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(1/27/97)
Is it any wonder that the Lord can hear you when you whisper,
even in your secret closet? Is there any doubt in your minds about it?
If man
can communicate across the continent by means of a telephone without
wires—by
means of human invention, by reason of the wisdom of man, is there any
one who
doubts the ability of God to hear the earnest, honest supplication of
the soul?
Do not doubt any more that the Lord can hear your prayers, when, with a
small
instrument, sensitive to the electric spark, you can distinctly hear
the human
voice in your home received from the ocean thousands of miles away.
When you can
communicate to some one in the midst of the ocean from your home, far
inland
from the ocean—do not for a moment doubt that the Lord
understands all these
means of communication and that he has means of hearing and
understanding your
innermost, exact thoughts. "Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
uttered or
unexpressed." It does not take many words to ask the Lord for what we
need;
but we must ask in faith, confidence and trust. It will not do to have
doubts in
our minds when we call upon the Lord for a blessing. "If any of you
lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For
he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and
tossed. For
let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord."
(James
1:5-7.) — Joseph F. Smith, "Gospel Doctrine," p.216
(1/28/97)
It may be that some who are under the sound of my voice
today, both of the seen as well as the unseen audience, are earnestly
seeking
after truth, but have not as yet put themselves in a position to
receive a
testimony of the divinity of this great latter-day work. If there
should be
such, let me say to you, as I have said upon other occasions, that if
you will
go into your chambers by yourself, and there kneel down and pour out
your soul
to the Lord in humble prayer, he will not turn you aside, but he will
cause a
feeling to come into your soul that will bear witness to you of the
divinity of
this great latter-day work; and by following the admonition that will
come to
you, and complying with the commandments of the Lord, you, with us, may
rejoice
in the knowledge of this great latter-day work. — Miles L. Jones,
General
Conference, April 1932
(1/29/97)
The Lord also commanded man--and it is well known by almost
all Christians--"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 22:37). To know and
love
God are sacred blessings. One of the ways that we can come to know God
and Jesus
Christ is through sincere prayer. The Lord commands, "Pray always, and
I
will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your
blessing--yea, even
more than if you should obtain treasures of earth" (D&C 19:38). In
the Bible we are commanded to "pray without ceasing.
"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you" (1 Thes. 5:17-18). Prayer to God will give you power to
conquer and overcome the evil powers and influences of Satan and this
world. The
Lord said, "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you
may
conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of
Satan that
do uphold his work" (D&C 10:5). Prayer to God is a sacred blessing.
—
Bernard P. Brockbank, General Conference, October 1979
(1/30/97)
I am convinced in my heart that the spectacle of a nation
praying is more awe-inspiring, more powerful, than the explosion of an
atomic
bomb. The force of prayer is greater than any possible combination of
man-controlled powers because, "prayer is man's greatest means of
tapping
the resources of God." I would like to see this nation on its knees in
humble prayer. (The Red Carpet, p. 295.) We should pray frequently. We
should be
alone with our Heavenly Father at least two or three times each day:
"morning, midday, and evening" (Alma 34:21). Someone has said that
when you wake up in the morning, the first thing to hit the floor
should be your
knees. In addition, we are told to pray always (Luke 21:34-36; 2 Nephi
32:9;
D&C 61:39; 88:126; 93:49). This not only shows we should pray
frequently but
also continually have a prayer in our heart (Alma 34:27). Even when the
Lord's
time was most in demand, He was not too busy to pray (Luke 5:15-16).
(God,
Family, Country, p. 120.) Our prayers should be meaningful and
pertinent. We
should avoid using the same phrases in each prayer. Any of us would
become
offended if a friend said the same few words to us each day, treated
the
conversation as a chore, and could hardly wait to finish in order to
turn on the
television set and forget us. (Come unto Christ, p. 26.) —
"Teachings of
Ezra Taft Benson," p.425-426
(1/31/97)
The Lord is near unto every one of us, for in Him we live,
and move, and have our being. We can seek Him; we can ask and receive;
we can
seek and find; we can knock and the door will be opened to us; and
every comfort
and blessing pertaining to the everlasting Gospel enjoyed at any period
of the
world's history can be enjoyed today. But they must be sought after by
the
prayer of faith, and by diligence, obedience, and by being in harmony
with Jesus
Christ our living head. His spirit will permeate the Church. His spirit
will
prompt His people if they will be obedient to His laws. — Charles
W. Penrose,
General Conference, April 1906
(2/1/97)
We have been tried to some extent, but not to the extent
which we probably will be; there are many things in which we will be
greatly
tried before we get through. Every Latter-day Saint who gains a
celestial glory
will be tried to the very uttermost. If there is a point in our
character that
is weak and tender, you may depend upon it that the Lord will reach
after that,
and we will be tried at that spot, for the Lord will test us to the
utmost
before we can get through and receive that glory and exaltation which
He has in
store for us as a people. When we think about the character of the
exaltation
promised unto us, we can understand why this should be the case. What
are we
striving for? What are we aiming to obtain? Our constant prayer to God
is that
we may be considered worthy to receive celestial glory. That is the
prayer of
every one who belongs to the Church. Every man and every woman who
prays unto
the Father, who is in the habit of doing so, expresses that desire in
his or her
prayer--that we may be counted worthy to receive celestial glory and
exaltation
in the presence of God and the Lamb. What a great thing to ask! —
George Q.
Cannon, "Journal of Discourses," Vol.22, p.123 - p.124, October 31,
1880
(2/2/97)
Nephi said: "If ye would hearken unto the Spirit which
teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil
spirit
teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But
behold,
I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint" (2 Nephi
32:8-9).
Amulek understood the importance of prayer as a spiritually
rejuvenating
influence. "Humble yourselves," he said to the Zoramites, "and
continue in prayer. . . . Ye must pour out your souls in your closets,
and your
secret places, and in your wilderness" (Alma 34:19, 26) ' Amulek
counseled
the people to pray over their flocks, their households, and their
fields (see
Alma 34:20-21). "Yea.,, he said, "and when you do not cry unto the
Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually
for your
welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you" (Alma
34:27). Earnest, sincere prayer is an essential ingredient in
maintaining
spiritual tone. — Dean L. Larsen, General Conference, October
1989
(2/3/97)
The Being of higher intelligence, to whom the request is
directed, may or may not grant the prayer, but some answer will be
given. Prayer
has been said to be "the soul's sincere desire." Only when it is such
will the fullest answer be obtained, and it is doubtful if such a
prayer is ever
refused. No prayer is unheard. . . . A man should pray always; his
heart should
be full of prayer; he should walk in prayer. Answers will then be heard
as God
pleases. Seldom is a man greater than his private prayers. To become
properly
tuned with the guiding intelligent Being, one must give himself to the
matter
devotedly desired in the form of prayer, and then support it with all
his works.
