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Prepare Ye the Way

John the Baptist, the day the heavens opened, and the priesthood John brought back

  • 🧭 Youth 11–14
  • Week 4
  • 📅 Sunday, January 24, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus Christ, and the Aaronic Priesthood he restored, along with our baptism covenants and the sacrament, lets us help prepare the way for others today.

I can follow Jesus Christ’s example of baptism, bring forth real fruits of repentance, and help prepare the way for others to come to Him.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3)
Know the chapters

Matthew 3, Mark 1 and Luke 3 introduce John the Baptist as an adult: the son of Zacharias from week 1, now preaching in the wilderness in camel’s hair, eating locusts and wild honey, and fulfilling Isaiah’s words, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Matthew 3:3). Crowds come to be baptized. When people ask, “What shall we do then?” John gives each group a specific, practical answer: share your extra coat and food, don’t cheat, don’t bully or lie, be content (Luke 3:10–14). Repentance for him isn’t a feeling; it’s “fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:8), real change you can see.

Then Jesus comes to be baptized. John protests that he should be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around. Jesus answers that it becomes them “to fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Nephi later explains that even the sinless Son of God was baptized to show obedience to the Father and to show us the way (2 Nephi 31:5–9). As He comes out of the water, the heavens open, the Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father’s voice declares, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16–17). Three separate members of the Godhead, all present at once. The dove was a sign; the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).

This lesson is personal for your class. On May 15, 1829, the same John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery near the Susquehanna River and restored the Aaronic Priesthood, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins (Doctrine and Covenants 13; Joseph Smith—History 1:68–72). The new deacons in your room hold that priesthood. They pass the sacrament, where everyone renews their baptism covenant. Young women and young men alike prepare the way through ministering, temple and family history work, and inviting friends to Christ.

Be careful not to let this become “are you a real repenter or a fake one?” Many teens are hard on themselves. Frame repentance as good news: John’s message was that the Lord is coming, so get ready and start changing. Slipping up isn’t failing; pretending not to need to change is the problem.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Matthew 3 and Luke 3:2–22. In class, run the Mystery Messenger hook, do the scene drama in Teach Mode (you read the words of Jesus and the Father’s voice), play Wheat or Chaff, teach Matthew 3:3 and ask three discussion questions. No paper? His Baptism and Mine becomes a stand-where-you-think game.

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. On each sheet of paper, draw a grid with two columns (JESUS’S BAPTISM · MY BAPTISM) and five rows (WHO? · WHERE? · HOW? · WHY? · WHAT CAME NEXT?).
  2. Bookmark the reader verses: Matthew 3:1–4, Luke 3:10–14, Luke 3:15–16, Matthew 3:13–15, Matthew 3:16–17.
  3. Read Doctrine and Covenants 13 and Joseph Smith—History 1:68–72 so you can tell scene 7 in your own words.
  4. Decide who reads the words of Jesus and the voice of the Father: you, or a Narrator you trust. Nobody plays Jesus or Heavenly Father.

If your class is wild

  • The Would You Rather hook burns off energy fast. Keep it to four questions, then land the reveal.
  • Give John the Baptist to someone with a big voice. “O generation of vipers” is a fun line to deliver, just not at a classmate.
  • In Wheat or Chaff, the “chaff” blow-away can get wild. Rule: you drift, you don’t crash.
  • Your new deacons may be nervous about passing the sacrament. Scene 7 and the testimony are a great moment to honor them without putting anyone on the spot.
  • If anyone is preparing for temple baptisms soon, connect it: John had the authority to baptize, and so will the priesthood holder who baptizes them for their ancestors.

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

Would You Rather: Wilderness Edition

3 min

A move-to-your-side game gets everyone up and ends with a mystery messenger reveal.

  1. SAY“Left wall or right wall. Go stand on your answer.”
  2. Would you rather… eat a grasshopper or a spoonful of mustard? · wear an itchy camel-hair shirt or a wool sweater in July? · live a month with no phone or a month with no bed? · give a speech to your whole school or sing a solo in sacrament meeting?
  3. SAY“Mystery messenger. Clue 1: his dad was the old priest who couldn’t talk. Clue 2: he wore camel’s hair and ate locusts. Clue 3: he leaped before he was born.” First to call “John the Baptist!” wins.
  4. SAY“John had one job: get people ready for Jesus. And he’s the reason some of you passed the sacrament this month.”
🌪️ Walk, don’t run between walls. Anyone who sprints has to answer the next one out loud.

