Our Prayers

During my lessons this week I came across a really great talk by Elder David A. Bednar called "Pray Always." 

On our church website it tells us that we should pray "at least every morning and every night, we should find a place that is free from distractions and kneel in humility and commune with our Heavenly Father." Elder Bednar goes even farther and tells us that when we pray in the mornings we should be praying meaningfully. Our evening prays should be a continuation of our morning prayers. 

"Consider this example. There may be things in our character, in our behavior, or concerning our spiritual growth about which we need to counsel with Heavenly Father in the morning prayer. After expressing appropriate thanks for blessings received, we plead for understanding, direction, and help to do the things we cannot do in our own strength alone. For example, as we pray, we might:

• Reflect on those occasions when we have spoken harshly or inappropriately to those we love the most.
• Recognize that we know better than this, but we do not always act in accordance with what we know.
• Express remorse for our weaknesses and for not putting off the natural man more earnestly.
• Determine to pattern our life after the Savior more completely.
• Plead for greater strength to do and to become better."

Some people may go throughout their day and keep a little silent prayer in their hearts and their minds for extra guidance.

In our evening prayers at the end of the day, "we kneel again and report back to our Father. We review the events of the day and express heartfelt thanks for the blessings and the help we received. We repent and, with the assistance of the Spirit of the Lord, identify ways we can do and become better tomorrow. Thus our evening prayer builds upon and is a continuation of our morning prayer. And our evening prayer also is a preparation for meaningful morning prayer."

When we pray in the mornings and then again in the evenings and give thanks for what we asked for in the mornings our prayers can help us to have more meaning for us throughout our days. 

Another way for us to have a more heartfelt and meaningful prayer is for us to pray without asking for anything. Sometimes we should just pray and give thanks for what we have been given: for the Lord, for our blessings, for the Atonement, for the Plan of Salvation, and for just being grateful for all that we have. 

Elder Bednar goes on to say, "as we emulate the example of the Savior, our prayers truly will become more meaningful. We are commanded to 'pray always' (2 Nephi 32:9; D&C 10:5; 90:24)—'vocally as well as in [our] heat[s];…before the world as well as in private' (D&;C 19:28)."

Prayer is such a simple but powerful way for us to talk to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We can learn so much by remembering to pray to Him every day. I am going to try to make my prayers more meaningful for me and our family. I challenge you to make you morning prayers a great start of your day and your night prayers a continuation and give thanks for how your day was for you. Remember that some of our prays we should remember to not ask for anything; we should just be grateful for what we have.

 

  

 

 
    

Posted in: General Conference, Prayers, Talks