Study Guide for "Pray, He Is There"

In this talk, President Susan H. Porter, Primary General President, speaks directly to children all over the world about the importance and power of prayer. She emphasizes the love that Heavenly Father has for each of His children and provides guidance on how to use prayer as a means to communicate with Him. She encourages children to pray to know, to grow, and to show, each contributing to a deeper understanding and relationship with Heavenly Father.

Before Reading

Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:

What are the three things President Porter encourages children to pray for?
How does President Porter suggest we can come to know that Heavenly Father is real?
What does President Porter mean when she says to "pray to grow"?
How does prayer help us to show Heavenly Father's love to others?
What personal experiences does President Porter share about the power of prayer in her life?

Topics

Understanding the Power of Prayer

President Porter emphasizes the importance and power of prayer as a gift from Heavenly Father. She explains that prayer allows us to communicate with Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere. She encourages children to pray to know, to grow, and to show.

It is the gift of prayer. What a blessing prayer is! We can talk to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere.

When Jesus was on the earth, He taught us to pray. He said, "Ask, and ye shall receive."

Pray to know. Pray to grow. Pray to show.

What is the gift of prayer?
What are the three things we are encouraged to pray for?
How can you incorporate these three aspects of prayer into your daily prayers?
How has prayer been a blessing in your life?

Praying to Know Heavenly Father

President Porter encourages children to pray to know that Heavenly Father is real and loves them. She shares experiences of feeling Heavenly Father's presence and guidance through prayer.

Heavenly Father has a glorified body of flesh and bones and is the Father of your spirit. Because Heavenly Father has all power and knows all things, He can see all His children and can hear and answer every prayer.

When you know that Heavenly Father is real and that He loves you, you can live with courage and hope! "Pray, he is there; speak, he is list’ning."

How can we come to know that Heavenly Father is real?
How does knowing Heavenly Father is real affect our lives?
Have you ever had an experience where you felt Heavenly Father's presence or guidance?
How can you seek to know Heavenly Father better through prayer?

Praying to Grow in Christlike Attributes

President Porter discusses the importance of praying to grow in Christlike attributes and skills. She shares an example of a boy who prays for peace and strength on his way to school, illustrating how prayer can help us grow.

Heavenly Father wants to help you grow! He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way to live.

Through His Spirit, your heart can change, and you can receive strength.

How can prayer help us grow in Christlike attributes and skills?
What does it mean to "grow" in this context?
What are some Christlike attributes or skills you want to grow in?
How can you use prayer to help you grow in these areas?

Praying to Show Love to Others

President Porter talks about praying to show Heavenly Father's love to others. She explains that through prayer, we can receive guidance on how to comfort, forgive, and serve others, thus showing His love.

You can pray for help to show Heavenly Father’s love to others.

He can help you show His love by forgiving someone. He can give you courage to serve someone and share with them that they are a child of God.

How can prayer help us show Heavenly Father's love to others?
What are some ways we can show His love?
Who is someone you feel prompted to show Heavenly Father's love to?
How can you use prayer to guide you in showing love to this person?

Perseverance in Prayer

President Porter shares a personal experience of praying for her father to join the Church throughout her life. She emphasizes the importance of not giving up in prayer, even when answers don't come immediately or in the way we expect.

For my whole life I prayed that my father would become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Don’t give up! Heavenly Father will show you what you can do.

What does President Porter's experience teach us about persistence in prayer?
How does Heavenly Father answer our prayers?
What is something you have been praying for persistently?
How can you continue to seek Heavenly Father's guidance and trust in His timing?