Class screen: 🦗 Would you rather? Left wall or right wall! · 🦗 grasshopper or 🟡 mustard? · 🐫 camel hair or 🧶 wool in July? · 📵 no phone or 🛏️ no bed?

2. Story

Scene Drama: The Day the Heavens Opened

6 min

Acting it out, from the Jordan River to 1829, connects Jesus’s baptism to the priesthood in the room.

  1. Tap Roles in Teach Mode and hand them out. The Narrator reads the words of Jesus and the voice of the Father. Nobody plays Jesus or Heavenly Father.
  2. Read each scene and pause for the reader and the action.
  3. In scene 6, hold five seconds of silence after the voice from heaven. Let it land.
  4. After scene 7, ask: “Who in this room holds the same priesthood John gave Joseph and Oliver?” Let the deacons raise their hands. Say: “That’s not a small thing.”
🌪️ If the Crowd gets rowdy in the baptism line, they become the silent Crowd that only reacts with faces.

Class screen: 🎭 From the Jordan River to the Susquehanna River · Readers ready · The Narrator reads Jesus’s words and the voice from heaven

3. Wiggle break

Wheat or Chaff?

2 min

A stand-or-blow-away game shows the difference between real change and pretending.

  1. Read Matthew 3:12 quickly. Say: “Wheat stays. Chaff blows away. If it’s real change, stand tall and sway like wheat. If it’s fake, blow away like chaff: spin slowly and drift to a wall.”
  2. Call out: Saying sorry to your sister and meaning it · “It’s not a big deal, everyone does it” · Paying back the money you “borrowed” · Deleting an app that keeps pulling you somewhere bad · Apologizing just so you don’t get grounded · Telling your parent the truth even though you’ll get in trouble.
  3. SAY“Notice what wasn’t on the list: messing up again after you really tried. That’s not chaff. That’s being human, and repentance keeps working. Chaff is pretending you don’t need to change.”
🌪️ Chaff drifts; it doesn’t crash. Anyone who bumps someone is wheat for the rest of the game.

Class screen: 🌾 Real change? Stand like wheat. Fake? Blow away like chaff. · 🌾 wheat = real · 💨 chaff = pretending · Matthew 3:12

4. Object lesson

His Baptism and Mine

4 min

Comparing Jesus’s baptism with their own helps youth see their covenant, and the sacrament, as following Him.

  1. Split into two teams. Give each a grid sheet and a marker. Say: “Fill in both columns. Use Matthew 3:13–17 for His side. Two minutes. Go!”
  2. Compare answers. Key ideas: WHO? John, who had authority · a priesthood holder with authority. WHERE? The Jordan River · a font or water. HOW? Immersion (“went up straightway out of the water”) · immersion. WHY? To fulfil all righteousness and show the way · remission of sins and to make a covenant. WHAT CAME NEXT? The Spirit like a dove and the Father’s voice · the gift of the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands.
  3. SAY“Nephi says that if Jesus, who never sinned, needed to be baptized, we definitely do (2 Nephi 31:5).”
  4. SAY“John said the Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of repentance and baptism (Doctrine and Covenants 13). Every Sunday, when the deacons pass the sacrament, every one of us gets to renew that baptism covenant.”

Class screen: 🌊 Jesus’s baptism vs. my baptism: what matches? · Who? Where? How? · Why? What came next?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: 2 large sheets of paper (or a whiteboard split in two), 2 markers or pens

His, Mine, or Both?

  1. SAY“Left wall = only Jesus’s baptism. Right wall = only mine. Middle of the room = both.”
  2. Read these one at a time and let them move: By immersion (both) · In the Jordan River (His) · For the remission of sins (mine; He had none) · Done by someone with authority (both) · To fulfil all righteousness and obey the Father (both) · The Father’s voice from heaven (His) · The gift of the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands (mine).
  3. After each, ask someone to explain their spot in one sentence.
  4. SAY“John said the Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of repentance and baptism (Doctrine and Covenants 13). Every Sunday, when the deacons pass the sacrament, every one of us gets to renew that baptism covenant.”

