To complete, Learning and Living the Gospel #5, Share your feelings about how prayer protects us and helps close to Heavenly Father and the Savior, we talked about prayer and made a little craft reminder that cost only 50 cents a piece. I made pretzels as refreshment. See the bottom of our discussion.
CRAFT:
Picture will be coming....
We made tiles with the saying, "If you can no longer stand, kneel." Essentially, I created the wording on my word processor. (I am not going to link this as I used a really random font.) Then I printed it on to pieces of tissue paper. Cut them out to the size of the block you are using. We then modge podged it onto the tile. Then we glued on the ribbon.
DISCUSSION:
(We began our meeting by singing "A Child's Prayer.")
Think about these questions while we talk about prayer:
How important is prayer in our lives? What is the purpose of prayer? Is it easy to get answers? Does prayer provide a protection to us?
HOW IMPORTANT IS PRAYER IN OUR LIVES? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER?
It is the main source of communication between ourselves and our Heavenly Father.
One of my favorite stories is about one of the presidents of the church. During the holidays, his grandsons were home and they were all getting ready for bed. One of them was wandering around when he heard laughter from his grandfather’s room. He crept up to his grandfather’s door and saw his grandfather on his knees saying his prayers. He asked his grandpa, what where you laughing about and he said that he was sharing a funny joke with our Heavenly Father.
Prayer is sacred, but if we truly want to get to know our Heavenly Father, we should be sharing with him even those small details with him.
WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY?
Every morning and every night. There is a scripture that says that we should have a prayer in our hearts at all times! How can we do that? Discuss. (I found a year prayer chart online that they inserted into their journals.)
What should our prayers include? They should begin in the name of the Father. Then we need to thank our Heavenly Father for our blessings. Ask for things that we need. Finish in Christ’s name.
IS IT EASY TO GET ANSWERS?
It is not always easy to get answers… especially to hard decisions. Can you guys tell me what the steps are to getting an answer to your prayers? (I printed these out and mixed them up... then the girls had to put them in the proper order.)
1. Study the situation and think about your choices.
2. Decide which choice you think is best.
3. Ask Heavenly Father if your choice is right.
4. Listen with your heart and mind. If the choice is right, you will feel good inside.
5. If the choice is wrong, you won’t feel good and you should make a different choice… sometimes we have to start over.
DOES PRAYER PROVIDE A CONSTANT PROTECTION?
Picture of the little girl and her brother… discuss what is going on in the picture. Ask how they would feel and would this be the response….. relate the story about getting stuck in the snow.
In the scriptures, we read of men, women and children who prayed to our Heavenly Father when they had questions or needed help!
Then we played the WHO AM I game?
(Have the girls draw and then read the story and see who can guess it. You can also post pictures or have someone dress up as each of these people if you want.)
1. While hunting in the forest I began to think of the words of my father concerning Eternal life, and my soul hungered and I truly desired forgiveness of my sins. I prayed all day and night before receiving an answer. A voice came to me telling me my sins had been forgiven. Who am I? (Enos)
2. My father prayed for me and in answer to his prayer an Angel visited me and my four friends the sons of Mosiah we changed our ways and became great missionaries. I am glad my Father prayed for me. Who am I? (Alma the Younger)
3. My father had a dream it had a tree, a rod, a mist of darkness, a river and a large and spacious building. I wanted to know the meaning of the dream. I went and prayed and received my answer with a visit from an angel and now I understand the meaning of my father’s dream. Who am I? (Nephi)
4. I lived in a busy city near the King’s palace. I knew it was right to pray daily for guidance even though the law said that people who prayed would be thrown into a den of hungry lions. I prayed and was caught and the king had me thrown into the lion’s den where the Lord protected me from the lions all night. Who am I? (Daniel)
5. I was confused about religion when I was 14 year old I wanted to know which church to join. I prayed one morning in a grove of trees near my home and I saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ in an answer to my prayer. Who am I? (Joseph Smith)
6. I am a Jewish woman that tried to have faith and courage. I married the King of Persia. Haman, one of the kings servants, was angry because a Jewish man refused to bow down to him. The servant wanted the Jews to be killed. The king not knowing that I was Jewish agreed to the plan to kill all the Jews. After I fasted and prayed and asked my people to do the same. I risked my life and went to the king and asked him to save my people. He granted my plea and Jews were saved from death. Who am I? (Queen Esther)
Each of these people had to pray for help. They believed that no matter where you are or what time of day it is, Heavenly Father will hear your prayer. These scriptures show us that Heavenly Father did hear their prayers and that he answered each of them.
Heavenly Father will answer each of our prayers too! We can pray to him an time, but if we make a habit to pray morning and night that you will see him answer your prayers too!
The tiles we have made today are a reminder to pray! Put them somewhere where you will see them every morning and every night.
REFRESHMENTS
For refreshments, share this cool story about pretzels (I let the girls eat the pretzels while I told the story... I also had a copy of the story and the recipe for the girls):
In about 610 A.D. a very creative Alpine Monk decided to make use of the pieces of dough left over from baking bread. The Monk formed them into thin strips folded into a looped twist to represent the folded arms of children in prayer.
This scrumptious treat was given to the children as they learned their prayers. They began calling the treat "Pretiola", which is Latin for "little reward". Soon it was known the world over as a pretzel.
The secret of making great pretzels is not only in the baking but also in the shaping. We, like pretzels, are made from the best ingredients, by the best hands available, the hands of our Father in Heaven.
Have you ever seen a broken pretzel, or one that's lost its shape? We too, can lose our shape when we don't pray always to keep our spirituality intact. Even in the midst of our greatest trials, we must remember, as did Job, to call on the Lord. The simple shape of the pretzel, arms folded in prayer, reminds us to pray each day. Our "Pretiola" or "little rewards" are the blessings we receive.
Every time you see a pretzel, remember prayer. Check to see if your arms are often folded in prayer and have not lost their shape.
Homemade Pretzels
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
3/4 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt 2 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
Coarse salt
Wax paper
Mix yeast in warm water. Add sugar and salt. Add flour and mix. Put dough on wax paper and knead until soft. Cut off pieces and shape as you like (too thick = doughy, too thin = brittle). Place them on a cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle coarse salt. Bake at 425° for 12 to 15 minutes.
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