Prayer Sandwich

Learning and Living the Gospel #5 ~ Give an opening and a closing prayer in family home evening or at Primary. Share your feelings about how prayer protects us and helps us to stay close to Heavenly Father and the Savior.

For this activity, the children were learning about the prayer.

We had actually learned a little bit about prayer during we had our lesson on Joseph Smith’s First Vision.

We learned about how Heavenly Father answers our sincere prayer, just like what Joseph Smith’s prayer.

This lesson we talked about the Lord’s Prayer. I saw this message on February issue of Friends Magazine early this year, so I decided to teach or share this important lesson of how Jesus Christ teach us to pray.

I know it is the Lord’s hand that made me saw this message from the First Presidency, President Henry B. Erying. At the point of time I was preparing the lesson, He inspired me to come across the article.

When Jesus Christ lived on earth, His disciples noticed that He prayed often to His Heavenly Father. They asked Him to teach them how to pray. The prayer He gave is sometimes called the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus Prayed:

We don’t often use these exact words when we pray. But the words of this prayer are a perfect example of what we should ask Heavenly Father for.

After which, I give them the Prayer Sandwich which I found it in the previous Friend Magazine too, teach the kids what to say when they pray.

Well, they can begin their prayers by saying, “Dear Heavenly Father,” and end them by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

What they say in the middle is our choices, just like choosing what goes in a sandwich. Choose the pieces they would like to in their sandwich. Write the things they would like to pray for next to them.

Then can say “I thank Thee” for blessings, talk about their worries, ask for blessings, or pray about questions.

Both of them started to write their prayers. I just laughed out loud when I saw Annabelle’s prayer! She loves the sandwich so much, that she wrote there:

“ Dear Heavenly Father, I thank thee that I can eat this sandwich for breakfast and bless it, so that I could be strong and healthy. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

I know it is not a good manner and appropriate to laugh at my daughter’s prayer, but I just cannot help it. But I do know Heavenly Father and Jesus must be smiling lovingly to this little girl of theirs.

Issac’s prayer really warmed my heart, “Dear Heavenly Father, I thank thee for this day that I have a good day because I have found two books today and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

It is just a simple and purely give thanks prayers that he managed to find two books for himself… I love this boy of mine.

Then, we discuss about how prayer protects and helps us stay close to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Both of them wrote into the worksheet about what are the experiences they have on how prayers help them and protects them.

Annabelle shared and wrote about a time which she felt and knew that Jesus was protecting her while the shampoo got into her eyes during she was taking her bath. She prayed silently to Heavenly Father. After, she can feel that her eyes no more pain and she washed away the shampoo quickly.

Issac shared and wrote about how he prayed for the wisdom and knowledge before he took his exam. And, most of the time he can answer the questions,not scored 100% but at least he knows some of the unfamiliar topics.

I just wanted them to think when is the time, their prayers had been answered and helped to develop their own testimonies of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. So that, they would have the strong testimonies when they grow up.

I know that God the Father live. He hears and answers our prayers.