Class screen: 🌊 His baptism, mine, or both? Go stand there! · ⬅️ His · ⬆️ Both · ➡️ Mine

5. Scripture

Scripture Spotlight: Matthew 3:3

3 min

Youth learn John’s mission statement and see how it’s theirs too.

  1. Show the verse. Ask your John the Baptist to read it in his best wilderness voice. Teach the motions.
  2. Say it together twice. Then challenge: say it with the motions, no screen.
  3. Ask: “In John’s time, people built roads for a king before he arrived: filling holes, cutting through hills, straightening curves. What would ‘make his paths straight’ mean in your life?” (Clearing out things that keep the Savior out.)
  4. Ask: “How do deacons, teachers, priests and Young Women help ‘prepare the way’ for other people?” (Passing the sacrament, ministering, temple and family history, inviting, being a good example.)

Class screen: 🛣️ “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” · Matthew 3:3

6. Talk it over

Real Talk: What Shall We Do?

4 min

A youth-led discussion takes John’s question and makes it personal.

  1. Hand your phone or tablet to a youth discussion leader. They read a question and tap the Name Spinner for the first answer.
  2. The leader asks, “Who would add something?” after each answer.
  3. Pick 3 or 4 questions. Share your own answer to the first one.
💬 Ask the class
  • John gave the tax collectors and the soldiers each a specific answer. If a 12-year-old asked him “What shall I do?” today, what might he say?
  • John was famous, and people thought he might be the Christ, but he kept pointing to Jesus instead of himself. Why is that hard, especially online?
  • Jesus never sinned, yet He was baptized. Why do you think He did it?
  • At Jesus’s baptism the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost were all present separately. What does that teach you about the Godhead?
  • John said the Holy Ghost would come “with fire.” What do you think that fire does in a person?
🎡 Name Spinner (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: ❓ “What shall we do then?” · Luke 3:10

7. Testimony

Well Pleased

2 min

End quietly with Jesus Christ’s example and their own covenant path.

  1. Lower your voice. Read Matthew 3:17. Say: “The Father was well pleased with His Son for doing what was right. He loves you too, and He notices every time you keep your covenant, even the small, quiet times.”
  2. Share briefly what your baptism, or the sacrament, means to you now.
  3. Show the challenge: the “What shall I do?” prayer.
  4. Ask a youth to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🕊️ Follow Him into the water. Keep following Him every Sunday. · Matthew 3:17 · This week: ask “What shall I do?”

8. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A team quiz reviews John’s preaching, Jesus’s baptism and the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.

  1. Split into Team Wheat and Team Jordan. Tap Scripture Showdown.
  2. Teams huddle ten seconds; rotate who answers.
  3. Bonus point for naming the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

9. Game

Forehead Guess: Jordan River

4 minBONUS

A quick Heads Up–style round reviews the people, places and words from these chapters.

  1. Tap Forehead Guess. The guesser holds your phone or tablet on their forehead; the class gives clues without saying the word.
  2. Tilt down for got it, up to pass. Forty-five seconds each.
  3. Wilderness round: clue-givers can only act. No words.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤳 Forehead Guess: can you act out Locusts?

Story drama

The Day the Heavens Opened

Matthew 3; Luke 3:2–22; Mark 1:4–11 ↗

Parts to hand out

  • John the BaptistPreaches in the wilderness, baptizes crowds, hesitates to baptize Jesus, then returns in 1829 as an angel.
  • PublicanA tax collector who asks John what to do and is told to stop cheating.
  • SoldierAsks John what to do and is told not to bully, lie or complain about pay.
  • The CrowdEveryone else: crowds coming out to the Jordan, asking questions, wondering if John is the Christ.
  • Joseph SmithPrays in the woods with Oliver about baptism and receives the Aaronic Priesthood.
  • Oliver CowderyJoseph’s scribe, who prays with him and is ordained with him.
  • NarratorThe teacher or a trusted reader, who reads the scenes, the words of Jesus, and the voice from heaven straight from the scriptures.

Scenes

  1. 🏜️🐫🍯 A voice crying in the wilderness

    Remember baby John from Luke 1? He grew up and went out into the wilderness wearing camel’s hair and a leather belt, eating locusts and wild honey. His message was simple: repent, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

    🎬 John strides to the front and calls out, “Repent ye!” A reader reads Matthew 3:3–4. The Crowd whispers, “Locusts?”

