Sweet Hour of Prayer/ Anytime, Anywhere Prayer
August 2013 week 2 theme-
"Heavenly Father Wants Me to Pray to Him Often- Anytime, Anywhere"
August 2013 week 2 theme-
"Heavenly Father Wants Me to Pray to Him Often- Anytime, Anywhere"
Begin singing last part of first verse: Sweet Hour of Prayer, Hymn no. 142, "I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Doctrine and Covenants 23:6 says in part, "in the which you must pray vocally before the world as well as in secret, and in your family, and among your friends, and in all places. We are taught that we need to pray to our Heavenly Father often. But how often? We are going to learn that we can pray to our Heavenly Father anywhere, anytime, any sweet hour of the day. So I have a "sweet hour of prayer" clock here to help us. We will pass this bag around while listening/ singing the last lines of the hymn, "Sweet Hour of Prayer". When the piano stops, the person holding it will pick a number out and we will find out more of this sweet hour of prayer. Then we will match the number on the clock and discover the picture. Behind each picture is a colored happy face because when we pray it makes us happy inside. Some happy faces will have stories from the Friend, General Conference or my life that help us understand that we can pray to Heavenly Father anytime. We will get through as many sweet hours as we can.
(Child picks out a number. Have a helper move the boy's hand to the hour number that matched the card drawn. Girl hand always to points to Heavenly Father. Pull off the picture from the clock. Say, "We can pray (point to word pray)to Heavenly Father(point to Heavenly Father on the top of clock) through Jesus Christ(point to Jesus Christ at top of clock) at_________ (name place, example: at school)and show and then have a child find the matching "happy face picture" on the board. Read the story on back if there is one. Or go on to the next sweet hour.)
Sweet hours small pictures(sorry I don't have them all cited, they are from Friend magazines and Parents magazine ads that I cut preblog. Similar images would be easily found if you Google imaged "car", "school", "family eating", etc. )
1- girl waking up(Friend, 1999, p. 27)- or http://www.ldsclipart.com/clipart/prayer?bwbps_page_101=3
2- Breakfast table(Ensign) or http://www.ldsclipart.com/clipart/word-art?bwbps_page_16=10
3. Car(Parents magazine ad, June 2009) or http://www.ldsclipart.com/clipart/word-art?bwbps_page_16=10
4. girl at school(Friend magazine, Sept.) or school
5. Soccer game(Parents magazine ad, June 2009) or sports http://northoaklandsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Sports-Clip-Art-No.-2.jpg
6. girl eating cookie( Friend)
7. girl comforted and crying(Friend mag) or http://www.ldsclipart.com/clipart/word-art?bwbps_page_16=8
8. Angry boy(Friend magazine) or http://www.parentspartner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/angry-boy.jpg
9. Road sign(New Era, 1999) or http://theaccidentalcoder.com/sites/theaccidentalcoder.com/files/styles/medium/public/field/image/2links.png
10. Boy or girl reading scriptures(Ensign) or http://www.ldsclipart.com/clipart/prayer?bwbps_page_101=2
11. family praying(Ensign) or http://www.ldsclipart.com/clipart/word-art?bwbps_page_16=4
Children pointing hands are from, "Sharing Fun, My Eternal Family, Mary Ross and Jennette Guymon King"
Heavenly Father and Jesus picture came from:
The smiles were printed on construction paper and here is a link to a happy face
Story pictures with happy faces:
Boy and mom in car(Friend magazine, February 2008, p. 10) or http://lds.org/churchmagazines/FR_2008_02_00___02262_000_000.pdf
We can pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ in our car. We can pray that we will be safe, pray that we don't have the car break down, or you know where our family does our morning prayer often. In our car before school"
Girl doing dishes angry (Friend magazine, November 2010, 8,9) (show small picture of angry boy) We can Pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ when we feel angry.(point to the "pray" wordstrip, Heavenly Father and Jesus)
Story from Nov 2010 Friend-Roxanne was asked to do more dishes than normal that night and she was angry and her brother was bugging her too. Her mom talked to her and suggested that they pray to Heavenly Father for help to take the bad feeling away.
Roxanne did want to help Mom. She knelt down by her bed. At first she didn’t feel like praying. Then she started telling Heavenly Father how she felt and asked Him to help her be happy again.
After her prayer, Roxanne felt better,walked in, and did the dishes happy.
Enos(Gospel art kit, 3-49-) (show small picture of girl eating the cookie)We can pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ when we make a bad choice.
Story from Friend, Mar 1990-One day Enos went hunting in the forest. As he thought about the teachings of his father, he wanted to be forgiven for his sins.Enos knelt and prayed to God. He prayed all day and was still praying when night came. God told Enos that, because of his faith in Jesus Christ, his sins were forgiven. Enos wanted the Lord to bless all the Nephites. He prayed for them, and the Lord said that he would bless them if they obeyed his commandments. And then he even prayed for his enemies the Lamanites. We can be forgiven for our sins or wrongdoings just like the prophet Enos was forgiven.