Prayer is active and not passive. If a thing is wanted a man must try
to secure
it. Then, as a man devotes all of himself to the subject of the prayer,
his
attitude becomes such as to make him susceptible to the answer when it
shall be
sent. Prayer may be said to be the soul's whole desire. — James
E. Talmage,
"A Rational Theology," pp. 76-77
(2/4/97)
It has been said in this conference that every member of the
Church is entitled to revelation. I want to testify to you, that I have
repeatedly sought God in the woods and hills of Scandinavia, in the
wilds of
Asia and Africa, upon the high seas, and in many places when I have
been far
away from my brethren who were entitled to give me advice: and I have
always
received sufficient revelation in answer to my prayers to lead, guide
and direct
me in [many] movements, and I have never been led astray when I have
sought God
in the proper way. This is my testimony. Even in the midst of political
revolutions I have always known where I stood. I have never had to take
counsel
direct from my brethren on political matters. There is a God in heaven
who
reveals His secrets to His servants the Prophets, and we are all
Prophets in a
certain sense, if we are under the influence of the Holy Ghost, so far
as that
is concerned: the most humble man or woman in the Church can get down
upon his
or her knees in prayer, and the heavens will be opened in such a way
that we
will understand the will of God. Our prayers will ascend to God, and,
if we are
sincere and honest in our supplication, we will receive an answer
through the
still small voice which will guide our footsteps through life, and
which will
cause us to do the right thing at the right time, and to take such
steps as we
shall not subsequently have occasion to regret. — Andrew Jenson,
General
Conference, October 1912
(2/5/97)
Now, I tell you that you can make every decision in your life
correctly if you can learn to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
This you
can do if you will discipline yourself to yield your own feelings to
the
promptings of the Spirit. Study your problems and prayerfully make a
decision.
Then take that decision and say to him, in a simple, honest
supplication,
"Father, I want to make the right decision. I want to do the right
thing.
This is what I think I should do; let me know if it is the right
course."
Doing this, you can get the burning in your bosom, if your decision is
right. If
you do not get the burning, then change your decision and submit a new
one. When
you learn to walk by the Spirit, you never need to make a mistake. I
know what
it is to have this burning witness. I know also that there are other
manifestations of guidance by the Spirit. — Marion G. Romney,
General
Conference, October 1961
(2/6/97)
When you pray—when you talk to your Heavenly Father—do
you really talk out your problems with Him? Do you let Him know your
feelings,
your doubts, your insecurities, your joys, your deepest desires? Or is
prayer
merely a habitual expression with the same words and phrases? Do you
ponder what
you really mean to say? Do you take time to listen to the promptings of
the
Spirit? Answers to prayer come most often by a still voice and are
discerned by
our deepest, innermost feelings. I tell you that you can know the will
of God
concerning yourselves if you will take the time to pray and to listen.
—
"Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson," p.428
(11/5/98)
"Go and plead with the Lord; ask Him to remove the
darkness from your minds, to give you the light of the Holy Spirit,
that it may
shine upon your understanding, that you may comprehend it, and you will
not wait
upon Him in vain." — George Q. Cannon, General Conference,
April 1891, "Collected Discourses," Volume 2
(11/6/98)
"There seems to grow upon us a film of worldliness when
we move away from the Lord. It might be like the film of grease spread
over the
body of the swimmer who would cross the English Channel. It fills the
pores and
covers the skin so there can be less penetration of the cold. It might
be like
the skin-diver's rubber suit. But when we pierce the shell and
penetrate the
covering and humble ourselves with naked soul and sincere supplication
and
cleansed life, our prayers are answered." — Spencer W. Kimball,
"Prayer," "BYU
Speeches of the Year," October 11, 1961
(11/7/98)
"The homes of America need also the blessings which come
from daily communion with God. Devotion in the home, which has been
such an
anchor to youth and parents alike, has all but vanished. A few
generations ago
it was a common practice. Then families knelt together in prayer; the
scriptures
were read aloud; and households joined in the singing of church hymns.
This
practice, if revived, would contribute much to the strength of the home
and the
nation. The differences and irritations of the day melt away as
families
approach the throne of heaven together. Unity increases. The ties of
love and
affection are re-enforced and the peace of heaven enters." — Ezra
Taft Benson, "Conference Report," April 1949, p.197
(11/8/98)
"Prayer does not consist of words, altogether. True,
faithful, earnest prayer consists more in the feeling that rises from
the heart
and from the inward desire of our spirits to supplicate the Lord in
humility and
in faith, that we may receive His blessings. It matters not how simple
the words
may be, if our desires are genuine and we come before the Lord with a
broken
heart and a contrite spirit to ask Him for that which we need." —
Joseph F. Smith, "Conference Report," October 1899, p.69-71
(11/9/98)
"The promise is made to everyone. There is no
discrimination, no favored few. But the Lord has not promised to crash
the door.
He stands and knocks. If we do, not listen, He will not sup with us nor
give
answer to our prayers. Do you know how to listen, grasp, interpret,
understand?
The Lord stands knocking. He never retreats. But He will never force
himself
upon us. If we ever move apart, it is we who move, and not the Lord.
And should
we ever fail to get an answer to our prayers, we must look into our
lives for a
reason. We have failed to do what we should or we have done something
we should
not have done. We have dulled our hearing or impaired our eyesight."
— Spencer W. Kimball, "BYU Speeches of the Year," October 11,
1961, p.6
(10/18/02)
"We have a great generation of youth, but as I talk to many, I am
amazed
and surprised at the laxity of prayers among them, especially those who
are in
sin. Many have nearly ceased to pray. Their communication wires are
down. Also
numerous young people in their early married days cease to pray with
regularity;
their lines are sagging." — Spencer
W. Kimball, "Keep the Lines of Communication Strong,"
"Ensign," July 1972, p. 38
(10/19/02)
"Miracle of miracles and wonder of wonders, they are interested in us,
and
we are the substance of their great concern. They are available to each
of us.
We approach the Father through the Son. He is our intercessor at the
throne of
God. How marvelous it is that we may so speak to the Father in the name
of the
Son." — Gordon B. Hinckley, "The
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," "Ensign," Mar. 1998, p. 7
(10/20/02)
"I am particularly gratified, and it is of great significance to me,
that I
may at any moment and in any circumstance approach through prayer the
throne of
grace, that my Heavenly Father will hear my petition, that my Advocate,
him who
did no sin, whose blood was shed, will plead my cause. (See D&C
45:3-5.) I
rely heavily on that access to God, which he gives to all his children,
for he
is indeed no respecter of persons, and he that asks shall receive."
