Prayer

Open Your Soul to the Lord in Prayer

Sister Lin taught us a great lesson on prayer.  The scriptures ask us to pray, we are asked to pray in our homes, with our families, in private, when we travel.  Family prayer and personal prayer are emphasized through our leaders.  Why is prayer important for us?  Why do we need to pray everyday?  Some answers shared were:  Prayer helps us remember our relationship with God.  Prayer helps us be humble and less prideful by making us focus on blessings.  

George Albert Smith emphasized:  "I hope that the Latter-day Saints will not fail to hold their prayers, their secret prayers and their family prayers.  Children who are reared in homes where they do not have family prayers and secret prayers lose a lot, and I fear that in the midst of the world's confusion, of hurry and bustle, many times homes are left without prayer and without the blessings of the Lord; these homes cannot continue to be happy.  We live in an age when we need our Heavenly Father as much as they ever needed Him in any age."  

Prayer is a powerful influence in our personal life, our homes and our communities.  Sister Lin remember a time in China when she first graduated from college as a Christian which was rare at the time.  A friend of hers gave her a note that said, "God said let there be light, and there was light.  Ms. Lin says I can do this, I'm sure she can."  At the time she thought his comparing God's power to what she could do was not right.  Now when she looks at that same message she views it differently.  Because of God's power, His grace, His love, we are given strengths and empowered to do things we could not normally do.  Prayer is what helps us do these things.  

Sister Lin also relayed a trial that she watched a good friend suffer though.  They shared many tears and this friend's husband first decided he didn't believe in God, left the church and then divorced her.  This past Easter this friend sent out a message, sharing her testimony and her experience.  Once again this friend had Sister Lin shedding tears.  Her friend had prayer for a job that would allow her the flexibility to be home with her children once they returned from school.  One that would pay her for her lunch hour since she would have to cut her work day short.  She needed a job with very specific hours so asked her Heavenly Father to find her this job.  She went to a job fair and felt impressed to go down an isle that she originally thought would not have anything she was qualified for.  The last booth seemed perfect.  Two days later she had a job that was perfect for her specifications.  

Heavenly Father knows us intimately.  He knows our wants and needs to help us be happy.  

George Albert Smith taught, "It is strange tat any member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should have to be urged to say his prayers, and yet there are some people who do not pray in secret or have their family prayers.  Yet unless we pray we lose the protection that prayer offers." 

What are things that prevent us from saying prayers?  Some answers shared:  Too busy.  Too tired.  

Some sisters shared some ways to help make prayer more doable:  One sister told of someone she knew that prayed her entire commute to work.  Another said that she tries to carry a prayer in her heart.  Another sister said that there are times as women or mothers that we see people or our children going though hard times and for whatever reason, we aren't able to help.  Prayer is the one way that we can help no matter the circumstances.  Another sister shared an experience she had while her husband was away on business in another country.  She felt inspired to pray for him all day.  She obeyed the prompting, but still felt something was wrong that night as she went to bed.  He returned from his trip the next day and told her of his experience on the way to the airport and getting in an accident and almost being killed.  His driver was driving wildly and eventually spun out on the snow covered streets, spinning out of control until stopping in a snow bank inches from a tree.  They had to use folders to dig themselves out of the snow.  Thank goodness she was inspired to pray and listened to her inspiration.  

The Bible Dictionary says, "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."  

Sister Lin shared an experience that helped develop her testimony of prayer.  As she tried to leave work one day, her car wouldn't start.  She was in a hurry to get out in order to get home in time to get her kids from school.  To add to the frustration, she was blocked in by two cars so no one could get close enough to her car to jump it.  She decided to say a prayer and before she even finished the prayer she heard the car next to her starting up.  While this may have seemed like a coincidence, she knew it was at a time when most people were not leaving the office and knew that Heavenly Father had answered her prayer.  She wondered why Heavenly Father had answered this specific prayer, so fast and on that day?  That experience had a long-term impact on her.  When she has days that Heavenly Father does not feel close, she immediately goes back to that day and knows that is his listening.