Prayer

President Ezra Taft Benson:

“To the young and rising generation … I counsel you, in the words of Jesus Christ, to ‘watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you. …’ (3 Ne. 18:18.)

“If you will earnestly seek guidance from your Heavenly Father, morning and evening, you will be given the strength to shun any temptation.

“When you pray—when you talk to your Heavenly Father—do you really talk out your problems with Him? Do you let Him know your feelings, your doubts, your insecurities, your joys, your deepest desires—or is prayer merely a habit with the same words and phrases? Do you ponder what you really mean to say? Do you take time to listen to the promptings of the Spirit? Answers to prayer come most often by a still voice and are discerned by our deepest, innermost feelings. I tell you that you can know the will of God concerning yourselves if you will take the time to pray and to listen.” (General Conference, October 1977.)

Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Council of the Twelve:

“Young people, you are going to be leading this Church tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that.

“Carry a prayer in your heart always. May you fall asleep every night with your mind in prayer.

“If you know how to pray and how to … spiritually listen, you may move through life, through clear weather, through storms, through wars, through peace, and be all right.” (General Conference October 1979.)

President Thomas S. Monson of the First Presidency:

“May I offer this specific suggestion: Seek heavenly guidance one day at a time. … Each of us can be true for just one day and then the next day. The formula works. Prove it by your own experience. The help you need may not come just as you want, but it will come. When we remember that each of us is literally a child of God, we will not find it difficult to approach him.” (The New Era, July, 1980, page 17.)

Elder Charles A. Didier of the First Quorum of the Seventy:

“Sometimes I think that praying might be compared to winding up a clock. It is the key for communicating with Heavenly Father. Just as a clock will not work unless the spring is wound, you will not be in tune with the Lord if you don’t use the key of prayer. When you do, then you are reminded that you are a child of God and that He is listening to your prayers and is mindful of your desire to be obedient.” (The Friend, October 1978, page 9.)

Photo by Steve Bunderson