— D. Todd Christofferson, "I Know in Whom I
Have Trusted," "Ensign," May 1993, p. 83
(10/21/02)
"But is prayer only one-way communication? No! One of the reasons
'prayer
is the soul's sincere desire' (Hymns, no. 220) is because prayer is
such a
privilege-not only to speak to our Father in Heaven, but also to
receive love
and inspiration from him. At the end of our prayers, we need to do some
intense
listening-even for several minutes. We have prayed for counsel and
help. Now we
must 'be still, and know that [he is] God' (Ps. 46:10.)" —
Spencer W. Kimball, "Pray Always,"
"Ensign," Oct. 1981, p. 5
(10/22/02)
"Thankfully, we can call upon Him anytime, anywhere. We can speak to
Him in
the quiet thoughts of our mind and from the deepest feelings of our
heart. It
has been said, 'prayer is made up of heart throbs and the righteous
yearnings of
the soul.' (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, Salt Lake City: Deseret
Book
Co., 1977, p. 238.)" — Rex D.
Pinegar, "Peace through Prayer," "Ensign," May 1993, p. 66
(1/14/04)
"When we use these sacred words, 'in the name of Jesus Christ,' they
are
much more than a way to get out of a prayer or out of a testimony or
out of a
talk. We are on holy ground, brothers and sisters. We are using a name
most
sublime, most holy, and most wonderful-the very name of the Son of God.
We are
now able to come unto the Father through His Beloved Son. What power
and
reassurance and peace come when we really pray in His name. This
conclusion to
the prayer may, in many ways, be the most important part of the prayer.
We can
appeal to the Father through His victorious Son with confidence that
our prayers
will be heard. We can ask and receive, we can seek and find and
subsequently
find the open door." - L. Edward Brown, "Pray
unto the Father in My Name," General Conference, April 1997
(2/13/04)
"To receive personal revelation requires a constant, concentrated
effort in
which we continue to petition Heavenly Father about our concerns. We
cannot
become casual in our communications with Him. To do so is to ignore the
counsel
to 'trifle not with sacred things' (D&C 6:12). We must
follow
the counsel to 'pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto
his holy
name by night' (2 Ne.
9:52).
It is not the duration of our prayers but the depth of our desire that
results
in revelation." - L. Lionel Kendrick, "Personal
Revelation," Ensign, Sept. 1999, p. 8
(3/15/04)
"All of us have much to learn and need good counsel. And beyond sound
human
help, beyond the 'arm of flesh,' it is written, 'Counsel with the Lord
in all
thy doings, and he will direct thee for good' (Alma 37:37). 'He
will console
you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause' (Jacob 3:1)." - Marion
D.
Hanks, "I
Will Look unto the Lord," Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 13
(3/21/04)
"Prayer as a means of changing the hearts of national leaders? Of
course!
We cannot underestimate the power that is opened to us when all of
us-in family
prayers, in private prayers, in our meetings-combine our faith to plead
with the
Lord to help bring about righteous purposes here on earth. In fact, the
Book of
Mormon contains eloquent testimony of the power of prayer to open wide
the doors
that seem irrevocably locked." - Dean L. Larsen, "Prayer:
The Missionary Tool in Everyone's Hands," Ensign, Oct. 1977, p. 38
(4/5/04)
"Your prayer can take many forms. It can be sung in a hymn, or
whispered,
or even thought. It can be as short as one word-'help!'-or it could be
as long
as Enos's prayer that lasted all night and all day. The important thing
to
remember is to pray often, talk to Heavenly Father, seek his counsel so
that he
can guide you. When you draw near to Heavenly Father in prayer, he will
draw
near to you. You need never feel alone again." - Dwan J. Young, "Draw
Near to Him in Prayer," Ensign, November 1985, p. 92
(4/24/04)
"The most important step in spiritual preparation is prayer. Prayer is
a
means of seeking help and understanding. It is recognition that 'man
doth not
comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.' (Mosiah 4:9.)" -
Loren C.
Dunn, "Teaching
by the Power of the Spirit," Ensign, September 1984, p. 12
(5/24/04)
"Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the
Lord.
Never hesitate to get on your knees in some private place and speak
with Him.
What a marvelous and wonderful thing is prayer. Think of it. We can
actually
speak with our Father in Heaven. He will hear and respond, but we need
to listen
to that response. Nothing is too serious and nothing too unimportant to
share
with Him. He has said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden,
and I will give you rest' (Matthew
11:28). He continues, 'For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light'
(v. 30)." -
Gordon B.
Hinckley, "Stay
on the High Road," General Young Women Meeting, March 2004
(6/14/04)
"Would you like the power to ward off and resist temptation? If so, do
as
Alma and Paul suggested: 'Pray continually,... and thus be led by the
Holy
Spirit.' (Alma 13:28.)"
- Carlos E. Asay, "The
Companionship of the Holy Ghost," Ensign, April 1988, p. 17
(7/24/04)
"Faith can be fortified through prayer. Prayer is the powerful key to
making decisions, not only concerning your physical body, but
concerning all
other important aspects of your life. Humbly seek the Lord in prayer
with a
sincere heart and real intent, and He will help you. (See Alma 33:23; Moro. 7:9; Moro. 10:4; D&C 9:7-9.)" -
Russell
M. Nelson, "Choices,"
Ensign, November 1990, p. 75
(8/17/04)
"The family should kneel together daily in family prayer. Alma 58:10 tells
us:
'Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would
strengthen
us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give
us
strength that we might retain our cities, and our lands, and our
possessions,
for the support of our people.' Our family has always needed to be
strengthened-and still does-and kneeling in prayer daily certainly
helps.
Children need to be constantly taught how they should act when they
mature and
have their own families." - LeGrand R. Curtis, "Happiness
Is Homemade," Ensign, November 1990, p. 13
(12/3/04)
"Joseph Smith has given us not only the message
of the divine Restoration but also the practical how-to steps to obtain
personal
and divine communication. The young Joseph tells us of the confusion in
his
life. Said he, 'I was laboring under... extreme difficulties' (JS-H
1:11). He was driven to
the
scriptures to seek guidance, which he found in the epistle of James:
'If any of
you lack wisdom, let him ask of God' (James
1:5).
The young Joseph said, 'At
length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness
and
confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God' (JS-H
1:13). Joseph no doubt
also read
the following words given by James: 'But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering.
For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and
tossed'
(James
1:6). Joseph knelt to
offer up
the desire of his heart. Then came a wrestling and darkness. This was
followed
by the light of the divine message. The answer and the instruction were
complete
and full. Is not this the instruction, the how-to we need to obtain
divine
answers to the confusion and to the vexatious problems in our lives?" -
James E. Faust, "He
Restoreth My Soul,"
Ensign,
October 1997, p. 2
(12/4/04)
"Brothers and sisters, as we go forward in our lives, let us never
forget
to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is our Father. He is
accessible
to us. He is the author of eternal truth, the Master of the universe.
