Hopefully this will help answer those questions. Remember prayer is simple-just a child talking to his/her father- and yet it is so powerful.
What is the purpose of prayer?/What is prayer?
"Prayer is a two-way communication between God and man."
"No on can know of spiritual truths without prayer."
Prayer shows our faith, obedience, and use of our agency (right to choose). When we pray we are acting and not being acted upon.
How do I pray?
- Address our Heavenly Father ("Our Father in Heaven,...")
- Express the feelings of your heart (gratitude, questions, requests to confirm that the Book of Mormon is true, and so on).
- Close ("In the name of Jesus Christ, amen").
"Don’t worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your Father. He hears every prayer and answers it in His way" (Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer).Answers to Prayers
It is important to know that we are each entitled to receive personal revelation which comes through sincere prayer. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord tells us, "...I will answer you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost..." (D&C 8:2). Though He will always answer in some way or another "it is a mistake to assume that every prayer we offer will be answered immediately. Some prayers require considerable effort on our part. True, sometimes impressions come when we have not specifically sought them. They generally concern something we need to know and are not otherwise able to find out" (Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer).
"He is our perfect Father. He loves us beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees the end from the beginning. He wants us to act to gain needed experience:
When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.
When He answers no, it is to prevent error.
When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act" (Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer).
The Lord hears our prayers and He will ever answer. I know this to be true. I am so grateful for the amazing gift of prayer we have been given so that we can personally receive answers and revelation from our Father in Heaven. I know my Father loves me beyond comprehension and I am grateful for that knowledge and the peace and joy it brings to my heart. I say these things in the name of our elder brother and loving Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.
