Righteous Desires

We were having a little family council and were discussing important upcoming decisions for our family.  We asked the girls to remember to pray for these things to help our family know what to do.  In that very moment they both rushed off to pray.  (I thought that was so cute, we meant praying generally and in the near future, they knew better--pray always!)  A few seconds later Viana came back and said she knew our decision was good because she got a warm feeling in her heart.  Brooke then said, "I did not get a good feeling, but I prayed to find my lost Cinderella doll."  We all have our agency and you can't force anything!  Brooke prayed for what was in her heart at that moment, and I sure hope she can find her doll!

Faith

The other week CharlyAnn had a bad rash, so at family prayer I asked Viana to remember to pray with extra faith that CharlyAnn would get better. So during her prayer she said, "And please please please please please please please please please please bless CharlyAnn to get better." I loved to see what faith meant to her. Letting Heavenly Father know the sincerest desires of our hearts! Pleading with him and knowing that he has the power to answer our prayers. And guess what? It worked! She's better!

Prayer

This past Sunday, Ally came home with a special Primary assignment for next week. She's been asked to offer the opening prayer in opening exercises. I'm, honestly, anxious to see how this prayer will play out on Sunday. First off, it's like pulling teeth to get her to even repeat our exact words at home, let alone pray by herself. Secondly, she's got terrible stage fright. But, whoever asked her to say the prayer for next week is my new hero! All week, when it comes time to offer a prayer, I say, "Ally, would you like to say the prayer for _____ (i.e. breakfast, lunch, etc) and practice for Sunday when you will say it for Primary?" She always responds so excitedly and upbeat! She folds her arms, speaks on her own, speaks loud and clearly, and is just so happy to say a prayer! It's been so fun to have an extra little prayer said during the days by Ally and to hear what is important to her. Kids definitely aren't embarrassed to say what they are feeling when they pray. They're good examples like that. Here are a few of my favorite bits of prayers this week:

"Thank you for this day." It comes every time, immediately after opening. I supposed she's learned that one from me. I am grateful for everyday!

"Please help me spell my name. My name is Ally, A-L-L-Y."

"Help mama get better."

"Thank you for this food and that it will make my belly happy and I will grow so big and tall like my mommy and daddy."

"Help me practice sayin' a prayer for Primary for next week."

My favorite is the name spelling prayer. And I don't think it was insincere at all. She really does love to spell and wants to know how to spell everything. It's sweet to hear her praying for other, unprompted. I think she might be learning to care for others and the be aware of their needs. She's a sweet girl and I'm so glad she's opened up to praying at home more.

Learning to Pray

You can always count on Daniel to say a prayer for our family. Ally still doesn't like to pray with us so she will often volunteer Daniel for prayer. He's getting so good at repeating our different phrases of gratitude and requests. He's even learning how to end the prayer by himself. It makes me happy that at least one of our kids will pray willingly for us. He isn't quite good enough at talking to make his own sentences, but he's getting closer. And when he does, I'm sure he'll have some sweet things to pray about.

Prayer

We are to leave for Christmas break today, but of course there are winter snowstorms littering the highways between here and Colorado. This morning Viana was so excited that today was our planned departure date. When I told her that we might not be able to leave today because of the snow she said so perfectly faithfully, "But we prayed to have a safe drive." Kind of like, duh mom, don't you have faith? It was so sweet to see how confident she was in the Lord answering our prayers.

Prayers

Eric and I were talking at night about how we need to spend one-on-one time with our children and how we feel if we did more of this they would be better behaved. We were yearning for that time to make its way into our crazy lives.
When we went to bed we were praying and I was praying that we could sleep good and hoping for a childless night so that Eric could gain rest and rejuvination for his busy life.
That night at 3something Viana came in and got Eric out of bed for something. I heard her wide awake just talking and talking to Eric as if it was the middle of the day. At the time I thought, "Why couldn't my prayer have been answered to have a great nights sleep??"
Then in the morning as I started to think about it, I realized how before that prayer Eric and I were yearning for more one-on-one time. I then realized how the Lord works in mysterious ways. Eric and Viana had charming 3am conversation and bonding. We asked for two conflicting things, I am glad the Lord still saw fit to give us the better of the two.

