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Return unto Me

Malachi answers a people who kept asking “Wherein?”, asks for our best offering, and promises Elijah, whose coming reaches all the way to your family tree

  • 🏔️ Youth 16–18
  • Week 51
  • 📅 Sunday, December 20, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

The Lord loves me and invites me to return to Him with my real best, and through Elijah’s keys He turns my heart to my family and plants in me the promises made to my fathers.

I can return to the Lord with a pure offering, pay an honest tithe, and turn my heart to my family through the temple.

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

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, written about four centuries before Christ. The temple Haggai and Zechariah pushed the people to finish is standing. But the excitement is gone. The book is built as a back-and-forth. The Lord makes a statement, and the people push back with “Wherein?” Then the Lord answers. See Malachi 1:2, 6–7, 2:17, 3:7–8 and 3:13. It opens with “I have loved you,” and the people basically reply, “Prove it,” in 1:2. That honest, slightly defensive tone will sound familiar to teenagers. That’s the point. The Lord keeps answering and keeps inviting: “Return unto me, and I will return unto you,” in 3:7.

The priests offered blind, lame and sick animals. They called the whole thing a weariness, in 1:8 and 1:13. The Lord asks if their governor would accept that. He wants a pure offering, in 1:11. That means our real best, not leftovers. Then comes tithing: “Will a man rob God?” in 3:8–12. For youth earning their first paychecks, this is practical. Tithing is one-tenth of our increase, in Doctrine and Covenants 119:4. Elder David A. Bednar gave a talk in October 2013 called “The Windows of Heaven.” He taught that the promised blessings are often quiet and practical. They’re not usually a sudden flood of money. Near the end of each year, the bishop meets with members for tithing declaration. Families often go together.

Malachi ends with the Old Testament’s final promise. The Lord will send Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. He’ll turn the hearts of the fathers and the children to each other, in 4:5–6. When Moroni visited Joseph Smith in 1823, Joseph was 17. That’s the age of many in your class. Moroni quoted this prophecy with a difference. The Lord would reveal the priesthood by the hand of Elijah. And Elijah would plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers. See Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39. Elijah came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836. The Savior had just appeared and accepted the temple. Then Elijah gave them the sealing keys, in Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16.

Connect this to where your youth are right now. “The promises made to the fathers” include God’s covenant with Abraham, in Abraham 2:9–11. A patriarchal blessing declares a person’s lineage in the house of Israel. So it ties them to those promises. Temple work for their ancestors, family history and their own future sealing all flow from Elijah’s keys. Be sensitive. Some youth have complicated or painful family situations. Turning hearts includes the people who raise and love them now. It includes ancestors they’ve never met, and the family they’ll build one day.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Malachi 1:6–8, 3:7–16 and 4:5–6, plus Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39. Run the Job Interview hook. Walk through Sofia’s first paycheck from your phone or tablet and teach Malachi 3:7. Spend the rest on the Hearts Turned discussion about Elijah, patriarchal blessings and temple work. Close with your testimony of eternal families.

What to bring3 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 all four short chapters of Malachi. Mark each “Wherein?” so you can see the pattern.
  2. Read Joseph Smith—History 1:36–39 and Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16.
  3. Ask your bishop when tithing declaration is scheduled, so you can mention it.

If your class is wild

  • Older youth love catching adults being honest. Admit that Malachi’s people sound like teenagers. So do we, sometimes.
  • Sofia is made up on purpose. If an answer sounds personal, thank them and bring it back to Sofia.
  • Tithing can feel awkward if some youth don’t have income or their family is struggling. Keep it about the principle and their future paychecks. Never make it about anyone’s family.
  • Family can be tender. Make every family question optional. Include the people raising them now, not just ancestors.
  • If energy drops, run a quick Wherein? call and response. You say a line from Malachi, and they shout “Wherein?”

The 25-minute plan23 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 Job Interview

3 min

A funny, relatable scenario sets up Malachi’s question about giving God our leftovers.

