Acts 10-15
"The Word of God Grew and Multiplied"
Materials: scriptures
Opening Song: "A Child's Prayer" (Children's Songbook, 12)
Opening Prayer:
Scripture: Acts 10:5 "Peter was therefore kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him."
Attention Activity:
Tell the following story. Mikey was playing the backyard when he fell and cut his knee. The cut hurt badly and was bleeding. Mikey knew he needed a bandaid, but the bandaids were in the tallest cupboard in the kitchen. Mikey knew he couldn't reach the bandaids so he asked his dad for help. Mikey's dad cleaned the cut and put a bandaid on it and Mikey felt much better. He was glad he asked his dad for help. Sometimes we have problems we can't solve on our own and we need to ask for help. Who can we always go to for help? Heavenly Father is always there to hear and answer our prayers.
Lesson:
Remind your family that Peter was the leader of the church after Christ's death. Just before Easter, Peter was cast into prison by King Herod. Herod wanted to have Peter killed after the Easter holiday so sent 16 guards to watch him. "Peter was therefore kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." (Acts 12:5) Who was praying for Peter? What does is mean to pray "without ceasing"?
The night Herod was to kill Peter, Peter was sleeping chained between two guards when an angel appeared and a light shined in the dark prison. The angel nudged him, raised him up, and told him to get up. He wanted Peter to get up, put on his shoes, and follow him. Peter and the angels went through two levels of the prison then came to the large iron gate the guards the entry into the city. The gate lifted all on its own and Peter and the angel went out. After Peter was safely out fo the prison the angel departed.
Read Acts 12: 10. How were the prayers of the members of the church answered? Just like Heavenly Father answered the prayers of the members of the church, he also answers our prayers. We might not, and probably won't get angelic help when we pray, but Heavenly Father does hear us and answer our prayers. Heavenly Father loves us; he knows us; he knows what we are going to pray for even before we pray for it. And he wants to help us. But he has a plan for us and Heavenly Fathers plan might have things in store for us that we are unaware of. He might not answer our prayers right away or in the way we think.
Elder Brook P. Hales of the Seventy said, Brothers and sisters, sometimes our prayers are answered quickly with the outcome we hope for. Sometimes our prayers are not answered in the way we hope for, yet with time we learn that God had greater blessings prepared for us than we initially anticipated. And sometimes our righteous petitions to God will not be granted in this life. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “Faith also includes trust in God’s timing.”
Ask members of your family to share the following:
1. Tell of a time when you prayed to Heavenly Father and he answered your prayers.
2. Tell of a time when you received an answer to a prayer but it wasn't what you had originally had in mind? How were you blessed because of it?/
3. Tell of something you are currently praying for but have not yet received. Do you have faith in Heavenly Father's plan?
Remind your family of people you need to or are currently praying for. Just like the members of the ancient church prayed for Peter, we should also pray for President Nelson and the other leaders of the church. Bear your testimony on the power of prayer and how Heavenly Father answers prayers.
Game: Prayer Popcorn
Children can sit in a circle. When the teacher says to START POPPING, the children will jump (pop) up one at a time and shout out something to PRAY about. That child will sit down and then another child or teacher can POP up and continue to name prayers until all the children have had an opportunity to POP up with a PRAYER. Continue as time allows and then serve POPCORN to the children in the circle to remember their POPCORN PRAYING!
Closing Song: "I Pray in Faith" (Children's Songbook, 14)
Closing Prayer:
Refreshment: Popcorn Bar (plain, buttered, cheddar, carmel, kettle, candied, etc.)
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