“The scriptures provide the strength of authority to our declarations when they are cited correctly. They can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar. They are always available when needed. Their use provides a foundation of truth that can be awakened by the Holy Ghost. Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world.” Elder Richard G. Scott. #LDSConf OCTOBER 2011 THE POWER OF SCRIPTURE.
So after the first lesson I could notice a slight increase in remembering. Then as each week went by I could see a difference and noticed how the Spirit truly did “bring all things to [my] remembrance” when I needed to share it (John 14:26 & Luke 12:12). Still not ALL things but some more things. You obviously need to put forth the effort in memorizing in order for the Lord to know you truly desire to retain the doctrine to bless those around you, and He will help you. I didn’t always teach every Sunday but if you have ever taught the Youth you know, Sunday Lessons aren’t the only time you can share a scripture or a thought to strengthen them. I always say school is Satan’s battleground! (And I’m not the only one who thinks that! “Get Ready for Battle” New Era Sept 2014).
Back to my new found joy of fasting every Sunday, it was just as Elder Scott had said, it would be awakened by the Holy Ghost. After several weeks of fasting every Sunday I felt my prayers were answered and was able to help my girls and decided I needed to keep this up! And oh how I love those girls so much!! They will always be my girls. I thought, well, shouldn’t be too hard now that I’m used to it for a few weeks. I love consistency, I need it. For example Temple Tuesday works every week for me, but if I try and skip a week, I don’t go all month. It’s crazy but amazing and I love it! So after all of that fasting another miracle happened just after a few short months, which of course to me back then seemed like an eternity when dealing with infertility already for 2 years and 7 before our 1st son was born, we got pregnant! WHAT?! This is fantastic! I didn’t know that would happen. I would have fasted every Sunday before then, why didn’t I try that sooner? I know now! I just love how the Lord teaches us things about ourselves through the callings He asks us to serve in. Had I not felt inadequate serving my Young Women enough to desire to know more and fast every Sunday for them, I know we wouldn’t have gotten pregnant. What a blessing!
Tomorrow marks a year since our little guy was born. After General Conference we have Fast Sunday and this will be the first Sunday I will get to fast again in a year and 9 months. I’ve since been released from being our ward’s Young Women’s President (just in August). As I write this I realize I want to be committed to fast every Sunday from now on again, but now for me, my family and my boys and to teach them when I need to because after all, they are my first priority and of course to also help me in my calling now as Cub Master, but this time the commitment comes from a desire to serve my family better instead of the other way around.
The Gospel teaches us about fasting. “To fast is to go without food and drink voluntarily for a certain period of time. Fasting combined with sincere prayer can strengthen us spiritually, bring us closer to God, and help us prepare ourselves and others to receive His blessings.”
In this month’s First Presidency Message, I found this awesome Prayer Sandwich from the Ensign, October 2014 and have turned it into a fun printable just like it suggested in order to frame it and use dry erase marker.
Prayer Sandwich
"How do you know what to say when you pray? You can begin your prayers by saying, “Dear Heavenly Father,” and end them by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” What you say in the middle is your choice, just like choosing what goes in a sandwich.
Choose the pieces you would like in your sandwich. Write the things you would like to pray for next to them. You can say “I thank Thee” for blessings, talk about your worries, ask for blessings, or pray about questions.
You can cut this sandwich out or make another. Hang it in your home to help you remember the things you can say in your prayers."
Download 4×6 or 5×7 Prayer Sandwich Card:
- Download this printable in JPG format for printing and give them to the sisters you Visiting Teach or even families you Home Teach (since it’s part of the 1st Pres Message too!), favorite missionary or anyone for FREE by clicking the image link below. There’s 2 sizes! 4×6 & 5×7 (Mainly I did the 5×7 because it was a little tight trying to write in my 4×6 frame, get the super fine tip dry erase markers.) And bonus 2 colors just in case you didn’t like green. :)
4×6’s Below:
5x7's Below:
Instructions:
- Click on image(s) & download the one(s) you want. (They are jpg files).
- Print: Take/upload the image (jpg file) to your local print shop and have them print it 4×6 or 5×7 (YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD THE SPECIFIC SIZE YOU WANT PRINTED) The 4×6 pic will not look right if printed 5×7, so download the 5×7 pic if that’s the size you want. Hope that makes sense. Print it on photo paper like you would regular pictures. Like at Costco, Walmart, Target, etc.
P.S. I did not design the cute Hamburger, I used the one from LDS.org and enhanced it for printing and framing.
* NOTE: This post was originally published on: Oct 2, 2014 on my old website (which was hacked), and is part of my migration project to preserve my work and designs: http://visitingteaching.net/blog/2014/10/my-prayer-sandwich/