  1. SAY“Picture an interview for your dream job. You show up late, in pajama pants, scrolling. You sigh, ‘This is kind of a weariness.’ How’s it go?”
  2. Let them laugh. Have a youth read Malachi 1:8 and 1:13.
  3. SAY“The Lord said nearly the same thing. You’d never treat your governor this way.”
  4. Ask, “What’s the modern version of offering God the lame lamb?” Take two answers, then move on.
🌪️ If they start listing each other’s “lame lambs,” redirect: “Only your own, and only if you want to.”

Class screen: 👔 Would you show up to a job interview like this? · Malachi 1:8, 13

2. Story

Case: Sofia’s First Paycheck

8 min

A first paycheck, a “what’s the point?” moment and a call from Grandma let youth work Malachi’s questions out on a life that looks like theirs.

  1. SAY“Sofia is sixteen, and she just got her first real job. Let’s follow her first month. We’ll see what Malachi would say to her.”
  2. Read each scene from your phone or tablet and ask its question. Have youth read the Malachi verses as you go.
  3. At scene 2, count ten paper bills into a youth’s hand as Sofia’s $400. Ask, “Which one is the Lord’s? The first or the last?”
  4. After scene 6, ask, “Over and over in Malachi, the people push back. And the Lord keeps answering. What does that tell you about Him?”
🌪️ Tithing can be tender if a family is struggling. Keep it about Sofia, principles and future paychecks. Never make it about anyone’s family.

Class screen: 💵 Sofia’s first paycheck: what would you do? · Malachi 1:8 · 3:7–16 · 4:5–6

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Ten slips of paper or play-money bills to be Sofia’s paycheck

Case: Sofia’s First Paycheck (Ten Fingers)

  1. SAY“Sofia is sixteen, and she just got her first real job. Let’s follow her first month. We’ll see what Malachi would say to her.”
  2. Read each scene from your phone or tablet and ask its question. Have youth read the Malachi verses as you go.
  3. At scene 2, everyone holds up ten fingers for Sofia’s $400. Fold one down first. Ask, “Which one is the Lord’s? The first or the last?”
  4. After scene 6, ask, “Over and over in Malachi, the people push back. And the Lord keeps answering. What does that tell you about Him?”
3. Scripture

Return unto Me

4 min

Malachi 3:7 shows the Lord answering “how do I come back?” with practical steps, including an honest tithe on the money youth are starting to earn.

  1. SAY“Sofia’s question is Israel’s question. The Lord says, ‘Return unto me.’ The people answer, ‘Wherein shall we return?’ In other words, how?”
  2. Read Malachi 3:7 together and teach the motions. Say it twice.
  3. Read Elder Bednar’s words from the conference quotes. Ask, “What might those quieter blessings look like for someone your age?”
  4. Mention tithing declaration near the end of the year. It’s a short visit with the bishop, often as a family. Members, including youth, declare their tithing.

Class screen: 🪟 Return unto me, and I will return unto you · Malachi 3:7 · $400 paycheck → $40 tithe

4. Talk it over

Hearts Turned

5 min

A real conversation about Elijah’s keys, patriarchal blessings and what turning hearts looks like at 16–18.

  1. SAY“Malachi’s last promise is about Elijah. In 1823, Moroni quoted it to seventeen-year-old Joseph Smith, with a twist. It’s in Joseph Smith—History 1:38 and 39.”
  2. SAY“In 1836, Elijah came to the Kirtland Temple. He committed the sealing keys. That’s Doctrine and Covenants 110, verses 13 to 16. It’s why families can be sealed today.”
  3. Ask one question at a time. Let silence work and share your own answers too. Keep every family question optional.
💬 Ask the class
  • Moroni said Elijah would plant the promises made to the fathers in the hearts of the children. What promises do you think those are?
  • A patriarchal blessing declares your lineage in the house of Israel. It connects you to the promises God made to Abraham. If you have one, what has it meant to you? If you don’t yet, what would you want to know first?
  • What does turning your heart to your family look like at seventeen? Think parents, siblings, grandparents, ancestors, or your future family.
  • Malachi’s people said serving God was pointless, because the proud seemed happier. That’s Malachi 3:14 and 15. What did the faithful do differently in verse 16?
  • Soon you’ll leave for a mission, college or work. What’s one thing you’d like to do first for your family history, or in the temple?

