroom set from the library, or Gospel Library on a parent-approved device)

Symbol Race: Out Loud

  1. SAY“The Old Testament hides symbols of Jesus everywhere. Many are on your Christmas tree! I’ll read a verse. You name the symbol and explain it.”
  2. Read one verse from the screen out of your own scriptures. The first team to raise hands, name the symbol and say how it points to Jesus scores 2 points.
  3. Pass your scriptures to a kid from the other team to read the next verse. Alternate until all seven are done.
  4. Ask: “Which of these did you see on a tree or card this week?” Then: “Which one means the most to you, and why?”

Class screen: 🔎 Hear the verse. Name the symbol. Explain it! · ⭐ 🧑‍🌾 🐑 💧 🪨 🌿 💡

5. Testimony

A Name for the New Year

3 min

End reverently with each child choosing a name of Jesus and a gift to give Him.

  1. SAY“The wise men gave Jesus their best gifts. Let’s think quietly about ours.”
  2. Share one or two sentences about why you’re grateful Heavenly Father sent His Son.
  3. Hand out cards. Each child writes one name of Jesus for the year, like Immanuel or Prince of Peace. Add one gift for Him that costs no money.
  4. Share the challenge on the screen, then ask a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: ✨ Choose a name of Jesus to carry into the new year · One name · One gift for Him

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One index card or half sheet of paper per child, and a few pencils

  1. SAY“The wise men gave Jesus their best gifts. Let’s think quietly about ours.”
  2. Share one or two sentences about why you’re grateful Heavenly Father sent His Son.
  3. Each child silently picks one name of Jesus to remember all year. They pick one gift for Him that costs no money. Then they whisper both to a neighbor.
  4. Share the challenge on the screen, then ask a child to say the closing prayer.
6. Game

Forehead Guess: Nativity Edition

4 minBONUS

A Heads Up–style guessing game with harder words reviews prophecies, people and symbols.

  1. SAY“Same teams! Give clues, but don’t say the word.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess. One kid holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing their team. Tilt down for “got it,” up to pass. Turns last 45 seconds.
  3. Add the scores to your Symbol Race points and crown the Christmas champions.
🌪️ Pick guessers with the Name Spinner so visiting cousins get a turn too.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess: Nativity Edition · No saying the word!

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz reviews every prophecy and fulfillment.

  1. SAY“It’s Team Star against Team Shepherd!”
  2. Pick a captain for each team and tap Scripture Showdown. Read each question aloud.
  3. Teams huddle for 10 seconds, and only the captain may answer.
  4. Bonus point if the team can name the verse where the answer is found.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

Every Promise Kept

Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 25:9; Micah 5:2; Numbers 24:17; Luke 1–2; Matthew 1–2; 3 Nephi 1:4–21 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Prophecy ReaderFrom their seat, reads the Old Testament prophecy before scenes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7.
  • Sound HelperSits next to you and taps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet.

Scenes

  1. ⏳📜 Centuries of waiting

    For thousands of years, God’s prophets promised a Savior would come. People held on to that hope. Through slavery in Egypt. Through captivity in Babylon. Through long, dark years. Isaiah wrote, “We have waited for him, and he will save us.”

    🙌

  2. 👼👩 An angel visits Mary, and Joseph dreams

    Isaiah promised a son called Immanuel. The angel Gabriel told Mary she’d have a baby named Jesus. He’d be the Son of God. An angel told Joseph in a dream not to be afraid. Immanuel means “God with us.”

    🙌 Draw a check mark in the air: “Promise kept!”

  3. 🚶🏘️ The road to the city of David

    Micah had named the town seven hundred years earlier. Now the Roman emperor ordered everyone to their family’s hometown to be counted. Joseph came from King David’s family. So he and Mary traveled all the way to Bethlehem.

    🙌

  4. 🌟👶 Unto us a child is born

    Bethlehem was full. There was no room in the inn. That night, Mary’s baby was born. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger. The Creator of the world came as a tiny baby.

    🙌

  5. 🐑✨ Good tidings of great joy!

    Shepherds were watching their sheep at night. Suddenly an angel appeared. He said a Savior was born in the city of David. Christ the Lord! The sky filled with angels praising God! The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem. And they told everyone.

