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If It's On the Prophets Mind It Matters

A prayer's sincerity, not necessarily its wording, is what should be sought when communicating with Heavenly Father, said John P. McLay during a presentation at BYU's Campus Education Week.

Sharing several quotes from apostles and scripture, Brother McLay emphasized the need to make one's prayers simple, direct and sincere, quoting Elder Dallin H. Oaks' April 1983 general conference address. Testimonies should be handled similarly. When listening to another pray or bear testimony, Brother McLay said, one should not analyze or scrutinize, but rather listen also simply, directly and sincerely. Even when one can't express what one desires to say, Heavenly Father understands the intent, and the desires of the heart. It is sincerity, not phraseology, that counts, he said. Brother McLay also referenced Doctrine and Covenants 62:3, which promises blessings for the testimony borne. He also shared his strategy for making his prayers more sincere.

"If my motives are pure … it helps me pray in a respectful way," he said.

Spiritual growth comes slowly and is almost imperceptible to measure. Happenings such Paul experienced on the road to Damascus are rare; however, events such as Education Week can provide tools to increase spiritual growth, he said. With spiritual growth comes a better perspective and more knowledge and understanding of truth, he said.

"The definition of truth is to see things as they really are," he said.

He gave the example of a man who couldn't watch a ball game on television but recorded it to watch later. He was very careful to not talk about sports with anyone all day for fear they would give away the outcome of the game, but at a wedding reception that night he overheard a group of men talking about it. Still, he watched the game, even though he knew how it ended. Each time his preferred team fell behind or suffered a scoring setback, he remembered he already knew his team was going to win and was able to watch the game without as much anxiety as to its victory.

So it is in the game of life, Brother McLay said. It is known that Satan will not win; Heavenly Father will come out on top. The job of followers of the gospel, then, is to ensure they are on the Lord's team. Still, although the outcome is known, people should still pay attention to what is going on in the world and the dangers that are present.

"We're not fearful people and we shouldn't live in fear," he said, "but we should be aware of what's going on around us."

One of the biggest temptations for people in this mortal life is to take what is easy or immediate, often at the cost of something more worthwhile that requires waiting.

Having proper perspective is a must, he said. This can be gained in part by proper prayer, for which he referenced Romans 8:26-27.

Proper prayer requires continuousness, appropriate language, respect and a willingness to put circumstances not only to the Lord's will, but also His timing. Sometimes people think things come too late or even too early, he said, but to look at it from God's perspective is to realize there is no late or early.

"We think linearly, but how does God see?" he asked, and then answered, "One continuous now."

Being willing to follow God's will, thereby giving up individual will to His workings, is the only sacrifice people can make to God, Brother McLay said. The example was set by the Savior Jesus Christ.

"He was the epitome of giving up Himself and His will," he said. It is one thing to know the words to say in a prayer, he said, but quite another to know God.

lisac@desnews.com