Class screen: ❤️ Hearts turned: what did Elijah’s coming change for you?

5. Testimony

Testimony & One Name

3 min

End calm, with a personal way to answer the Lord’s “Return unto me” this week.

  1. SAY“The Old Testament ends with a promise to turn hearts. Next week, we celebrate the One who makes every one of those promises possible.”
  2. Lower your voice. Briefly share what eternal families, the temple or an honest tithe mean to you. Tell how the Lord returned when you returned.
  3. Introduce the One Name challenge on the screen. Invite a youth to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🔑 Return unto me, and I will return unto you · Malachi 3:7

6. Wiggle break

Silent Family Line-Up

2 minBONUS

A no-talking line-up gets everyone moving and sets up the turning of hearts.

  1. SAY“Line up by birthday, January to December, without saying a word. Go!”
  2. Time them on the Big Timer.
  3. Round 2, talking allowed. Line up by the farthest place any family member or ancestor came from.
  4. Ask the two ends to share their place.
  5. SAY“Every one of you is somebody’s child and somebody’s descendant. That’s who Elijah came for.”
🌪️ If someone doesn’t know their family history, they can pick where someone who raised them grew up. Nobody has to explain.
⏱️ Big Timer (a class game in the Gospel Sparks app)

Class screen: 🧍‍♀️ Line up by birthday. No talking! · Round 2: farthest family place

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

4 minBONUS

A team quiz to review Malachi and Elijah.

  1. SAY“Two teams. Captains answer after a five-second huddle.”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown. If a team misses, the other team can steal by naming the verse.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown

Case study

Case: Sofia’s First Paycheck

Malachi 1:8; 3:7–16; 4:5–6 ↗

Scenes

  1. 💵 Sofia’s first paycheck: $400

    Sofia is sixteen. She just got her first paycheck from a grocery store. Four hundred dollars. She’s saving for a car. And her friends are planning a concert trip next month.

    🙌 Ask: “What’s the first thing you’d do with it?”

  2. 🧮 “Ten percent? That’s forty dollars.”

    Then Sofia remembers tithing. Forty dollars feels like a lot when the car fund is so far away. A friend says, “God doesn’t need your forty bucks.”

    🙌 Read Malachi 3:8–10. Ask, “Who is tithing really for?”

  3. 🐑 “I’ll pay whatever’s left”

    So Sofia decides to pay tithing on whatever is left at the end of the month. The end of the month comes. There’s six dollars left.

    🙌 Read Malachi 1:8. Ask, “What’s the difference between giving God first and giving Him leftovers?”

  4. 😒 “What’s the point?”

    A coworker who never thinks about God just got a raise. And a new car. Sofia starts to wonder. Does keeping the commandments make any difference?

    🙌 Read Malachi 3:14–16. Ask, “What did the faithful do differently?”

  5. 👵 Grandma calls with a favor

    Then Grandma calls. She’s trying to find her own grandfather’s records on FamilySearch. She asks Sofia to help this weekend. Sofia almost says she’s too busy.

    🙌 Read Malachi 4:5–6. Ask, “What would turning her heart look like here?”

  6. 🔑 “Wherein shall I return?”

    Sunday night, Sofia feels far from where she wants to be. She doesn’t need a lecture. She needs a next step.

    🙌 Ask: “If Sofia asked you how to return, what would you tell her?”