    🙌 Find the sheep on the screen. Now look up, wide-eyed, at the angel!

  6. 🌅🌎 A night with no darkness

    Across the ocean, Samuel the Lamanite had promised a night with no darkness. Some said it was too late. Nephi prayed all day. And the Lord answered. Tomorrow I come into the world! That night, it stayed bright as day!

    🙌 Cover your eyes, then open them wide. No darkness!

  7. ⭐🎁 A Star out of Jacob

    Long ago, Balaam saw that a Star would come out of Jacob. Now wise men saw a new star. They followed it to the house where the young child was. They knelt and worshipped Him. They gave gold, frankincense and myrrh.

    🙌 Find the star on the screen. Check mark: “Promise kept!”

Key verse

Isaiah 25:9 ↗
“Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
In kid words: Look, this is our God! We waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord! We waited for Him, and we are so happy that He saves us.
🙌 “Lo, this is our God” = both hands open toward the manger scene · “we have waited for him” = tap your wrist like a watch · “and he will save us” = hands reach down and lift up · “this is the LORD” = point up · “we have waited for him” = tap your wrist again · “we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” = jump once with jazz hands and a huge smile

More verses

Isaiah 7:14 ↗
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
In kid words: God will give a sign: a young virgin will have a son, and He will be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.”
Isaiah 9:6 ↗
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
In kid words: A child is born for us, God’s Son given to us like a gift. He will rule, and His names are Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.
Numbers 24:17 ↗
“there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel”
In kid words: A Star and a King will come from Jacob’s family.
Isaiah 53:5 ↗
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
In kid words: Jesus suffered for our sins and mistakes so that we can be healed and have peace. That’s why He came.

Forehead Guess words20 words

  • 🤝 Immanuel
  • 🏘️ Bethlehem
  • ⭐ Star out of Jacob
  • 🔭 Wise Men
  • 🐑 Shepherds
  • 🌾 Manger
  • 👶 Swaddling Clothes
  • 👼 Gabriel
  • 👩 Mary
  • 🧔 Joseph
  • 👑 King Herod
  • 🧱 Samuel the Lamanite
  • 🕊️ Prince of Peace
  • 🐑 Lamb of God
  • 🧑‍🌾 Good Shepherd
  • 💡 Light of the World
  • 🌿 Branch
  • 🐪 Egypt
  • 🎁 Frankincense
  • ✨ Messiah
Clues for each word
  • Immanuel: Name from Isaiah 7:14 meaning “God with us”
  • Bethlehem: Micah named it 700 years early
  • Star out of Jacob: Balaam saw it coming in Numbers 24:17
  • Wise Men: Found the young child in a house
  • Shepherds: Heard the angels in the fields that night
  • Manger: An animal feeding box; Jesus’s first bed
  • Swaddling Clothes: Snug cloths Mary wrapped the baby in
  • Gabriel: Angel who visited Mary in Nazareth
  • Mary: King Benjamin knew her name centuries early
  • Joseph: From David’s family; an angel spoke to him in dreams
  • King Herod: Troubled ruler whose scribes quoted Micah
  • Samuel the Lamanite: Prophesied a night with no darkness from a wall
  • Prince of Peace: One of Jesus’s names in Isaiah 9:6
  • Lamb of God: John the Baptist’s name for Jesus (John 1:29)
  • Good Shepherd: He gives His life for the sheep
  • Light of the World: Jesus said whoever follows Him won’t walk in darkness
  • Branch: Isaiah said it would grow out of Jesse’s roots
  • Egypt: “Out of ____ have I called my son”
  • Frankincense: Sweet-smelling gift from the wise men
  • Messiah: The promised Deliverer; it means “Anointed One”
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. Isaiah 7:14 says the child would be called Immanuel, which means…
    • A. God with us
    • B. Prince of Peace
    • C. Son of David
    Show answer

    ✅ A. God with us Matthew 1:23 explains it: Immanuel means “God with us.”

  2. Which Old Testament prophet named Bethlehem as the birthplace?
    • A. Isaiah
    • B. Micah
    • C. Hosea
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Micah Micah 5:2, quoted by Herod’s scribes in Matthew 2:6.