The handle
is ready, and the door can be opened to His abundance. 'If any of you
lack
wisdom, let him ask of God.' (James
1:5-6.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Pillars
of Truth," Ensign, January 1994, p. 2
(12/6/04)
"Sometimes we may feel that our spiritual edge has grown dull. On some
very
trying days, we may even feel that God has forgotten us, has left us
alone in
our confusion and concern. But that feeling is no more justified for
the older
ones among us than it is for the younger and less experienced. God
knows and
loves us all. We are, every one of us, his daughters and his sons, and
whatever
life's lessons may have brought us, the promise is still true: 'If any
of you
lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.' (James
1:5.)" - Howard W. Hunter, "Blessed
from on High," Ensign, November 1988, p. 60
(12/7/04)
"Some of the most remarkable personal revelations have
been directly related to individual study of the scriptures. For
example, the
vision of the degrees of glory recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76
came to the
Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon after the Prophet had been
studying the
translation of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John. (D&C
76:headnote, D&C
76:15-24.) Joseph Smith's First Vision came after he had reflected
on James
1:5 'again and again.' (JS-H
1:11-17.) And President Joseph F. Smith's vision of the redemption
of the
dead came as he pondered over questions related to 1 Peter 3:18-20 and
4:6 [1
Pet. 3:18-20; 1
Pet. 4:6].
(D&C 138:1-11.)"
-
Joe J. Christensen, "Toward
Greater Spirituality: Ten Important Steps," Ensign, June 1983, p. 8
(2/5/05)
"If you ask the Lord for help, he will give you
strength, power, and
ability to overcome Lucifer and withstand his efforts, and thus you
will be
strengthened and made more perfect. We must seek the Lord's help in
prayer.
"The Lord has made no promise to those who try to go it alone. As soon
as
you think you can lick the devil alone, on your own, without the Lord's
help,
you have lost the battle before you start." - Eldred G. Smith, "Decisions,"
Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 46
(3/6/05)
"I'm reminded of something I read just the other day. Let me share it
with
you. It seems that a small boy was trying to lift a heavy stone, but
couldn't
budge it. His father, watching very interestedly, said, 'Are you sure
you're
using all of your strength?'
"'Yes, I am!' the boy cried.
"'No, you're not,' said the father. 'You haven't asked me to help you.'
"Well, let me just tell you that however tight the game seems at the
moment, I know the coach and I know that He can help. There is a
personal and
loving God who knows all of the plays. He understands the game of life.
He
understands you and me. And he understands what you and I need now to
help in
our lives. Talking to him is an easy thing, really. All you have to do
is call
time-out. Say to yourself, 'I've had it. I need help.' And be prepared
to
listen. Say to him, 'I can't take any more of this running without
seeing
clearly where the bases are or the direction I'm headed.'" - Paul H.
Dunn,
"Time-Out!"
Ensign, May 1980, p. 38
(6/2/05)
"In a world of instant communication,
we are prone to become impatient and want instant answers to our
prayers. God always answers prayers, but He does it in His own way and
in His own time. Perhaps it is wise to remember this counsel: 'Be still
and know that I am God' (D&C 101:16)." -
L. Lionel Kendrick, "Personal
Revelation," Ensign, Sept. 1999, 9
(6/24/05)
"I bear witness to you that God listens to humble prayer. If he didn't,
he wouldn't ask us to pray. Part of our worthwhile, urgency prayers
today can be a reverent, quiet, listening period. Can we not
appropriately say that he that goes to the well of prayer with faith
unwavering is daily drawing oil for his lamp? It is also possible to
help accumulate our supply in meaningful meditation." - Marvin J.
Ashton, "A
Time of Urgency," Ensign, May 1974, 37
(7/2/05)
"It is pleasing to that God whose we are when we fast and pray and seek
his blessings; when we plead with all the energy of our souls for those
things we so much desire; when, as Paul says, we 'come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.' (Heb.
4:16.)
"Prayer is the way and means, given us by our Creator, whereby we can
counsel and communicate with him. It is one of the chief cornerstones
of pure and perfect worship.
"In prayer we speak to the Lord, and he speaks to us. It is our
privilege to have our voices heard in the courts above and to hear the
answering voice of the Lord conveyed by the power of his Spirit.
"Prayer changes our lives. Through it we draw near to the Lord, and he
reaches out his finger and touches us, so we never again are the same."
- Bruce R. McConkie, "Patterns
of Prayer," Ensign, May 1984, 32
(7/16/05)
"I give you my testimony that if you sincerely apply family prayer, you
will not go away unrewarded. The changes may not be readily apparent.
They may be extremely subtle. But they will be real, for God 'is a
rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' (Heb. 11:6.)" - Gordon
B. Hinckley, "The
Blessings of Family Prayer," Ensign, Feb. 1991, 5
(8/21/05)
"Parental prayer is an unfathomable source of power. Parents can never
give up hoping or caring or believing. Surely they can never give up
praying. At times prayer may be the only course of action
remaining—but it is the most powerful of them all." - Jeffrey R.
Holland, "Alma,
Son of Alma," Ensign, Mar. 1977, 81
(9/18/05)
"We need to continually take the time to communicate with our Heavenly
Father and those about us. As we share, we can make the difference in
the life and light of others. We lift as we love and as we convey our
love through communication. In the scriptures we read, 'But to do good
and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased.' (Hebrews
13:16.)
"In all of our relationships, communication should be open, comforting,
and sincere. God has invited us to communicate with Him through prayer
continually, no matter where we are or what the circumstances. He wants
to hear from us. He loves us. He knows us. He wants to be part of our
lives and to help us solve our problems. How important it is to improve
our communication with Him and with others every day!" - Marvin J.
Ashton, "Be of Good Cheer" [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1987], p.
101
(9/21/05)
"We are commanded to pray (Alma 34:17-27)
both vocally and in secret. Secret prayer is a personal, private
communication that God has provided between us. Elder Francis M.
Gibbons wrote: 'Satan and his followers, who have been cast out of
God's presence and are dead to His spirit, are excluded from those who,
by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, may know the thoughts and the
intents of our hearts. So, in his wisdom and mercy, God has provided a
channel of communication between him and his children on earth that
Satan, our common enemy, cannot invade. This is the channel of secret
prayer. The significance of this to the Latter-day Saint is profound,
for by this means we are able to communicate with our Heavenly Father
in secrecy, confident that the adversary cannot intrude.' (Francis M.
Gibbons, "The
Dual Aspects of Prayer," Ensign, November 1991, p. 78)
"As parents, if we teach the importance of prayer in our homes, we must
pray ourselves. We must have our family prayers morning and night, a
blessing on the food at each meal, as well as our personal, private
prayers." - Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Finding Peace in Our Lives" [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], p. 163
(10/28/05)
"The Lord will be involved in the specifics of your life if you invite
him to be. In my own life, I've seen time and again how true this is. I
may be struggling with a problem and trying all sorts of solutions.
