"I
can pray to Heavenly Father, and He will hear and answer my prayers."
Purpose
Help family members develop a sincere
desire to pray, and help them know that they will always receive an answer
because Heavenly Father loves them.
Opening Song
"Sweet Hour of Prayer" (Hymns,
no.
142).
Lesson
Bishop H. Burke Peterson: "I want
you to know that I know that whenever one of Heavenly Father's children kneels
and talks to him, he listens. I know this as well as I know anything in this
world—that Heavenly Father listens to every prayer from his children. I know
our prayers ascend to heaven. No matter what we may have done wrong, he listens
to us.
"I also believe he answers us. I
don't believe he ignores his children when they talk to him."
("Prayer—Try Again," Ensign, June 1981, p. 73.)
Q. What do you think this scripture
means?
Now have the members of your family share
their examples of when their prayers were answered.
Explain to your family that because
Heavenly Father loves them he will always answer their prayers in the way that
is best for them. Sometimes the answer will be yes; sometimes, no; sometimes,
wait; and sometimes he will let us work it out ourselves. Explain that Heavenly
Father knows what is best for us, and he will give us "good things"
or the things that will help us the most, because he loves us.
Q. Have you ever felt that your prayers
were not answered?
Explain to your family that sometimes we
do not realize that Heavenly Father has answered our prayers, but later we see
that he has given us an answer. Tell the story to illustrate (on following
page)
Q. Have you ever prayed for something and not recognized the answer to your
prayer until later?
Let the family members give examples.
Remind your family that Heavenly Father
answers all their prayers and they can always trust him to know what is best
for them (see D&C 88:64, D&C 112:10).
Q. When, how, where, why do we pray?
Have someone read aloud Alma 34:21, 26, 27
How to Pray: In Matthew 6:515, the Savior gave
some directions and a model for prayer. Ask family members to suggest different
ways people pray. Discuss how these ways fit with what the Savior taught.
Discuss what language to use while praying, saying silent prayers, using
memorized prayers or repetitious wordings, what we should and should not ask
for in our prayers, and relying on the Spirit as we pray.
STORY:
Brother Robinson had just moved his small
family into their new cabin home near the forest where he worked. He was
grateful for his daughter and his beautiful wife, who would soon have their
second child.
The family knelt in prayer together one
night around the dinner table. They thanked Heavenly Father for their blessings
and asked for his protection.
As the family sat at the table together,
they could hear the frightening sounds of the wind as it whistled through the
trees in the nearby forest. Suddenly the wind uprooted a giant tree. Five
different trees fell, one knocking down the other. One tree crashed through the
roof of their small cabin, breaking the boards over their heads. One of the
boards fell on Brother Robinson and cut his head.
Fortunately, no one was seriously
injured, but Brother Robinson's family had to leave their home and return to
live with relatives in the city for the winter. Brother Robinson had to leave
them and return to the logging camp to continue working.
(Do you think the family's prayer was
answered? )
Brother Robinson recalled his feelings at
the time, "My home was in shambles, and I was separated from my family. I
felt as if the Lord had not heard our prayers, and I wondered how he could have
allowed this to happen to us."
Brother Robinson continued, "Later I
realized how wrong I was in thinking that the Lord had not heard our prayers,
for the snowstorms were so terrible that year that many families were snowed in
all winter. We would have been left to ourselves with no help or supplies and
no doctor to deliver the baby. I could have lost my wife or our new baby
girl—or both! I realized then that the Lord had heard and answered our prayer
for our protection."
(Explain that sometimes,
like Brother Robinson, we do not recognize answers to our prayers because we do
not see everything as clearly as our Heavenly Father does.)
Closing
Song
Activities:
As a family, memorize Doctrine and
Covenants 10:5. Memorize a few words at a time and have each family member
repeat them. Follow this by lining up and having each member of the family, in
order, say the word that comes next until someone misses a word. Do this
several times; by the end of the activity most of the family will remember the
scripture very well.
For young children: color prayer train and talk about how to say a
prayer, attach train to wall for a visual reminder
For older children: have them write down prayers and then listen to
answers. When they receive the answer to their prayers they can write down the
answer or that it was answered and then visually see that the Lord does answer
prayers.
Other song choices:
"We bow our heads"
(Children's Song Book pg. 25A)
"I pray in faith"
(Children's Song Book pg. 14)
Other Ideas:
- Talk about prayer from the bible dictionary (under prayer) about talking to Heavenly Father because we are his literal children.
- Choose four children to help
you with this activity. Make a small train track from masking tape
and for the children to stand on. The children represent a train. Give
each of the children a part of prayer train; however, do not give it to
them in order. Give the first child the train, "We thank thee...",
the second child, "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen", etc. See if
anyone can help you put this train in the right order. As each child
is asked to stand in their correct place, review the importance of the
order of prayer. Ask the children if they would ever go to their mom
and start out a conversation by saying, "Because I want to mom!"