Key verse

Malachi 3:7 ↗
“Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?”
In plain words: Come back to Me and I’ll come back to you, says the Lord. And the people asked: how, exactly?
🙌 “Return unto me” = take one step forward · “and I will return unto you” = open arms wide · “Wherein shall we return?” = palms up, shrug. Then answer your own “Wherein?” silently: what’s one way you could return this week?

More verses

Malachi 1:8 ↗
“And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.”
In plain words: If you bring Me your leftovers, is that right? Try giving that to your boss. Would they be impressed?
Malachi 3:10 ↗
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
In plain words: Pay a full tithe so My house has what it needs, and test Me: see if I won’t open heaven’s windows and pour out more blessings than you have room for.
Malachi 3:16 ↗
“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
In plain words: The faithful kept talking to each other about the Lord. He listened, and a book of remembrance was written for them.
Malachi 4:5–6 ↗
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”
In plain words: I will send Elijah before the Second Coming. He will turn parents’ and children’s hearts toward each other, so the earth isn’t left without those family ties.

Forehead Guess words16 words

  • 📜 Malachi
  • 🙄 Wherein?
  • 🐑 Lame Lamb
  • 👔 Governor
  • 🪙 Tithing
  • 🪟 Windows of Heaven
  • 🏚️ Storehouse
  • 📖 Book of Remembrance
  • 💎 Jewels
  • 🔥 Elijah
  • ✨ Moroni
  • 🏛️ Kirtland Temple
  • 🔑 Sealing Keys
  • 📃 Patriarchal Blessing
  • 🌳 Family Tree
  • 🙋 Tithing Declaration
Clues for each word
  • Malachi: The last book of the Old Testament
  • Wherein?: The people’s favorite pushback word
  • Lame Lamb: A leftover offering the Lord didn’t want
  • Governor: Would he accept a blind, sick animal?
  • Tithing: One-tenth of your increase
  • Windows of Heaven: The Lord promises to open them
  • Storehouse: Where the tithes are brought
  • Book of Remembrance: Written for those who thought on His name
  • Jewels: What the Lord calls His faithful people (Malachi 3:17)
  • Elijah: Prophet promised to turn hearts
  • Moroni: Angel who quoted Malachi to Joseph Smith
  • Kirtland Temple: Where Elijah came in 1836
  • Sealing Keys: What Elijah restored to Joseph and Oliver
  • Patriarchal Blessing: Declares your lineage in the house of Israel
  • Family Tree: Where hearts turn to the fathers
  • Tithing Declaration: Year-end visit with the bishop
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown9 questions

  1. What word did Malachi’s people keep using to push back on the Lord?
    • A. “Wherefore?”
    • B. “Wherein?”
    • C. “Whither?”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “Wherein?” It appears again and again: Malachi 1:2, 1:6–7, 2:17, 3:7–8.

  2. What were the priests offering on the altar?
    • A. Blind, lame and sick animals
    • B. Nothing at all
    • C. Gold and silver
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Blind, lame and sick animals Malachi 1:8. The Lord asked if their governor would accept that.

  3. Complete it: “Return unto me, and…”
    • A. “…bring your sacrifice”
    • B. “…I will forgive you”
    • C. “…I will return unto you”
    Show answer

    ✅ C. “…I will return unto you” Malachi 3:7. The Lord moves toward us as we move toward Him.

  4. If you earn $250, what is a full tithe?
    • A. $10
    • B. $25
    • C. $50
    Show answer

    ✅ B. $25 Tithing is one-tenth of our increase (Doctrine and Covenants 119:4).

  5. The Lord promised to open what if we pay tithing?
    • A. The gates of the city
    • B. The windows of heaven
    • C. The doors of the temple
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The windows of heaven Malachi 3:10, with blessings “that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

  6. What was written for those who feared the Lord and thought on His name?
    • A. A book of remembrance
    • B. A new law
    • C. A royal decree
    Show answer

    ✅ A. A book of remembrance Malachi 3:16. The Lord noticed the faithful when others gave up.

