Book of Mormon: Day 202: Prayers -

Today’s Reading: Alma 31:10-24

23 Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God again until they had assembled themselves together again to the holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.
(emphasis added)

Praying is a very sacred thing. It’s our way to communicate with and establish a relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is our personal opportunity to express to our Heavenly Father how grateful we are and to ask for help.

I begin by saying “Dear Heavenly Father”;
I thank him for blessings he sends;
Then humbly I ask him for things that I need,
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I think we often confuse the fact that there is a proper order to prayer, but our prayers do not need to follow a script. Each day, the blessings that we are thankful for are different. Just as each day, we may need help in different ways.

It’s a struggle not to pray for the same things every day. I often find myself in the trap of the ‘postcard prayer’ and then I climb into bed and that’s it. But over the last few weeks I have become more conscious of how I say my prayers. I am striving to be more intent with my prayers. I think of the tender mercies of the day and make sure I express my gratitude for those; like my 6 month old daughter sleeping 7-11 hr stretches at night, or the blanket and monkey my 3 year old brought to me to snuggle with while I napped. Often times I get caught up in thinking of all the wonderful tender mercies and blessings that I have been given and leave it at that. Other times the blessings that I can see are few and I need more help. So I spend time asking for help, comfort, direction, and peace in difficult situations. Like how to help our 3 year continue to learn and grow when he already knows everything he would learn in preschool. Or how to help our daughter be more happy and ok with being by herself without constant attention. The more you are purposeful and sincere with your prayers, the more the Lord will respond and the more connected you will feel.

I often find that my most meaningful and heartfelt prayers come when I’m not on my knees, when my heart is full of the love I have for my children and spouse, or when the day is extremely tough. I often find I receive answers to those prayers more quickly with a warm peacefulness in my heart. Those are the times I am the most honest and direct and really talk to Heavenly Father and listen for his guidance. I know that we are taught to pray on our knees, but I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers no matter if we are kneeling or standing, in a quiet room or public place, or lying in bed. He just wants to hear from us, from the bottom of our hearts!