I started out with an object lesson. I put a quarter in the palm of my hand. I told the class that the quarter represented the answers to all their prayers and asked someone to take it without touching me. I moved around a lot and made it hard and sister Melanie wasn't able to get the quarter, or answers to all her prayers, out of my hand.
President Ezra Taft Benson said, "All through my life the counsel to depend on prayer has been prized above almost any other advice I have received, it has become an integral part of me, an anchor, a constant source of strength, and the basis for my knowledge of things divine."
We discussed why prayer was an anchor in his life and in ours. Many sisters shared great stories of prayer uplifting and helping them in their lives. I had a lot of other things prepared from the manual to share, but as the spirit swelled in my heart and the stories and tears were flowing, I let it happen and I feel like the spirit taught all the sisters who were in the room that day.
We finished up reading , 3 Nephi 18:15 and 18:20. The action words in these versus are watch, pray, ask, and believe. These are the things that we must do in order to receive answers..
President Benson said, "If we would advance in holiness...increase in favor with God...nothing can take the place of prayer. And so I adjure you to give prayer, daily prayer, secret prayer a foremost place in your lives. Let no day pass without it."
We are taught by President Benson to pray as families in order to safeguard the home, make all family members aware of the needs of others, bring peace to the home, teach daily devotion, and strengthen ties. Any family member going out into the world needs that protection in order to thrive in this world. Things that we may not have attempted will be easier to do if we leave home with the strength prayer provides.
President Benson teaches us ways to better communicate with Heavenly Father.
1: Pray frequently - Alma 34:21
2: Find an appropriate place where we can meditate and pray - 3 Nephi 13:6
3: Prepare ourselves for prayer - D&C 112:10
4: Prayers should be meaningful and pertinent - Alma 37:36-37
5: After making a request through prayer, we have a responsibility to assist in its being granted - D&C 9:8
I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers. He is forever mindful of us, we just need to make His will ours, and keep in constant contact with Him and we will have all of God's promised blessings.
In Matthew 7:7-8 it says, "Ask and ye shall receive..."
I asked Sister Melanie to come up again and try to get the answers to her prayers (the quarter) out of my hand without touching me. She asked me for the quarter and I gave it to her. It's that easy, Heavenly Father will answer our prayers if we will just ask.
