“Prayers and Cathedrals,” Friend, Nov. 2014, 4–5
Prayersand Cathedrals
Dani had never been to a church like this before.
“Ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).
Dani craned her neck back all the way, but she still couldn’t see the top of the beautiful building. Her dad said it was called a cathedral. People who belonged to a different church came here. Dani didn’t understand why she and her family were visiting this church on a Friday, but Dad said they were going to something called Evensong.
“What’s that?” Dani asked.
“It’s a meeting where people sing songs, read scriptures, and pray together,” Dad said. “Like a big family before going home for the night.”
Dani liked how that sounded. She and her family were visiting England. Last Sunday they went to a ward in a city called York. In Primary all the kids knew the same scriptures and songs Dani did—but they said them with really cool accents. She knew the ward she visited was part of Jesus’s true church, just like her ward at home.
But this cathedral was very different from the church buildings she was used to. Once they were inside, she saw how tall the ceiling was. The windows were made from beautiful colored glass. Then she noticed a small table filled with little candles. Dani watched a boy light a candle and add it to a row.
“Why are you lighting candles?” Dani asked him.
The boy smiled. “I light a candle when I pray for special things. As long as the flame burns, I hope the prayer will continue to be heard by God.”
Dani gave the candles a closer look. They looked like regular candles to her. Even though she was a little confused, she wanted to be polite. She smiled back at the boy.
Dani and her family sat down, and soon Evensong started. She saw the same boy a few rows away. Then she realized she didn’t know any of the songs everyone else was singing. When they prayed, they read out of a little book. Dani thought everything seemed different from what she was used to.
But the music was beautiful, even if it wasn’t familiar. Then a man got up to read the scriptures. He was wearing robes, instead of a suit and tie like Dani’s bishop. But as he started reading, Dani realized she knew this story! He was reading about Jesus healing the ten lepers.
“Dad,” Dani whispered, “I love this story.”
Dad smiled. “Me too.”
Then the man in robes said a prayer. He asked God to bless those who were sick and in need. Just like Dani did! He also asked a special blessing on leaders of his church. Dani remembered how her family always asked Heavenly Father to bless President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors.
A warm feeling came into Dani’s heart. She knew Heavenly Father was telling her He loved all His children and heard all their prayers, even if they went to a different church and didn’t have the fulness of the gospel.
As they got up to leave, Dad checked his phone. He looked sad as he read his messages. “Sister Monson passed away,” he said quietly.
“Oh no!” Dani said a quick prayer in her heart that President Monson would feel comfort and be OK.
“Are you all right?” someone asked. It was the same boy from before. He had heard Dani, and he seemed worried.
“Sister Monson passed away,” Dani told him. “She was the wife of our prophet, President Monson.”
“I’m sorry,” he said kindly. “I’ll light a candle for him.”
Dani smiled and thanked him. She thought it was nice of the boy to say a special prayer for President Monson. She knew Heavenly Father would hear the silent prayer she said in her heart and the prayer the boy said too.