Look up picture(October 2003, Friend, p.18) (Show small picture of the road sign )and say, "We can pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ when we are lost and aren't sure if we can do something.
(match smile face with picture of girl looking up)
Tell story of Carl B. Cook from General Conference, Oct. 2011
Story from Friend, Mar 1990-One day Enos went hunting in the forest. As he thought about the teachings of his father, he wanted to be forgiven for his sins.Enos knelt and prayed to God. He prayed all day and was still praying when night came. God told Enos that, because of his faith in Jesus Christ, his sins were forgiven. Enos wanted the Lord to bless all the Nephites. He prayed for them, and the Lord said that he would bless them if they obeyed his commandments. And then he even prayed for his enemies the Lamanites. We can be forgiven for our sins or wrongdoings just like the prophet Enos was forgiven.
Look up picture(October 2003, Friend, p.18) (Show small picture of the road sign )and say, "We can pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ when we are lost and aren't sure if we can do something.
(match smile face with picture of girl looking up)
Tell story of Carl B. Cook from General Conference, Oct. 2011
Elder Cook at the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” He left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down and I stared blankly at the floor.
The door opened and someone entered, but I didn’t look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.
I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.” But President Monson could tell that he wasn't sure about his calling. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!” As we traveled down one more level, he said good bye again and reminded him, “Now, remember, it is better to look up.” We can pray for help and strength to do anything if we look up to Heavenly Father and pray.
Forgetting the notes picture- (March 2009, Friend, p.6) (show small picture of soccer game)We can pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ when we are at a soccer game, school play, primary program, etc.
This little girl was doing a piano recital and guess what, she couldn't remember what note came next. She prayed to Heavely Father for help right there. Didn't fold her arms, just said a silent prayer. And the note came to her and she finished her recital.
The Running Prayer(Friend, October 2007, p.47) p. 47 of http://lds.org/churchmagazines/FR_2007_10_00___00670_000_000.pdf (show small picture of family eating breakfast)We sit down at times to say prayers (breakfast table, etc), but listen to this story from the Friend. It's called "The Running Prayer" Nathan and his family were going to the park and he asked mom if she would make him a hard boiled egg to take with him to eat. She boiled water on the stove and put the egg in and then they hurried and got ready for the park. When they got there, Nathan was hungry and wanted his egg. But guess what? They had forgotten it and it was still boiling on the stove. They immediately ran home and Nathan decided that he could pray that the house would be safe as they were running. They got home and all was well. We can pray anytime, anywhere. It doesn't just have to be at special times.
Joseph Smith/Boy praying side by side( Friend, April 2010, p.16)- (show small picture of boy reading scriptures and primary teacher) We can pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ to know that the scriptures and the church is true.
Let me read this poem in the Friend- A Boy Seeking Answers by Marianne Monson
This little girl was doing a piano recital and guess what, she couldn't remember what note came next. She prayed to Heavely Father for help right there. Didn't fold her arms, just said a silent prayer. And the note came to her and she finished her recital.
The Running Prayer(Friend, October 2007, p.47) p. 47 of http://lds.org/churchmagazines/FR_2007_10_00___00670_000_000.pdf (show small picture of family eating breakfast)We sit down at times to say prayers (breakfast table, etc), but listen to this story from the Friend. It's called "The Running Prayer" Nathan and his family were going to the park and he asked mom if she would make him a hard boiled egg to take with him to eat. She boiled water on the stove and put the egg in and then they hurried and got ready for the park. When they got there, Nathan was hungry and wanted his egg. But guess what? They had forgotten it and it was still boiling on the stove. They immediately ran home and Nathan decided that he could pray that the house would be safe as they were running. They got home and all was well. We can pray anytime, anywhere. It doesn't just have to be at special times.
Joseph Smith/Boy praying side by side( Friend, April 2010, p.16)- (show small picture of boy reading scriptures and primary teacher) We can pray to Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ to know that the scriptures and the church is true.
Let me read this poem in the Friend- A Boy Seeking Answers by Marianne Monson
Joseph sought his answer in a grove. I kneel by my bed. Joseph saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.
I listen to the whisper of the Holy Ghost. Joseph’s prayer began the restoration of the gospel.
My prayer taught me Joseph’s answer was true.We are two boys with two prayers
Answered by the same listening Father.
The same Heavenly Father will help us know what's true that answered the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I hope we will cast on Him our every care and wait for Thee. I know that we can pray to our Heavenly Father at any sweet hour of the day and he will listen, and help us be happy. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
