This weeks lesson was given by Sis. Couch from Chapter 9 - Open your Soul to the Lord in Prayer
President Smith said (from the manual) "I learned quite early in life that the Lord would answer prayer for He
answered mine and in many ways He gave me evidence of His watchful care...I have covered approximately a million miles in the world among our
Father’s other children, every day and every night, wherever I have
been, when I have gone to my bed or arisen from it, I have felt I was
close to my Heavenly Father. He is not far away."
Our Heavenly Father is close to us and wants to be there for us.
Prayer is not only for drawer nearer to God but always can be used for times of need or help.
President Smith tells a personal story of him swimming once and getting dragged by the undertow and how prayer had helped his situation. You can read the full story on page 94 of your manual.
~ Prayer allows us to talk to our Heavenly Father as though He were present ~
There is a wonderful story in the manual on page 95 about an orphan boy who was going to receive an operation and asked the Dr. to pray for him. The Dr. offered his excuses about why he couldn't do that. What happens next is a tear jerker and touching story. BUT you'll have to read the story yourself to find that out ;)
Our Heavenly Father knows us and wants us to talk to Him. After pray we need to be still for a moment to allow an answer to come. Stop and listen.
Sometimes our answers come through others.
~ If we live near to our Heavenly Father, we will be inspired to know what to pray for ~
(from the manual) "My father as a young man came [near to] losing his life in the Provo
River. … His father, who was at Salt Lake City, felt impressed to go
into a room that had been set apart for prayer. He … knelt down … and
said, “Heavenly Father, I feel that there is something seriously wrong
with my family in Provo. Thou knowest I can not be with them there and
be here. Heavenly Father, wilt thou preserve and safeguard them. …"
~ Prayer is a powerful influence in our personal lives, our homes, and our communities ~
(from the manual) "Do not put away from you the power of God. Retain in your homes the
influences of prayer and of thanksgiving, and let gratitude flow to him
who is the author of our beings and the giver of all good....I say to you that the power of prayer is something that cannot be measured."
~ Family Prayer brings unity to families ~
(from the manual) "We
[as family members] will not always see alike; men will not always
reason as their wives do and vice versa, but if you will pray together,
with a real desire to be united, I can say to you, you will agree on all
important matters.
I noticed … on a billboard: “The family that prays together stays together.”
Just like we are excited to hear from loved ones Heavenly Father is excited to hear from us. Just think of a phone, pick it up and "call Heaven".
Sis Couch gave out a wonderful handout that read,
By being the answer to someone's prayer, we often find the answers to our own. - Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Thank you Sis. Couch
- Sis. Pyrah