Applying the scriptures: Prayers secure God's blessings
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The experiences of the brother of Jared are good examples of the principle of prayer. In his October 1985 general conference address, Presiding Bishop Robert D. Hales, now a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, expounded: "I'd like first to start in the book of Ether in the Book of Mormon where we are given a very clear lesson as we read about the brother of Jared going before the Lord. Many times when we pray, we merely restate our problems; and this was the case with the brother of Jared.
"As you may recall, he was directed to take his people across the waters. He had built his barges, but there was no light, there was no air, there was no visible means of propulsion or navigation. And so he went to the Lord and asked, 'Behold, O, Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?' (Ether 2:22.) And the Lord replied, 'What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?' (Ether 2:23.)
"The brother of Jared just a few short verses before this had been scolded by the Lord for a period of three hours for not praying to Him. And in this environment, the brother of Jared went away to devise a specific plan. And when he did, he brought 16 stones, beautiful crystals, laid them before the Lord on the top of Mount Shelem, and there asked the Lord to touch the stones with His finger."
The Bible Dictionary explains: "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God . . . , then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them."