Then, after the frustration that usually comes from relying on my own
strength, I finally humble myself and ask for help in a specific way. I
testify that consistently the Lord gives me ideas or thoughts or
feelings that help me to come to the resolution of the problem. I am
surely thankful for a loving, gracious Father in Heaven, who will
answer prayers and do so immediately." - Gene R. Cook, "Receiving
Answers to Our Prayers," p.54
11/30/05
"The time will come when we shall know the will of God before
we ask. Then everything for which we pray will be 'expedient.'
Everything for which we ask will be 'right.' That will be when as a
result of righteous living, we shall so enjoy the companionship of the
spirit that he will dictate what we ask. On this point the Lord has
said, 'He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of
God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh' (D. & C. 46:30),
and again, 'And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall
ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But
know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask.' (D. & C. 50:29-30.)
Nephi, the son of Helaman, so lived. He with unwearyingness declared
the word of God. He sought not his own life but the will of God, and to
keep his commandments continually, and to him the Lord said, '...all
things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt
not ask that which is contrary to my will.' (Helaman 10:5.)" -
Marion G. Romney, "Conference Report," October 1944, Second
Day—Morning Meeting, p.56
12/8/05
"A youngster was assigned by his father to see to the moving of a large
rock. He tugged and pushed, and he lifted and struggled without avail.
Some friends were enlisted, but together they could not move it.
Reluctantly he reported to his father that he could not budge the rock.
"'Have you done all you could?' asked the father.
"'Yes,' said the little boy.
"'Have you tried everything?' persisted the father.
"'Yes,' said the boy. 'I've tried everything.'
"'No, son, you haven't,' said his dad. 'You haven't asked me.'
"Why do so many of us, heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, fail to
go to him, to keep in touch with our Father? He is anxious to help. But
he wants us to learn our need for him, to open the door to him." -
Marion D. Hanks, "Joy
through Christ," Ensign (CR), July 1972, p.104
12/13/05
"I wonder if we ever stop to think why the Lord has asked us to pray.
Did he ask us to pray because he wants us to bow down and worship him?
Is that the main reason? I don't think it is. He is our Heavenly
Father, and we have been commanded to worship him and pray to him in
the name of his Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. But the Lord can get along
without our prayers. His work will go on just the same, whether we pray
or whether we do not. He knows the end from the beginning. There are
many worlds that have passed through the same experience that we are
going through. He has had sons and daughters on other earths, where
they have had the same privileges and the same opportunities to serve
him and the same commandments that we have had given to us. Prayer is
something that we need, not that the Lord needs. He knows just how to
conduct his affairs and how to take care of them without any help from
us. Our prayers are not for the purpose of telling him how to run his
business. If we have any such idea as that, then of course we have the
wrong idea. Our prayers are uttered more for our sakes, to build us up
and give us strength and courage, and to increase our faith in him." -
Joseph Fielding Smith, "Conference Report," April 1968, First
Day—Morning Meeting, p.10
12/14/05
"At times you young women may feel you are having an experience like
Nephi. The Lord has not asked you to build a ship, but to build your
life. You don't yet know what your completed mortal life looks like.
But your Father in Heaven knows and can guide you one step at a time.
He is asking you to build your life according to His guidelines because
He is the One who created you and wants you ready to return back home
with Him someday. Like Nephi, you too may have detractors and
dissenters seeking to change your course, or at least slow down your
progress.
"But you have access to the same system of communication that Nephi
used. Long before e-mail and faxes, cell phones and satellite dishes,
computers and the Internet, this communication with your Heavenly
Father was in place. It predates every type of networking invention
today. Its power extends through the cosmos." - Sharon G. Larsen, "Your
Celestial Guide," Ensign (CR), May 2001, p.86
1/16/06
Topic: Don't Go It Alone
"Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the
Lord. Never hesitate to get on your knees in some private place and
speak with Him. What a marvelous and wonderful thing is prayer. Think
of it. We can actually speak with our Father in Heaven. He will hear
and respond, but we need to listen to that response. Nothing is too
serious and nothing too unimportant to share with Him. He has said,
'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest' (Matt. 11:28).
He continues, 'For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light' (Matt. 11:30)." -
Gordon B. Hinckley, "Stay
on the High Road," Ensign (CR), May 2004, p.112
1/19/06
"Many prayers are spoken while we are on our knees. The Savior knelt as
He prayed to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. (See
Luke 22:41.) But
silent prayers of the heart also reach to heaven. We sing, 'Prayer is
the souls sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed.' (Hymns, no. 145.)
Sincere prayers come from the heart. Indeed, sincerity requires that we
draw from the earnest feelings of our hearts when we pray rather than
using vain repetitions or pretentious affectations such as those
condemned by the Savior in the parable of the Pharisee and the
publican. (See
Luke 18:10-14.)
Our prayers then truly become the 'song of the heart' and a 'prayer,' (D&C 25:12.) not
only reaching God but touching the hearts of others as well." - James
E. Faust, "The
Lifeline of Prayer," Ensign (CR), May 2002, p.59
2/1/06
"Perhaps the most important lesson young Joseph learned in the Sacred
Grove is this significant eternal truth: the heavens are not sealed.
God does communicate with mortals. He loves us today just as much as He
loved those who lived anciently. What comfort that sweet assurance
provides in a world filled with confusion and discouragement! What
peace and security come to the heart that understands that God in
heaven knows us and cares about us, individually and collectively, and
that He communicates with us, either directly or through His living
prophets, according to our needs." - M. Russell Ballard, "Restored
Truth," Ensign (CR), November 1994, p.65
2/17/06
"Obviously, secret prayer is necessary in many cases where it is
awkward or infeasible to pray vocally. So, if we are in a social or a
business setting and need comfort or direction, a resort to secret
prayer is often our only alternative.
"But a more significant reason for praying secretly is found in the
Doctrine and Covenants, section 6, where it is written, 'Yea, I tell
thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that
knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.' (D&C 6:16.)
"Other scriptures broaden this concept to include not only God, but
those whom God inspires. So Zeezrom, the crafty lawyer who was taught
by Alma and Amulek, became convinced 'that they knew the thoughts and
intents of his heart; for power was given unto them that they might
know of these things according to the spirit of prophecy.' (Alma 12:7.)
"It is clear, then, that Satan and his followers, who have been cast
out of God's presence and are dead to His Spirit, are excluded from
those who, by the spirit of prophecy and revelation, may know the
thoughts and the intents of our hearts. So, in his wisdom and mercy,
God has provided a channel of communication between him and his
children on earth that Satan, our common enemy, cannot invade. This is
the channel of secret prayer. The significance of this to the
Latter-day Saint is profound, for by this means we are able to
communicate with our Heavenly Father in secrecy, confident that the
adversary cannot intrude." - Francis M. Gibbons, "The
Dual Aspects of Prayer," Ensign (CR), November 1991, p.78
3/22/06
"... to Thomas B. Marsh [the Lord said]: 'Pray always, lest you enter
into temptation and lose your reward.' (D&C 31:12.)...