  2. 🌊👥 Everyone comes to the Jordan River

    People came from Jerusalem and all over Judea. They confessed their sins and John baptized them in the Jordan River, by immersion. Even religious leaders showed up, and John told them to prove their change with real fruit.

    🎬 The Crowd lines up and shuffles forward. John mimes lowering each one into the water and bringing them up.

  3. ❓🧥💰🛡️ “What shall we do then?”

    The people asked what they should do. John gave everyone a specific answer. If you have two coats, give one away. Share your food. The tax collector: stop taking more than you should. The soldier: don’t bully, don’t lie, be content with your pay.

    🎬 The Crowd, the Publican and the Soldier each step forward and ask, “What shall we do?” Readers read Luke 3:10–14. Each one nods and steps back.

  4. 🤔👟 “One mightier than I cometh”

    People started wondering if John was the Christ. He shut that down immediately. Someone mightier is coming, he said, and I’m not even worthy to untie His shoes. I baptize with water; He will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

    🎬 The Crowd points at John and murmurs, “Is he the one?” John shakes his head and points toward the door. A reader reads Luke 3:16.

  5. 🚶🌊 “Suffer it to be so now”

    Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized. John tried to stop Him: I need to be baptized by You, and You come to me? Jesus answered that it was right to fulfil all righteousness. So John baptized Him.

    🎬 Everyone turns to face the door as if Jesus is arriving. John steps back, surprised. The Narrator reads Matthew 3:14–15. Nobody plays Jesus.

  6. ☁️🕊️✨ The heavens open

    As Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened. The Spirit of God descended like a dove and rested on Him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost were all there at once.

    🎬 Everyone slowly looks up. The Narrator reads Matthew 3:16–17. Hold a silent five seconds.

  7. 🌲🙏📜 1829: John comes back

    Almost eighteen hundred years later, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery went into the woods near the Susquehanna River to pray about baptism. A messenger from heaven appeared: John the Baptist. He laid his hands on their heads and gave them the Aaronic Priesthood, with authority to baptize. Then they baptized each other.

    🎬 Joseph and Oliver kneel. John places his hands on their heads. The Narrator summarizes Doctrine and Covenants 13. The Crowd stands up in honor of the deacons in the room.

Key verse

Matthew 3:3 ↗
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
In plain words: A voice in the wilderness says: get ready for the Lord and clear the road for Him.
🙌 “The voice of one crying” = cup hands around your mouth · “in the wilderness” = sweep an arm across the horizon · “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” = both hands pushing forward like clearing a path · “make his paths straight” = one flat hand slicing straight ahead.

More verses

Matthew 3:15 ↗
“Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”
In plain words: Jesus said, “Let’s do this, because it’s right to obey everything God asks.”
Matthew 3:16–17 ↗
“the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove … This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
In plain words: The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost were all there: three separate beings.
Luke 3:11 ↗
“He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”
In plain words: Got extra? Share it with someone who doesn’t have any.
Matthew 3:8 ↗
“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance”
In plain words: Show you’ve changed by what you actually do.

Forehead Guess words18 words

  • 🧔 John the Baptist
  • 🏜️ Wilderness
  • 🐫 Camel’s hair
  • 🦗 Locusts
  • 🍯 Wild honey
  • 🌊 Jordan River
  • 🔄 Repent
  • 💰 Publican
  • 🧥 Two coats
  • 🌾 Wheat
  • 💨 Chaff
  • 🕊️ Dove
  • 💧 Immersion
  • 📜 Aaronic Priesthood
  • 🧑 Joseph Smith
  • ✍️ Oliver Cowdery
  • ✨ Godhead
  • 🍞 Deacon
Clues for each word
  • John the Baptist: Prepared the way for Jesus and baptized Him
  • Wilderness: Where John preached
  • Camel’s hair: What John’s clothes were made of
  • Locusts: Crunchy bugs John ate
  • Wild honey: The sweet part of John’s diet
  • Jordan River: Where Jesus was baptized
  • Repent: John’s one-word message: change and turn to God
  • Publican: Tax collector told to stop cheating
  • Two coats: Have these? Give one away
  • Wheat: Gathered into the garner, not blown away
  • Chaff: The useless husk that blows away
  • Dove: Sign of the Holy Ghost at Jesus’s baptism
  • Immersion: Going all the way under the water
  • Aaronic Priesthood: Restored by John the Baptist in 1829
  • Joseph Smith: Received the Aaronic Priesthood with Oliver
  • Oliver Cowdery: Joseph’s scribe, baptized the same day
  • Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Ghost: all at the baptism
  • Deacon: Passes the sacrament every Sunday
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown9 questions

  1. Who was John the Baptist’s father?
    • A. Joseph
    • B. Zacharias
    • C. Simeon
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Zacharias Luke 3:2. The priest from week 1 who couldn’t speak.