What would your mother say? Probably, "What do you want?" When
we speak to our parents, we show respect; however, we show an even greater
level of respect by following the steps of prayer.
- STORY: Let me tell you a story...it might sound familiar, but then
again, it might not.
A little steam engine had a long train of cars to
pull. She went along very well till she came to a steep hill. But
then, no matter how hard she tried, she could not move the long train of
cars. She pulled and she pulled. She puffed and she puffed.
Have you ever had a hard day and you huff and
puff?? Do you ever just want to talk to someone about your day? Let's
see what happens...
She backed and started off again. Choo! Choo! But no! the cars would
not go up the hill. At last she left the train and started up the
track alone. Do you think she had stopped working? No, indeed! She was going
for help.
"Surely I can find someone to help me ," she thought.
Who
could the Little Engine ask for help? Maybe a friend?
Over the hill and up the track went the little steam
engine. Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo!
Pretty soon she saw a big steam engine standing on a
side track. He looked very big and strong. Running alongside, she looked up
and said: "Will you help me over the hill with my train of cars? It is so
long and heavy I can't get it over." The big steam engine said he
couldn't help.
The
Little Engine decides to ask another friend for help....do you think they'll
be able to help her?
She went on, Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Soon she
came to a second big steam engine standing on a side track. He was puffing
and puffing, as if he were tired. "That big steam engine may help me,"
thought the little steam engine. She ran alongside and asked: "Will you help
me bring my train of cars over the hill? It is so long and so heavy that I
can't get it over." The second big steam engine answered: "I have just
come in from a long, long run. Don't you see how tired I am? Can't you get
some other engine to help you this time?
Instead of asking friends for help this time, the Little Engine decides to
ask for help from Heavenly Father. How do we speak to Heavenly Father?
(Through prayer). Does Heavenly Father listen to everyone's prayers or
just certain people? (Everyone) Well then let's see what happens to
Little Engine.
After a while she said a little prayer. She
said, "Dear Heavenly Father..." (show picture of Train 1), "I thank thee
(show picture of Train 2) for the strength thou hast given to me so far.
The journey is so long and so heavy I don't know if I can make it. I
ask thee (show picture of Train 3) to help me over the hill with my train of
cars. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen (show picture of Train 4)."
The little steam engine felt so happy inside. She knew Heavenly Father
was saying, "Yes, indeed! I would love to help you...thank you for
thinking of me! But I need you to do your part...will you try?"
"Yes, I'll do my best," said the little steam engine, and off she went. Choo,
choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! So the little steam engines started back
to where the train of cars had been standing. Slowly the cars began to move.
Slowly they climbed the steep hill. As they climbed, the little steam engine
began to sing: "I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! And
together they did! Very soon they were over the hill and going down the
other side.
Now they were on the plain again; and the little steam
engine could pull her train herself.
The
Little Engine knew that Heavenly Father had helped her through a tough
situation, one she couldn't have done by herself. What would be a good
thing to do at this point?
She offered a quick prayer of thanks. She said, "Dear Heavenly
Father..." (show picture of Train 1), "I thank thee for helping me when I
didn't have the strength (show picture of Train 2). I ask thee to
continue to be with me (show picture of Train 3). In the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen (show picture of Train 4)." And she went merrily on her
way, singing that together she knew-they-could, she knew-they-could, she
knew-they-could, she knew-they-could.
When we
call upon Heavenly Father to help us, we become a team. He asks us to
do our part and He will do His.
Refreshment:
Peanut Butter Yummies
1 pkg. graham crackers, finely crushed
1 pound powdered sugar
2 cups peanut butter
1 cup butter, divided
1 cup your favorite jam
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered
sugar, peanut butter, and 2/3 cup butter by hand until blended. Press into an
8×8-inch square pan. Spread jam and crumb mixture. In small saucepan, combine
remaining 1/3 cup butter and chocolate chips; heat until melted. Spread over
jam. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve in small piece.
Other refreshment options:
TRAIN TREATS: (Here are several possible edible train creations for refreshments).
1. Marshmallow Trains - Use pretzel sticks to hook the "cars" together
and peanut butter to glue cheerios on as wheels and other features.
2. Graham Cracker Trains - Make these flat on a paper plate. Use
frosting to connect the sides and decorate.
3. Hostess Twinkie Trains - Attach cookie wheels (Oreos) with
frosting.
4. Edible Train
(Click here to see picture): Make a
delicious train out of cookies, snack cakes and other goodies! (Source:
www.tosmagazine.com)
"I
can pray to Heavenly Father, and He will hear and answer my prayers."