Prayer

CJ just posted about prayer and I'm going to again! Gospel learning around prayer is probably the biggest one in our house right now. So, while Ally did pray for us several days ago, she has fallen back into old habits of not wanting to pray. One day during lunch, I told Ally and Daniel it was time to pray. I asked Ally if she would pray and she said "no." I was about to say the prayer when Daniel started saying, "My turn! My turn!" I was a little surprised that he wanted to pray, but I was glad. He did so well! He, of course, repeated everything I said and really tried to pronounce everything to his best ability! He was so pleased with himself afterwards. I'm glad that all our praying has helped Daniel learn to be excited to pray.

Prayer

It has been too long since I've posted on here...I am learning from my children still, learning that they keep me busy!! :) I have a post that mirrors very closely Jamie's about Ally praying. In our family we just run through age order to keep track of whose turn it is to pray. Once you'vehad your turn you can expect 5 more family prayers until your turn again. (Unless you fill in for CharlyAnn). But within the last couple of days no one has prayed except for Ram. He LOVES to pray. And, since he is 2 he throws a tantrum if we even begin to say, "Whose turn is it? Brooke's turn" As soon as we ask he just says, "WA!" (his version of Ram). ANd so what can we do but let him pray, he loves it so much. We usually help him, but ocassionally he'll do it on his own. (That sounds mostly like this "hmmahh haha, eehh meh ahun, ee daddy baby, humua, djee kai amen!") But it is so great. Hopefully the girls can continue to love praying since they have't had as many turns for family prayer lately! :)

Enduring and Prayer

Ally, for awhile, has been really good about folding her arms when it comes time to pray. But, if you ask her to say the prayer, then it's like pulling teeth! She will not do it. Even if you whisper everything she needs to say to her. Well, yesterday for lunch I announced that we needed to pray first. Ally quickly turned her head to me and, in excitement, said, "I want to say the prayer!!" She started it out and then repeated everything I said to her, plus some of her own. I'm so glad she was excited to say the prayer! And...I think we might be starting to see the fruits of much coaxing and teaching. Although she is young, I do think she knows the importance of prayer to her parents as she knows what to do. Hopefully, as she grows, she will realize the importance it can be for herself as she says her own prayers.

Praying for the prophet

Tonight for family prayer Viana said she didn't like praying because she never knows what to say. So we talked about things we could pray for, Jimmy's lung, Charina's cold, Orion's mission and Pres. Monson. So, in her prayer she said, "Please bless our prophet that he can sleep good tonight, and that he can get smarter, and that he will stay healthy." I can't be positive, but I think the reason she prayed for him to get smarter is because we are always telling her that Jesus is the smartest person and that he knows everything, and she knows the prophet is his mouthpiece, so naturally she would want a smarter prophet. And I am quite certain that with the faith of this little child, Pres. Monson will have a fine night of slumber.

Prayer

Every morning, we say a prayer at breakfast. And every morning I have to remind Ally and Daniel to fold their arms. Daniel, well, he really doesn't like praying except for saying "amen" right now. Ally, will fold her arms when asked. This morning as we sat down to breakfast, Ally said, "Look mom! I'm foldin' my arms. We gotta pray. It's your turn!"

Faith

Today Viana hurt her ankle. She wanted a blessing from Eric. As she was waiting she told me, "You can't give me a blessing but you can pray for me because you have faith. Anyone can pray because all you need is faith." I liked her perspective on praying: because I have faith, I can pray.

Prayer

Daniel loves to eat. When it comes to meal prayers he usually cries through the entire thing because he has to wait 2 more minutes before he can stuff his face. Our dinner prayer tonight was no exception (and maybe even worse because BYU lost). I started praying, hardly able to hear the words coming out of my own mouth because of his screaming, and then thought, "I should ask Heavenly Father to help Daniel be happy." So, I prayed that Daniel would be happy, and guess what!? He quieted down for the rest of the prayer. As I concluded the prayer Daniel joined in the chorus of amen's with excitement. In Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord tells the Saints through revelation, "... your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.... the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted." That's how I felt about our simple dinner prayer. And you know, I think Daniel probably felt that way too.

Prayer

Tonight for family prayer Viana said, "...we are thankful that we could go to church today, and thank you that daddy could go to a meeting tonight, and thank thee that Momma could read books to us for so long..." I just loved seeing her summarize the most important parts of her day, and I also loved seeing how much it meant to her that I took the time to read to her today. As soon as Viana was finished Brooke said, "You forgot to bless Daddy to drive home safe." I told her she could say that in her personal prayers, so she ran off to her room right then. When she met us in the bathroom after her prayer she said, "I also prayed that Spencer would learn not to hit." We can pray for the well-being of those around us and for strength for them in their trials.