  2. What did John eat in the wilderness?
    • A. Locusts and wild honey
    • B. Figs and bread
    • C. Fish and olives
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Locusts and wild honey Matthew 3:4. Protein and dessert.

  3. John said people with two coats should…
    • A. sell one
    • B. wear both in winter
    • C. give one to someone with none
    Show answer

    ✅ C. give one to someone with none Luke 3:11. Repentance shows up in how we treat people.

  4. What did John tell the publicans, or tax collectors?
    • A. Quit your jobs
    • B. Take no more than you should
    • C. Give everything away
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Take no more than you should Luke 3:13. Stop cheating people.

  5. John said he wasn’t worthy to do what for the One coming after him?
    • A. Untie His shoes
    • B. Wash His clothes
    • C. Carry His water
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Untie His shoes Luke 3:16. John always pointed to Jesus, not himself.

  6. Why did Jesus say He needed to be baptized?
    • A. To be forgiven
    • B. To become famous
    • C. To fulfil all righteousness
    Show answer

    ✅ C. To fulfil all righteousness Matthew 3:15. He had no sins, but He obeyed and showed us the way.

  7. What descended on Jesus after His baptism?
    • A. Fire from heaven
    • B. The Spirit of God like a dove
    • C. An angel with a trumpet
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The Spirit of God like a dove Matthew 3:16. The dove was a sign of the Holy Ghost.

  8. What did the voice from heaven say?
    • A. “Follow him”
    • B. “Prepare ye the way”
    • C. “This is my beloved Son”
    Show answer

    ✅ C. “This is my beloved Son” Matthew 3:17. The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, three separate beings.

  9. In 1829, John the Baptist restored which priesthood to Joseph and Oliver?
    • A. The Aaronic Priesthood
    • B. The Melchizedek Priesthood
    • C. The sealing power
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The Aaronic Priesthood Doctrine and Covenants 13; Joseph Smith—History 1:68–72.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • Baptism Children’s Songbook, p. 100

    It tells of Jesus going to John at the Jordan to be baptized. Find it ↗

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

    The Spirit descended at Jesus’s baptism and comes to us after ours. Find it ↗

  • Choose the Right Hymns, no. 239

    Fruits of repentance are right choices made every day. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

The “What Shall I Do?” Prayer

This week, ask Heavenly Father the same question the crowds asked John: “What shall I do?” Then listen for a specific answer, like John gave: share something, stop something, fix something, or include someone. Do it. When you take the sacrament on Sunday, remember that this is what renewing your baptism covenant looks like.

Text the parents

Today in class we studied Matthew 3, Mark 1 and Luke 3: John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus Christ, Jesus was baptized to “fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15), and the Father, Son and Holy Ghost were all present. We also learned that John restored the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1829. Ask your youth: what did John tell people to do when they asked, “What shall we do then?” and what answer did they get for themselves 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?

📜 Doctrine and Covenants 13 Unpacked · 4 min

  1. Read Doctrine and Covenants 13 together (one sentence).
  2. Teams find the three things the Aaronic Priesthood holds keys to (the ministering of angels, the gospel of repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins).
  3. Ask: “Where do you see each of these in our ward on a normal Sunday?”

✨ Godhead Evidence Board · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 3:16–17 and Luke 3:21–22 side by side.
  2. Pairs list every clue that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings (the Son in the water, the Spirit descending, the voice from heaven).
  3. Share that Joseph Smith saw the same truth in the First Vision: two separate Personages.

🧥 Two Coats Service · 5 min

  1. Read Luke 3:11. Ask: “What do you have two of?” (Hoodies, snacks, pencils, time, friends.)
  2. Brainstorm one quorum or class service project this month using what they have extra.
  3. Let the class presidency or quorum leaders take the idea to their next meeting.

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 Youth 11–14 lessons