Prayers...

First of all, I think motherhood and incoherency (is that a word?) go hand in hand...so good luck deciphering this one.
I love this topic and these references and questions really sparked some thought...most of all the connection between temporal and spiritual affairs. It made me think of one of my favorite quotes from President Joseph F. Smith, "the temporal and spiritual are blended...One cannot be carried on without the other, so long as we are here in mortality." I believe one reason why we should pray over our temporal affairs is so that we can be free to dwell on spiritual matters. It can be hard to focus on someone Else's needs when you're worried about feeding your own family. On the flip side, fasting helps us gain mastery over our "stomach worries" and focus on spiritual things. Asking for our temporal needs also reminds us of whom all blessings come from.
A short reply to question #1(literal answers to prayers)...I always love reading the child-like prayer of Lamoni's father in Alma 22:10. He wasn't even sure if there was a God, but he was willing to try out the faith that he felt from listening to Aaron...No real comment, I just love it. Finally, in response to #6 ( answers to prayers that have provided my testimony in prayer) I'll never forget a certain mission companion who was presenting an intro to the discussions for probably the fifth time that day. Our investigator was dosing off so I said a very fervent, quick prayer in my heart that somehow she would become more engaging. Suddenly, she jumped up and yelled "butiki." A lizard had fallen from the ceiling right onto her discussions. I guess it's pretty humorous now, but it really hit home to me how instantaneous help can be if we just ask with all of our heart. One trial in my life in particular brought a string of very specific prayers. I realized that my prayers became more powerful as I paused to be in tune with what Heavenly Father wanted me to pray for. For the first time, my faith felt more real than any-"thing".