  7. How old was Joseph Smith when Moroni quoted Malachi to him?
    • A. 14
    • B. 21
    • C. 17
    Show answer

    ✅ C. 17 It was September 1823; Joseph was 17 (Joseph Smith—History 1:3, 27–39).

  8. Where did Elijah appear to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1836?
    • A. The Sacred Grove
    • B. The Kirtland Temple
    • C. Liberty Jail
    Show answer

    ✅ B. The Kirtland Temple Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16, on April 3, 1836.

  9. What does a patriarchal blessing declare that ties you to Abraham’s promises?
    • A. Your lineage in the house of Israel
    • B. Your future mission call
    • C. Your spiritual gifts only
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Your lineage in the house of Israel Lineage connects you to the promises made to the fathers (Abraham 2:9–11).

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“as we live the law of tithing, we often receive significant but subtle blessings that are not always what we expect and easily can be overlooked.”

— Elder David A. Bednar, “The Windows of Heaven,” October 2013

Read in the Return unto Me scripture step, after Malachi 3:7.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Come, Follow Me Hymns, no. 116

    The Savior’s invitation, the same heart as “Return unto me.” Find it ↗

  • Count Your Blessings Hymns, no. 241

    Pairs with the windows of heaven and the quieter blessings Elder Bednar described. Find it ↗

  • Families Can Be Together Forever Children’s Songbook, p. 188

    The simplest summary of what Elijah’s keys make possible; many youth will remember it from Primary. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

One Name Before New Year’s

Before the year ends, do one heart-turning thing. Call a grandparent and ask for a story from when they were your age. Or find one ancestor in FamilySearch and learn one fact about them. Or reserve a name to take to the temple. If you have a patriarchal blessing, reread the part about your lineage. If you earn money, pay an honest tithe and go to tithing declaration.

Text the parents

Today in class we finished the Old Testament with Malachi. The Lord invites, “Return unto me, and I will return unto you,” in Malachi 3:7. He promises the windows of heaven for paying tithing. And He promises that Elijah would come. We learned that Moroni quoted that promise to Joseph Smith when Joseph was 17. Elijah restored the sealing keys in the Kirtland Temple in 1836. Your youth was invited to do one family history or temple action before New Year’s. Here’s a great way to help. Tell them one story about an ancestor, or about yourself at their age.

📝 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?

🔍 Two Versions of Malachi 4 · 5 min

  1. In pairs, compare Malachi 4:5–6 with Moroni’s version. It’s in Joseph Smith—History 1:38–39 and Doctrine and Covenants 2.
  2. List every difference. Look for the priesthood revealed, promises made to the fathers, planting in the children’s hearts, and the earth utterly wasted.
  3. Ask, “What does Moroni’s version add to your understanding of why temples and family history matter?”

🎁 A Pure Offering · 4 min

  1. Read Malachi 1:11 and 1:13. Contrast a “pure offering” with one given as “a weariness.”
  2. Brainstorm modern offerings, like a talk, a ministering visit, a calling or a prayer. For each, ask, “What’s the lame-lamb version? What’s the pure version?”
  3. Invite each person to pick one offering to upgrade this week.

🌳 FamilySearch Five Minutes · 6 min

  1. Anyone with the FamilySearch Family Tree app opens it. You can share your screen with those who don’t have it.
  2. Look for a green temple icon, or a relative with a story or photo. Share one discovery with a partner.
  3. SAY“This is Malachi 4:6 happening on your phone.”

🏃 Wherein? Relay · 4 min

  1. Split into two teams. Read the Lord’s statement from Malachi 1:2, 1:6, 3:7, 3:8 or 3:13. Stop just before the people’s reply.
  2. The first team to stand and guess the pushback in their own words scores. Then read the people’s real reply and the Lord’s answer.
  3. Rotate who stands for each team so everyone gets a turn.
  4. Wrap up. Say, “Over and over they pushed back, and the Lord kept answering instead of giving up on them. What does that tell you about Him?”

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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