How to Pray
Praying is simpler than you might think. God is there and will hear and answer your prayers.
Four steps to prayer
God is your loving Father in Heaven, and He wants to hear from you. You can reach out to Him by praying to Him. As His child, you can ask your Heavenly Father for help and guidance in your life.
Praying can be done out loud, or in your mind. You can speak to God like you would any other person. Your words do not have to be eloquent or memorized. It is more important to open your heart and not hold back. Believe He is there and listening, because He is. Believe He will help you, because He will.
1. Begin your prayer
Before you begin, find a quiet place where you feel comfortable. A good way to start is to address God by name. You can try “Dear God,” “Dear Heavenly Father,” “Our Father which art in heaven,” or simply “God.”
2. Have a conversation with God
Speak from your heart and share your hopes and desires as well as your worries and problems. You can ask Him for help, direction, forgiveness, or healing. Whatever is on your mind, bring it to Him, acknowledging that His wisdom and timing are greater than yours. You can ask Him what He wants for you.
Share your feelings with God about others. You can pray for their needs or ask for ways you can love and help them.
Express appreciation to God for all the blessings in your life. Even challenges can be a blessing. This helps us feel humble, which keeps our hearts and minds more open to God's answers.
3. End your prayer
Once you’ve said all that you wanted to say, you can end your prayer by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
We do this because Jesus is the way to connect to our Father in Heaven and all things should be done in His name.
4. Act on your righteous desires
There is wisdom in the saying, “Pray as if everything depends on the Lord, then work as if everything depends on you.” It is in the process of doing that we often get guidance and help from God.
Getting answers to our prayers
God promises that when we turn to Him in prayer, He will give us answers and guidance.
God communicates with us through the Holy Spirit, in the form of good thoughts and ideas or peaceful, comforting feelings. When we feel those things, it means God is encouraging us, showing us truth, and giving us direction.
Everyone will feel the Holy Spirit in their own way. In the Bible, it’s often described as a “still small voice,” (see 1 Kings 19:11–12) that almost seems to whisper to your mind.
Often, God answers our prayers through others. God can put people into our lives at the right time who can give or be the answer we have been looking for. We can also get answers to prayers by reading what His prophets have taught in the Bible and Book of Mormon. When we pray and read these books, the Holy Spirit can give us personalized ideas and direction. Taking time to study His word is also a way we can show God that we truly desire an answer from Him.