My Foundation: Communicate: Petition and Listen

Maximum Time: 20 Minutes

Ponder:

When has Heavenly Father answered my prayers?

Watch:

“Creating Lift,” available at srs.lds.org/videos. (No video? Read the script at the end of this section.)

Discuss:

How can we recognize answers to our prayers? Why is listening an essential part of prayer?

Read:

Doctrine and Covenants 8:2 and the quote by President Russell M. Nelson.

Doctrine and Covenants 8:2

“I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.”

President Russell M. Nelson

“Your soul will be blessed as you learn to listen, then listen to learn from children, parents, partners, neighbors, and Church leaders, all of which will heighten capacity to hear counsel from on high.”

“Listen to Learn,” Ensign, May 1991, 24

Discuss:

Why is listening an essential skill? How can careful listening help us in our work?

Activity (5 minutes)

Step 1: As a group, read the steps in the box below and briefly discuss how they can make you a better listener.

Steps for effective listening

Step 2: Ask one or two members of the group to tell the others about a challenge or question they have. Everyone else should try to listen, following the steps above.

Step 3: When finished, ask the group members who spoke how they felt when the group really tried to listen.

Read:

Read the quotes by President Henry B. Eyring and Elder Robert D. Hales.

President Henry B. Eyring

“Our Heavenly Father hears the prayers of His children across the earth pleading for food to eat, for clothes to cover their bodies, and for the dignity that would come from being able to provide for themselves.”

“Opportunities to Do Good,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 22

Elder Robert D. Hales

“We must ask for help from our Heavenly Father and seek strength through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ. In both temporal and spiritual things, [this] enables us to become provident providers for ourselves and others.”

“Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 7–8

Commit:

Commit to do the following actions during the week.

• Pray individually and as a family each morning and night. Spend time after each prayer reverently listening for guidance.

• Share what you’ve learned today about communication with your family or friends.

Creating Lift

If you are unable to watch the video, choose a group member to read the following script.

Education for a Better Life

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: In order to get an airplane off the ground, you must create lift. In aerodynamics, lift happens when air passes over the wings of an airplane in such a way that the pressure underneath the wing is greater than the pressure above the wing. When the upward lift exceeds the downward pull of gravity, the plane rises from the ground and achieves flight.

In a similar way, we can create lift in our spiritual life. When the force that is pushing us heavenward is greater than the temptations and distress that drag us downward, we can ascend and soar into the realm of the Spirit.

Though there are many gospel principles that help us to achieve lift, I would like to focus on one in particular.

Prayer!

Prayer is one of the principles of the gospel that provides lift. Prayer has the power to elevate us from our worldly cares. Prayer can lift us up through clouds of despair or darkness into a bright and clear horizon.

One of the greatest blessings and privileges and opportunities we have as children of our Heaveny Father is that we can communicate with Him through prayer. We can speak to Him of our life experiences, trials, and blessings. We can listen for and receive celestial guidance from the Holy Spirit at any time and at any place.

(See Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Prayer and the Blue Horizon,” Ensign or Liahona, June 2009, 5–6)