Principle of prayer brings enlightenment
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PROVO, Utah — When facing life-altering decisions as the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi did, it is important to follow his example by turning to the Lord in prayer, Primary General President Cheryl C. Lant told young adults during a Church Educational System fireside Sunday, Sept. 9.
Speaking to thousands of young adults in the BYU Marriott Center and many more by satellite broadcast to meetinghouses around the world, Sister Lant said their lives and choices are much like Nephi's. The words of his father, Lehi, "separated him from his friends and from the world around him," she explained.
"Even though our world may look very different from his, the influences that were pulling on him were very much like the influences that pull on us...."' she said. "Nephi chose to put his mind and will into the hands of the Lord. He chose to go to the only true source of truth and righteousness in prayer; he chose to listen to the answers the Lord gave him, and he chose to obey. This simple act of prayer not only opened the door to a great life of opportunity and blessings for Nephi, but it also serves as an example to us in our lives today."
She talked about the principle of prayer, "simply the process by which we are able to communicate with our Heavenly Father."
She said it is a two-way communication that can bring enlightenment, leads to repentance and helps in finding direction and guidance in making decisions. It can bring spiritual and physical strength and provide protection from harm and evil.
Prayer involves the whole Godhead, Sister Lant pointed out, saying, "When we pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ who is our advocate, answers come from our Heavenly Father by the Holy Ghost."
Referring to Alma 34:17-26, Sister Lant told the young adults they "need to pray about everything." She specifically pointed out such things as schoolwork, finding a profession, finding an eternal companion, personal worthiness and testimony, repentance and guidance.
She added that prayers should not be just for wanted things, but for the things the Lord wants for His children.
Personal and family prayers, as well as prayers in certain gatherings, are important and should be accompanied by taking time to ponder after prayer, giving the Spirit "opportunity to speak to us," she said.
"We can always have a prayer in our hearts," Sister Lant noted, adding, "This kind of prayer can be more or less constant as we allow it to be. We control it by our activities, our environment, the condition of our hearts."
She listed several things that drive prayer from the heart, including loud and constant music, chaos, clutter, confusion, stress, being in places the Spirit cannot abide and allowing inappropriate and ugly images to enter the mind.
Prayers should be offered with intensity and faith, she said, not hurried through casually or disrespectfully. "How often do we forget (the Lord) altogether until we have an urgent need?" she asked.
She told of a time her 3-year-old son was missing. She prayed urgently and the thought came into her mind of a swimming pool nearby. She sent an older son ahead on his bicycle as she hurried to the pool. Her older son found his younger brother wading in the shallow end of the water.
Her prayer at that time was one of those that are intense and need answers "right now!" Sister Lant said. "Thankfully, not all prayers are like that. If we go before the Lord in prayer on a consistent basis, He will be there when we urgently need Him."
The kind of faith needed to believe Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers was demonstrated by a young boy named Brayden. Sister Lant said that Brayden, after reading with his family Moroni's promise in Moroni 10:4, was asked to give the family prayer. In his prayer, he asked if the Book of Mormon was true, Sister Lant said. Then he paused so long that his father was about to ask if he needed help finishing his prayer. But then Brayden said, "Thanks, Heavenly Father" and closed his prayer, having received a witness the scriptures are true.
The Lord will just as certainly answer their prayers, Sister Lant told the young adults. "You are a child of God just as is Brayden. You are of great worth to Him. He has commanded us repeatedly in the scriptures to 'pray always.' He has provided the Atonement to bring us back home. Why would He not answer your prayers? He will, I promise He will."
Sister Lant further assured that Heavenly Father "hears every prayer. He will answer our prayers for our best good. When we know this deep in our hearts, we won't get discouraged and turn away from Him. When the answers are not recognizable immediately, we will remain faithful and constant — continually praying to discover His ways."
When prayers are answered, it is important to live by the answers the Lord gives, she said. "I don't think it makes Him happy when we continually seek for another answer when we have already received one."
And to those who feel like they do not want to pray, she quoted Brigham Young: "It matters not whether you or I feel like praying, when the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray till we do!" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 44).
Life does not have to be hard, Sister Lant told the young adults; it is made easier, she reminded them by following the example of Nephi and humbly praying for the Lord's promised blessings.
E-mail: ghill@desnews.com