"The purpose of prayer... is not to appease a vindictive Deity; nor is
it to court favors from an indulgent Father. It is to attune oneself
with the spirit or light which 'proceedeth forth from the presence of
God to fill the immensity of space.' (D&C 88:12.) In
that light is to be found sure answers to all our needs." - Marion G.
Romney, "Prayer
and Revelation," Ensign (CR), May 1978, p.48
3/31/06
"We remember His counsel: 'When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the
hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in
the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.
"'But thou, when thou prayest,... pray to thy Father which is in
secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matt. 6:5-6.)
"This guiding instruction has helped troubled souls discover the peace
for which they fervently yearn and earnestly hope.
"Unfortunately, prosperity, abundance, honor, and praise lead some men
to the false security of haughty self-assurance and the abandonment of
the inclination to pray. Conversely, trial, tribulation, sickness, and
death crumble the castles of men's pride and bring them to their knees
to petition for power from on high." - Thomas S. Monson, "The
Prayer of Faith," Ensign (CR), May 1978, p.20
4/3/06
"A constant expression of gratitude should be included in all our
prayers. Often prayers are given for specific blessings which we, in
our incomplete understanding, believe we need. While the Lord does
answer prayers according to His will, He certainly must be pleased when
we offer humble prayers of gratitude." - Steven E. Snow, "Gratitude,"
Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.43
4/11/06
"When you pray—when you talk to your Heavenly Father—do you
really talk out your problems with Him? Do you let Him know your
feelings, your doubts, your insecurities, your joys, your deepest
desires—or is prayer merely an habitual expression with the same
words and phrases? Do you ponder what you really mean to say? Do you
take time to listen to the promptings of the Spirit? Answers to prayer
come most often by a still voice and are discerned by our deepest,
innermost feelings. I tell you that you can know the will of God
concerning yourselves if you will take the time to pray and to listen."
- Ezra Taft Benson, "A
Message to the Rising Generation," Ensign (CR), November 1977, p.30
4/26/06
"Now, when to pray: Generally, I think we might say that we should pray
in secret, with our families, and in worship meetings and public
assemblies.
"Secret prayer should have a place in every persons life. Again the
Savior gave us the pattern when he said: '...when thou prayest,
enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly.' (Matt.
6:6.)
"The Prophet Joseph Smith, speaking on this subject, stated: 'We would
say to the brethren, seek to know God in your closets, call upon him in
the fields. Follow the directions of the Book of Mormon, and pray over,
and for your families, your cattle, your flocks, your herds, your corn,
and all things that you possess; ask the blessing of God upon all your
labors, and everything that you engage in.' (DHC, vol. 5, p. 31.)" -
Franklin D. Richards, "The
Importance of Prayer," Ensign (CR), July 1972, p.66
4/30/06
"Prayer is one of the greatest blessings we have while here on earth.
Through prayer we can communicate with our Heavenly Father and seek His
guidance daily. Jesus taught, 'Ye must always pray unto the Father in
my name' (3 Ne. 18:19).
We should pray each day that we will have the power to resist
temptation. Amulek teaches us that we should pray 'morning, mid-day,
and evening' and that our hearts should 'be full, drawn out in prayer
unto [God] continually' (Alma 34:21, 27).
Our daily prayers influence our thoughts, our words, and our actions.
In order to retain a remission of our sins, it is essential that we ask
our Heavenly Father each day for strength to stay in the straight and
narrow way." - Keith Crockett, "Retaining
a Remission of Sin," Ensign (CR), November 2000, p.77
5/6/06
"The pattern for seeking answers from God is simple to explain yet much
more personal when applied. To begin, we are invited to study in our
minds and ponder in our hearts those things that we most desire of Him.
(See
D&C 9:7-8;
Moro. 10:3.) This
process of reflection brings clarity and inspiration to our souls. We
are then instructed to present our thoughts and desires directly to
Heavenly Father in humble prayer with the promise that, if we ask Him
in the name of Christ, if what we are seeking is right, and if we 'ask
with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will
manifest the truth of it unto [us], by the power of the Holy Ghost,'
for it is 'by the power of the Holy Ghost' that we 'know the truth of
all things.' (Moro.
10:4-5.)" - Craig C. Christensen, "Seek,
and Ye Shall Find," Ensign (CR), May 2003, p.33
5/30/06
"To be effective, prayers must not consist of words alone. Earnest
prayers must have an appropriate blend of earnest feeling and spirit.
It is the spirit that not only teaches a man to pray, but also makes
his heartfelt desires acceptable and conveyable. If a contrite spirit
and a broken heart are united with faith unwavering, our prayers, no
matter how simple the words, will be significant." - Marvin J. Ashton,
"Personal Prayers," Prayer , p.77
8/14/06
"If you're praying for something that really matters, you can count on
the fact that the devil will get involved. He's eager to do what he can
to thwart you. He will do his best to dissuade you from going forward.
He'll give you such thoughts as "You can't do it. You're not worthy
enough. Your family's got too many problems. You can't do what the Lord
requires." He'll engineer whatever he can to try to make you doubt. So
you may as well know up front that he is going to tempt you.
"When you attract the devil's attention and he starts to give you more
opposition than you normally have, that's a great sign that you're on a
course that pleases God and displeases Satan.
"I've found that when you begin to pray for something that really
matters, many times things get worse, not better. Often the cause is
Satan and his helpers, who are doing their best to make sure you don't
succeed. That ought to be a signal to a man or woman of faith: "I'm on
the right track. I'm doing something that's making a difference and I
will now double my faith." If you can increase your faith in that
moment, you will have won most of the battle." - Gene R. Cook,
"Receiving Answers to Our Prayers," p.136-137
8/19/06
"Jesus counseled, 'Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea,
that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the
servants of Satan that do uphold his work.' (D&C 10:5.)
"In our individual prayers we should sincerely ask our Father in heaven
to help us meet and conquer the temptations of this life, and ask him
to deliver us from evil. We have been commanded to ask.
"Proper sincere prayer to a living Father in heaven, through a living
Savior and Mediator, is essential for protection from the power and
evil influence of the devil. It is very important for the Saints to
know that during today's perilous times when peace has been taken from
the earth, and Satan has power over his own dominion and over all that
will not hearken unto the voice of God, that the Lord gave these
comforting words, 'The Lord shall have power over his saints, and
shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon
the world.' (D&C 1:36.)"
- Bernard P. Brockbank, "Hearken
Unto the Voice of God," Ensign (CR), May 1974, p.113
9/1/06
"When one of our daughters was about three years old, she did something
that always delighted her parents. When we called her name, she would
usually answer by saying, 'Here me is.' This childish reply was among
the sweetest things her parents heard. But when she was grown, we
expected her to use appropriate language when she spoke, and of course
she did. As the Apostle Paul said, 'When I was a child, I spake as a
child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became
a man, I put away childish things.' (1 Cor. 13:11.)
