Learning to Pray
Learning to Pray
By Kathy Penrod
I grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, learning to pray. Prayer was part of my daily life as our family blessed the food, said family prayers together and as my parents taught me to pray on my own.
I learned that we are to pray to Heavenly Father in Jesus’ name. (3 Nephi 18:19) Heavenly Father is the one who knows our needs and grants the blessings we ask. Jesus Christ acts as a mediator. (1 Timothy 2:5)
I learned to thank Heavenly Father for the blessings I have been given. I learned to ask for blessings I need. As I grew, I learned that my simple prayers were answered. I learned that Heavenly Father heard me.
Once I was an adult, life became more complicated and so did my problems. I learned that sometimes I might pray for something but the answer would be different than I expected. I learned that sometimes the answer to my prayers will be “no” but, I learned, the answer would always be love.
President Thomas S. Monson taught,
“Our Heavenly Father does answer prayers in His own time and in His own way.”
Sometimes, it felt as though my prayers were not being heard. I learned to keep praying and keep believing that there is a God in Heaven who cares and who is listening. I learned to keep praying through these times.
Life would cloud my thoughts, making it more difficult for me to say the words I needed to but I learned that Heavenly Father can hear my heart and listens to the “song I cannot sing.” (There is Sunshine in My Soul Today, Hymn 227)
I have learned that praying isn’t about changing God’s will but more about aligning my will to God’s and learning to accept His plan. I learned that I need to give my will over to His.
I have learned that I can pray to Heavenly Father anywhere at any time and He will listen. Some of my favorite conversations with Him have been in unconventional places.
I have learned from the scripture that says:
“Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.” (Alma 37:36-37)
I have learned that as I remember who I am – a child of God – prayer becomes easier and more natural for me.
“As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part” (Prayer, Bible Dictionary)
I have learned that He wants to hear from me. Even though He already knows what is going on in my life, He wants me to tell Him. He wants to hear the feelings of my heart.
I have learned how important it is to be sincere in my prayers. Sometimes fatigue and distractions can interfere with me having a meaningful prayer. But I notice that as I try my hardest to stay focused and stay sincere, the peace and comfort that can come from prayer abides in my heart.
I have learned that prayer is a sacred gift that my Heavenly Father gave to me and all of His children so we can always communicate with Him. It is on my knees that I have found solace and peace.
