These thoughts are presented by Victoria. At the time she wrote this article, Victoria was a student at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies in Jerusalem, Israel.
In the October, 2001, General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Henry B. Eyring, of the First Presidency, conveyed how the world seems to be in commotion, with economies of whole continents faltering and people worried about day to day living. He said, “People in peril have flooded heaven with prayers. In public and in private, they are petitioning God for help, for comfort, and for direction.” Even though President Eyring uttered these words over nine years ago, they still hold true today, perhaps even more so. President Eyring pointed out that in times of tragedy and danger, people turn to God in prayer. It is important for us to pray to our Father in Heaven at all times, and not just when we are worried or troubled. It is important that we offer prayers of Thanksgiving in both prosperous and difficult times.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “Prayer becomes more meaningful as we express heartfelt gratitude.” A former stake president in California once said, “We need to slow down for thoughtful worship and prayer.”
During a stake conference that I particularly remember from my youth, we were invited to change the attitude of our prayers and turn them into prayers of gratitude. We were invited to try and pray for fifteen minutes without asking Heavenly Father for anything. We were simply to offer prayers of gratitude, trying to be as specific as possible, reflecting on our many blessings. I remember thanking my Heavenly Father for everything – the light in my room, my pillow. It was difficult at first, and I thought that fifteen minutes was such a long time. But after awhile, I became more at ease conversing with the Lord, and I was definitely more grateful and aware of the blessings in my life.
Gratitude may be increased by constantly reflecting on our blessings and giving thanks for them in our daily prayers. Elder Richard G. Scott, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, “Our sincere efforts to thank our beloved Father generate wondrous feelings of peace, self-worth, and love. No matter how challenging our circumstances, honest appreciation fills our mind to overflowing with gratitude.
Elder Scott recently told a story. In the highlands of Guatemala, members barely subsist. Going to the Mormon temple requires great sacrifice. A visit takes a year of preparation. There is hard work, sacrifice to save money and food, the spinning, dyeing and weaving of new clothing. There is the long, barefoot walk out of the mountains, the crossing of Lake Isabel, the bus rides with little food. Tired and worn, they arrive at the temple. They scrub until they shine, dress in their new clothing, and enter the house of the Lord.
Reclothed in white, they are taught by the Holy Spirit, receive ordinances, and make covenants. One highland woman was greatly touched by the spirit and meaning of the endowment. Entering the celestial room, she saw others seated, with heads reverently bowed. Innocently, she knelt at the entrance to the room, oblivious to others. She bowed her head, sobbed, and for twenty minutes poured out her heart to her Father in Heaven. Finally, with her dress soaked with tears, she raised her head. The sensitive temple matron asked, “May I help”? She responded, “Oh, would you? This is my problem: I’ve tried to tell Father in Heaven of my gratitude for all of my blessings, but I don’t feel that I’ve communicated. Will you help me tell Him how grateful I am”?
There is no situation where we cannot express gratitude to our Heavenly Father. Elder David A. Bednar, of the Twelve, related another story about praying with a grateful heart. He said, “During our service [as President] at Brigham Young University – Idaho, Sister Bednar and I frequently hosted General Authorities in our home. Our family learned an important lesson about meaningful prayer as we knelt to pray one evening with a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“Earlier in the day Sister Bednar and I had been informed about the unexpected death of a dear friend, and our immediate desire was to pray for the surviving spouse and children. As I invited my wife to offer the prayer, the member of the Twelve, unaware of the tragedy, graciously suggested that in the prayer Sister Bednar express only appreciation for blessings received and ask for nothing. His counsel was similar to Alma’s instruction [recorded in the Book of Mormon] to members of the ancient church “to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things” (Mosiah 26:39). Given the unexpected tragedy, requesting blessings for our friends initially seemed to us more urgent than expressing thanks.
“Sister Bednar responded in faith to the direction she received. She thanked Heavenly Father for meaningful and memorable experiences with this dear friend. She communicated sincere gratitude for the Holy Ghost as the Comforter and for the gifts of the Spirit that enable us to face adversity and to serve others. Most importantly, she expressed appreciation for the Plan of Salvation, for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, for His resurrection, and for the ordinances and covenants of the restored gospel which make it possible for families to be together forever.
“Our family has learned from that experience a great lesson about the power of thankfulness in meaningful prayer. Because of and through that prayer, our family was blessed with inspiration about a number of issues that were pressing upon our minds and stirring in our hearts. We learned that our gratefulness for the plan of happiness and for the Savior’s mission of salvation provided needed reassurance and strengthened our confidence that all would be well with our dear friends. We also received insights concerning the things about which we should pray and appropriately ask in faith.”
The Lord knows what we need before we ask. Perhaps we can be grateful when we pray, and not ask for anything. When we try to see things with an eternal perspective, our gratitude can only grow, and we can feel more love for our Heavenly Father, and know that He loves us, as well.
When we do ask questions in prayer, we can be comforted that He will always answer. There are four ways that God answers prayer. Number one, God’s answers to prayer always motivate us to action. Because of this, we should ask Heavenly Father if there is anyone or anything that needs help. Number two, God will enlighten our minds with the spirit of revelation. By learning and understanding, we may grow into revelation and learn to recognize the difference between revelation and our own thoughts. Sometimes however, if we have a problem with our minds wandering while we pray, it could be an immediate answer to our prayers.
Number three, God will bring peace to our minds. In Philippians 4:7, it says, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Christ is the Prince of Peace, and our interior peace is reserved for God. In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 8, verses 2 and 3, it reads, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.”
Number four, God will give us the spirit of revelation. While we pray we should make a decision, and then ask if it is the correct choice. We already know that it is right in our mind, and then we will receive validation from the Lord in our heart. Only Christ can impact both our mind and heart. God will turn away our hearts, if our decisions are not right, and we will experience a stupor of thought. God however, never uses doubt or fear as an answer to prayer. Satan uses fear to block answers to prayer. When we recognize how God is answering our prayers, we will feel comforted and better able to do the things God wants us to do to progress spiritually and serve His other children.