"The same is true of prayer. Our earliest efforts will be heard with
joy by our Heavenly Father, however they are phrased. They will be
heard in the same way by loving members of our church. But as we gain
experience as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, we need to become more mature in all of our efforts, including
our prayers.
"Men and women who wish to show respect will take the time to learn the
special language of prayer. Persons spend many hours mastering
communication skills in other mediums, such as poetry or prose, vocal
or instrumental music, and even the language of access to computers. My
brothers and sisters, the manner of addressing our Heavenly Father in
prayer is at least as important as these." - Dallin H. Oaks, "The
Language of Prayer," Ensign (CR), May 1993, p.15
9/20/06
"Just as the Savior stood ready to help this father whose son was 'sore
vexed,' (Matt. 17:15.) so is
He ready to help our unbelief today so that with faith we can survive
our mortal struggles and 'come off conqueror.' (D&C 10:5.)" - L.
Whitney Clayton, "Help
Thou Mine Unbelief," Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.28
9/28/06
"When we pray, we should not presume to give counsel but should inquire
of the Lord [The Lord said, 'If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive
revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge' (D&C 42:61.) The
Lord explained that 'you must study it out in your mind; then you must
ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom
shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But
if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have
a stupor of thought' (D&C
9:8–9).] and hearken to His counsel. Joseph Smith's first
prayer ushered in the Restoration of the gospel. In 1833, he received
the Word of Wisdom after asking the Lord for counsel. The revelation on
the priesthood received in 1978 by President Spencer W. Kimball came
after intense inquiry. Inspiration regarding the construction of
smaller temples came after the pondering of President Gordon B.
Hinckley." - Russell M. Nelson, "Where
Is Wisdom?" Ensign, Nov. 1992, 6
11/15/06
"My wife and I have seven children, six sons and a daughter. Each one
of our children has been taught to pray as soon as he or she was old
enough to kneel. Some of the sweetest prayers ever offered in our home
have been those of our children. Many times we as adults forget how
teachable children are, and how much they can learn if we give them
guidance and encouragement. Sometimes parents are overly permissive or
too lax in their teaching, thinking their children do not comprehend.
They comprehend more than we would suppose. They can be taught to pray
at a very early age." - Vaughn J. Featherstone, "Teaching Our Children
to Pray," "Prayer," p. 89
12/21/06
"Think about the Savior. It takes a lot of confidence to tell a blind
man to see, or to tell a crippled man to pick up his bed, or to set off
walking across the surface of a stormy sea. Where did Jesus' confidence
come from? I think it came from his relationship with his Heavenly
Father. If we have faith in the Savior and follow his example, I think
that we also can have the same kind of confidence. Jesus taught us how
to pray, how to approach our Father in Heaven in great confidence and
great love. I have read that the Aramaic word Jesus used doesn't mean
just 'Father' but something much more intimate, like 'Daddy' or 'Papa,'
the word a very small child would use in calling to his or her father.
The apostle Paul told the Hebrews: 'Let us... come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.' (Hebrews
4:16.) Paul was reminding the Hebrews that they could have
confidence in Christ because He was their Savior. He reminded the
people that they were only mortals but they still were good enough to
give bread and fish to their children, not stones or serpents. 'How
much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that
ask him?' (Luke 11:13.)"
- Chieko N. Okazaki, Aloha!, p.60
1/15/07
"We cannot find Enos-like faith
without our own wrestle before God in prayer. I testify that the reward
is worth the effort. Remember the pattern: (1) hear the word of God,
spoken and written by His servants; (2) let that word sink deep into
your heart; (3) hunger in your soul for righteousness; (4) obediently
follow gospel laws, ordinances, and covenants; and (5) raise your voice
in mighty prayer and supplication, asking in faith to know that Jesus
Christ is our Savior. I promise that if you do these things sincerely
and unceasingly, the words Christ spoke to His disciples will be
fulfilled in your life: 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' (Matt. 7:7.)" - Robert
D. Hales, "Finding
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Ensign (CR), November 2004, p.70
4/6/07
"Prayer is a supernal gift of our
Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme
Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage,
encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him
as our Father. Actually, because He knows how desperately we need His
guidance, He commands, 'Thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy
heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as
in private.' (D&C 19:28.)
"It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or
rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can
address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or
can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of
love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created
numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can
talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer." - Richard G. Scott,
"Using
the Supernal Gift of Prayer," General Conference, April 2007
5/1/07
"As you exercise your agency, remember, you are not alone. In addition
to a kind and wise Heavenly Father, there are others who are praying
for you to make wise choices. As a youth, when I would go out on a date
or with my friends, I would always check in with my parents when I came
home. Usually I would just knock on their door, open it and say, 'I'm
home,' and then go to bed. One night I came home from a date, knocked
as usual, and then opened the door. As I did so, the light from the
hall fell on my angel mother on her knees in prayer. And as I saw her
there, I knew whom she was praying for. I have never forgotten that
experience. And the knowledge that my mother still prays for me today
bears me up and reminds me who I am and that I am not alone." - Charles
W. Dahlquist II, "Who's
On The Lord's Side?" General Conference, April 2007
5/22/07
"There is great power in praying for others, perhaps even more than in
just praying for yourself. The Lord said to Thomas B. Marsh, who was
then president of the Quorum of the Twelve:
"'I know thy heart, and have heard thy prayers concerning thy brethren.
Be not partial towards them in love above many others, but let thy love
be for them as for thyself; and let thy love abound unto all men, and
unto all who love my name.
"'And pray for thy brethren of the Twelve.' (D&C 112:11-12.)
"When we pray for others with a fervent heart, we are obeying the
second great commandment, to love our neighbors as ourselves. The Lord
hears our pleas in their behalf and blesses them according to that
which they are willing receive.
"I've found it helpful to pray when I'm trying to help another, 'Lord,
deliver me his heart. How may I help this man now? How might I lighten
his burden?' It's as important to pray specifically for others as it is
for ourselves." - Gene R. Cook, "Receiving Answers to Our Prayers," p.69
9/16/07
"Our hearts can only be drawn out to God when they are filled with love
for Him and trust in His goodness. Joseph Smith, even as a boy, gave us
an example of how we can come to pray from a heart filled with the love
of God and then pray unceasingly through a life filled with trials and
blessings.