  3. Numbers 24:17 promised that a what would come out of Jacob?
    • A. A lamb
    • B. A shepherd
    • C. A star
    Show answer

    ✅ C. A star “There shall come a Star out of Jacob,” and the wise men followed His star.

  4. Luke 2:4 says Joseph was of the house and lineage of…
    • A. David
    • B. Moses
    • C. Aaron
    Show answer

    ✅ A. David That’s why they went to Bethlehem, the city of David.

  5. Which of these titles is NOT in Isaiah 9:6?
    • A. Wonderful
    • B. Good Shepherd
    • C. Prince of Peace
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Good Shepherd Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd in John 10:11.

  6. Who foretold a day, a night and a day with no darkness?
    • A. Alma
    • B. Moroni
    • C. Samuel the Lamanite
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Samuel the Lamanite Helaman 14:3–4, fulfilled in 3 Nephi 1:15–21.

  7. Where did the wise men find the young child Jesus?
    • A. In a manger
    • B. In a house
    • C. In the temple
    Show answer

    ✅ B. In a house Matthew 2:11. They came later than the shepherds.

  8. Matthew quotes Hosea: “Out of ____ have I called my son.”
    • A. Egypt
    • B. Babylon
    • C. Nazareth
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Egypt Hosea 11:1 and Matthew 2:15. Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt for safety.

  9. Isaiah 25:9: “we have waited for him, and he will…”
    • A. come soon
    • B. save us
    • C. be king
    Show answer

    ✅ B. save us The whole Old Testament waited for the Savior, and He came.

  10. Which symbol for Jesus does John 1:29 use?
    • A. The bright star
    • B. Living water
    • C. The Lamb of God
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The Lamb of God “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Stars Were Gleaming Children’s Songbook, p. 37

    A star, shepherds and angels: sing it after the story. Find it ↗

  • Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus Children’s Songbook, p. 36

    Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecy from scene 6, set to music. Find it ↗

  • Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Hymns, no. 209

    Full of titles for the Savior; challenge the class to spot them. Find it ↗

  • Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains Hymns, no. 212

    The shepherds’ night in the fields, from Luke 2. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

My Name for Jesus in 2027

Put your card where you’ll see it every day. Your family will study the New Testament this year. Watch for times Jesus lives up to the name you chose. And give Him the gift you wrote down. Bonus: ask your family which Christmas tradition helps them remember Jesus most, or start a new one.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we read Old Testament “spoilers” about Jesus’s birth. There was Isaiah’s Immanuel in Isaiah 7:14 and Micah’s Bethlehem in Micah 5:2. There was the Star out of Jacob in Numbers 24:17. We heard how every one came true. We raced to find symbols of Christ like the star, lamb and shepherd. Each child chose a name of Jesus to remember in 2027. Ask your child: which name did you choose, and why? Next week we start the New Testament!

📝 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?

📚 Old Testament Year in Review · 5 min

  1. Name a story from this year. The first team to say how it points to Jesus scores.
  2. Try Abraham and Isaac, Genesis 22. The Passover lamb, Exodus 12. Manna, Exodus 16. The brass serpent, Numbers 21. Joseph forgiving his brothers, Genesis 45. Jonah, Jonah 1–2.
  3. Ask: “Which Old Testament story taught you the most about the Savior this year?”

🎄 Christmas Traditions That Point to Christ · 4 min

  1. Go around the circle: each kid shares one family Christmas tradition.
  2. For each one, the class brainstorms how it could point to Jesus. Lights ➜ the Light of the World. Gifts ➜ God’s gift of His Son. Service ➜ doing what Jesus did.
  3. Invite them to suggest one new tradition to their family, like secret service or reading Luke 2 on Christmas Eve.

✝️ Why He Came · 4 min

  1. Read Isaiah 53:3–5 and Hosea 13:14 together.
  2. Ask: “Christmas is about a baby. How do these verses show what the baby came to do?”
  3. Connect Bethlehem to Gethsemane, the cross and the empty tomb: He came to save us from sin and death.

🎼 Hymnbook Title Hunt · 4 min

  1. Give pairs a hymnbook or Gospel Library. Open to the Christmas hymns, around pages 201–215.
  2. Race to list as many titles and names for Jesus as they can find in the song titles and verses.
  3. Ask: “Which title would you want to remember all year?”

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.

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