I'd like to share an experience about the subject of prayer. This is all true, although it was over 20 years ago so the memories are a bit blurry.
When I was in my early 20's and a JW in good standing, but with questions that I couldn't reason away, I went on a Meander travel tour to the holy land. It was the full works, Egypt and Israel. When we stopped in Sinai part of the group climbed Mount Sinai at night, so that we would reach the top at dawn, just as the sun rose.
I left the group and climbed on my own. I was considerably perturbed in spirit. Tormented by my doubts and desperate to... believe I guess. I clearly remember one elders advice around that time: "Buy a TV, get married and settle down." He was saying to be normal, be a part of the group and I sincerely wanted to do that.
So there I was, on the top of Mount Sinai. I'd fallen at some point on the way up and cut my hand and as my blood dripped onto the rocks I prayed for direction, for a sign, for anything to say that this was how I should live my life. Then the sun rose, the darkness was stripped away and the whole land was revealed in a moment. It was glorious and I felt... nothing. There was only silence, both inside my head and out.
When you pray, the only answers come from within yourself. In a way you could say that my prayers were answered because I saw that the direction of my life must lead away from the JW's and from belief. I bought a TV, I got married, but the life I settled into was a life free from religion.