"Joseph started for the grove to pray with faith that a loving God
would answer his prayer and relieve his confusion. He gained that
assurance reading the word of God and receiving a witness that it was
true. He said that he read in James, 'Let him ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.' (James 1:5; JS-H 1:11) His faith to ask of God
in prayer came after pondering a scripture which assured him of Gods
loving nature. He prayed, as we must, with faith in a loving God." -
Henry B. Eyring, "Prayer," Ensign (CR), November
2001, p.15
10/5/07
"'Please, Lord, help me to help myself.' I am convinced that this
prayer for increased personal powers—spiritual strength, greater
inspiration, and greater confidence—is one that God always
answers. We can learn to solve our problems with God's help, making him
our partner." - Franklin D. Richards, "The Importance of Prayer," Ensign
(CR), July 1972, p.66
1/12/08
"Joseph
Smith’s mission was unique, yet his humble prayer can be a
helpful model for us. He began, as we must, with faith in a loving God
who can and wants to communicate with us and help us. That faith was
rooted in impressions which came to him as he pondered the words of
God’s servants in the scriptures. We can and must go often and
carefully to the word of God. If we become casual in our study of the
scriptures, we will become casual in our prayers." - Henry B. Eyring, "Prayer,"
Ensign (CR), November 2001, p.15
4/2/08
"We can call upon our Heavenly
Father in the name of our Savior. Prayer provides an opportunity for us
to express gratitude. Taking an inventory of our blessings fills us
with hope. 'Pray unto the
Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this
love.' (Moro. 7:48.)
"We
can ask for what we need hour by hour and minute by minute. It is
possible to have this personal conversation with our Heavenly Father
through Jesus Christ by kneeling in prayer, just as surely as if we
could kneel beside the manger and see the Savior there." - Betty Jo N. Jepsen, "By
Way of Invitation" (Alma 5:62),
Ensign (CR), November 1992, p.76
5/4/08
"I long have been impressed with
the truth that meaningful prayer requires both holy communication and
consecrated work. Blessings require some effort on our part before we
can obtain them, and prayer, as 'a
form of work, . . . is an appointed means for
obtaining the highest of all blessings'
(Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 753). We press forward and persevere in the
consecrated work of prayer, after we say 'amen,' by acting upon the things we have
expressed to Heavenly Father." - David A. Bednar, "Ask
in Faith," General Conference, April 2008
9/11/08
"Now there are men who feel that
they have perhaps drawn so far away from the Lord that they can't pray.
Sometimes we are careless in our praying, and yet we have been
designated as being a praying people, and we want always to stay a
praying people. I would like to encourage those men who are not as
prayerful as they might be, that we should not consider prayer as a
duty. We can consider prayer as a privilege. We can consider prayer as
a blessing. We can consider prayer as a comfort." - Thorpe B. Isaacson, "Conference
Report," April 1950, p.40
10/27/08
"The most meaningful and
spiritual prayers I have experienced contained many expressions of
thanks and few, if any, requests. As I am blessed now to pray with
apostles and prophets, I find among these modern-day leaders of the
Savior’s Church the same characteristic that describes Captain
Moroni in the Book of Mormon: these are men whose hearts swell with
thanksgiving to God for the many privileges and blessings which He
bestows upon His people (see Alma 48:12). Also, they do not multiply
many words, for it is given unto them what they should pray, and they
are filled with desire (see 3 Nephi 19:24). The prayers of prophets are
childlike in their simplicity and powerful because of their sincerity."
- David A. Bednar, "Pray Always," General Conference, October 2008
12/12/08
"As a young
boy going to Primary, I was taught to pray. I did not know how to pray,
but I accepted the fact that I should pray. Somehow in my young mind I
felt to memorize the Lord's Prayer. Once it was memorized, I used His
prayer as though it were mine. At night I would go out on our front
porch, then look heavenward and say the Lord's Prayer. If I didn't feel
that I was spiritual enough or that my prayer had gotten through, I
would simply say it again.
"One night I felt I was really praying and that
the Lord's Prayer had become mine. All I did was add four additional
words, something that multitudes of others have done. As I closed the
Lord's Prayer, I said, 'For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever' and then added the words, 'and forever and
ever, amen.' I suppose it was a feeling of reverence for God that I was
offering in my young mind by adding 'and forever and ever.'
"Thank goodness for prayers that
lift us upward even when we are unskilled and untrained but reverent."
- Vaughn J. Featherstone, "The Incomparable Christ: Our
Master and Model," p.54
9/7/09
“I truthfully believe that there are one million members of this
Church–at least those who are old enough and who realize the
value of prayer–who are praying each day for the President of the
Church, the prophet of the Lord, and for the General Authorities of the
Church. We are so profoundly grateful to you for your prayers and your
faith.” - Thorpe B. Isaacson,
“Conference Report,” October 1958, Afternoon Meeting, p. 66
12/19/09
“No
Father would send His children off to a distant, dangerous land for a
lifetime of testing where Lucifer was known to roam free without first
providing them with a personal power of protection. He would also
supply them with means to communicate with Him from Father to child and
from child to Father. Every child of our Father sent to earth is
provided with the Spirit of Christ, or the Light of Christ. We are,
none of us, left here alone without hope of guidance and
redemption.” – Boyd K. Packer, “Prayer and
Promptings,” Ensign, November 2009
1/14/10
“Those words in that song, where it tells us that ‘Prayer
will change the night to day,’ I want to tell you prayer will
change the sinners into righteous men and they will preserve men from
making mistakes, and there is nothing else in this world more
fundamental to a man’s success and happiness in this life and
achieving greatness than to have that friendship with God, that you
know him other than by hearsay.” - LeGrand
Richards, October 29, 1963, “BYU Speeches of the Year,”
1963, p. 8
1/17/10
"The first and most fundamental virtue in effective prayer is
faith. A belief in God brings peace to the soul. An assurance that God
is our Father, into whose presence we can go for comfort and guidance,
is a never-failing source of comfort.” – “Teachings Of Presidents Of The Church: David O.
McKay,” p. 71
2/12/10
“This morning I bear witness of the importance of
prayer. Access to our Creator through our Savior is surely one of the
great privileges and blessings of our lives. I have learned from
countless personal experiences that great is the power of prayer. No
earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator.
There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray.
There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each
day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each
prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment
to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any
place.” - James E. Faust, “The
Lifeline of Prayer,” Ensign (CR), May 2002, p. 59
2/22/10
“It was no accident, no chance happening—Joseph
Smith's going into the grove that spring morning, one hundred years
ago. It was an event predestined, heaven-inspired. I once thought that
any good boy who prayed in faith could see just what Joseph saw. But I
have put away that childish notion. I have learned that all boys are
not Joseph Smiths. God hears and answers the prayers of the humblest of
his children; but he answers them as seemeth him best, and not always
in the same way. He gives according to the capacity of the one who
receives.” - Orson F. Whitney,
“Conference Report,” April 1920, Afternoon Session, p. 123
4/13/10
"Being submissive, gentle, easy to be entreated, and patient are all
attributes. But the actions Alma commends to us are to ask for what we
need and to return thanks. Please don't think of that as a routine
command to say your prayers. Oh, it is much more than that. If you
pray, if you talk to God, if you plead for the help you need, and if
you thank him not only for help but for the patience and gentleness
that come from not receiving all you desire right away—or perhaps
ever—I promise you that you will draw closer to him. And then you
will
become diligent and long-suffering." - Henry
B. Eyring, "To Draw Closer to God: A Collection of Discourses," p. 97
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