Sharing Time:

Heavenly Father Hears and Answers Prayers

By Linda Magleby

“Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers” (D&C 112:10).

Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to pray to Him. We can pray to Him anytime, no matter where we are. He hears and answers our prayers.

Charlotte Clark was just six years old when her family left Nauvoo, Illinois, to travel west to the Salt Lake Valley. It was a long, long way to walk. Charlotte walked so much that she wore out her only pair of shoes. Every night when Charlotte knelt to pray, she asked Heavenly Father for a pair of shoes.

One day Charlotte and her sister were picking berries when Charlotte saw a pair of shoes. She and her sister ran back to their mother and father, saying, “Heavenly Father sent me shoes, and they fit perfectly!” Charlotte’s father was concerned that the shoes belonged to someone who had lost them. He told Charlotte that if the shoes belonged to someone in their wagon train, she should return the shoes to their owner. Charlotte’s family showed the shoes to everyone, but no one claimed them. Charlotte’s prayer was answered.

Heavenly Father answers our prayers. The answers may not always be what we expect, but He will answer in the way that is the best for us. We can pray to Him anytime, anywhere.

Activity

To remind you of the parts of prayer, cut out the shapes on page F4 on the heavy dark lines. Fold on the dotted lines, and glue the larger shape to make a flattened tube. On the narrow strip, write on the lines provided some things you are thankful for and some blessings you pray for. Slide the narrow strip inside the folded piece. You could place this reminder on your pillow to remind you to pray before you go to bed. At night, place it beside your bed to remind you to pray in the morning.

Illustrated by Dilleen Marsh
Heavenly Father Hears and Answers Prayers

Note: If you do not wish to remove pages from the magazine, this activity may be copied, traced, or printed from the Internet at www.lds.org. For English, click on “Gospel Library.” For other languages, click on the world map.

Sharing Time Ideas

1. Use a reader’s theater (see Teaching, No Greater Call [1999], 177) to tell the story of Daniel. Before Primary write a simple script using Dan. 6 as a guideline. Use words directly from the scriptures to tell the story. Participants include a narrator, Daniel, King Darius, assorted presidents and princes, and lions. For example, the presidents and princes would say from verse 8, “Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing.” Daniel would say from verse 22, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths.” Discuss how the scriptures record the stories of others who have had prayers answered. Divide the Primary into groups, and give each a scripture reference about people whose prayers were answered, such as Hannah (1 Sam. 1:8–20), Zacharias (Luke 1:5–13), Nephi (1 Ne. 17:8–10), Enos (Enos 1:1–6), and Alma the Elder (Mosiah 27:8–14). Have the children read the stories and then share with the group how Heavenly Father answered the prayers. Testify that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers today.

2. Invite two or three people from the ward or branch to dress as pioneers and tell true stories about how Heavenly Father answered the prayers of the pioneers. Tell the stories in first person (see Teaching, No Greater Call, 165, 179). Use personal family history stories, or tell the story about Charlotte Clark on this page. Bear testimony that Heavenly Father will answer your prayers.