From the First Presidency

Praying to Our Father

By President Henry B. Eyring

First Counselor in the First Presidency

Adapted from “Exhort Them to Pray,” Ensign, Feb. 2012, 4.

God will answer your prayers.

When I was a little child, my parents taught me by example to pray. I began with a picture in my mind of Heavenly Father being far away. As I have gotten older, my experience with prayer has changed. The picture in my mind has become one of a Heavenly Father who is close by and knows me perfectly.

That change came as I gained a sure testimony of Joseph Smith’s First Vision. Heavenly Father was in the grove on that beautiful spring day. He called Joseph by name. And He introduced the resurrected Savior of the world as His “Beloved Son.” Whenever and wherever you pray, your testimony of that glorious experience can bless you.

Our Heavenly Father is the glorious God who created worlds through His Beloved Son. He hears our prayers just as He heard Joseph’s prayer—as clearly as if they were being offered in His presence. He loves us enough that He gave His Son as our Savior. By that gift He made it possible for us to gain immortality and eternal life. And He offers us, through prayer in the name of His Son, the opportunity to communicate with Him as often as we choose.

As your teacher and your friend, I promise that God will answer your prayers and that by the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know for yourself that the answers are from Him.

A Prayer Adventure

Have an adventure searching the scriptures to learn more about prayer! Look up each scripture on the map. On the blank lines, write a few words to describe what the scripture says about prayer.

Along the way you can write in your journal about what you’re learning. How have your prayers been answered?

1. Moroni 7:48

2. 2 Nephi 32:8

3. D&C 19:28

4. D&C 19:38

5. D&C 112:10

Learning from Joseph

Joseph Smith wanted to know which church was true. He read in the scriptures that he needed to ask God. Joseph Smith went to the woods behind his log cabin to pray. When Joseph prayed, he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus. They answered Joseph’s prayer. He became the prophet of the Restoration.