Sweet Hour of Prayer

My mother was a wonderful piano teacher and I was not a very good student. So after the many years and lessons I can only play a few songs successfully. One of those is the hymn, "Sweet Hour of Prayer". It is quite simple yet I have had to practice it hundreds of times. So you would think that in one of those times I would have really read the words. But no, I was just focused on the notes. Then we sang it at Family Home Evening this past Monday and I finally listened. The words that had been right in front of me for years touched my heart as they never had before. And so I share them with you today.

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!

That calls me from a world of care

And bids me at my Father’s throne

Make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare

By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare

By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!

Thy wings shall my petition bear

To him whose truth and faithfulness

Engage the waiting soul to bless.

And since he bids me seek his face,

Believe his word, and trust his grace,

I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Oh how sweet prayer is. I invite you to take time to pray today. Talk to Him who bids us to seek Him. Find the relief that only our Heavenly Father can give. 

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Now or Later

There are two attributes I have always wanted to have: charity and humility. I can't even count the number of times I have prayed to be more charitable and humble. Year after year I pleaded for Heavenly Father to help me know how to attain them and make them a part of me. Many times He has helped me but I always felt like I just wasn't getting there. Sometimes I wondered if I would ever improve. But I continued to try and seek God's help.

Then I was given the opportunity to spend a lot of time with a person who was extremely charitable and humble. As I watched her it greatly influenced me. I found myself caring more and serving others. I thought less of myself and more of others. I was willing to share and sacrifice. I had charity and humlity. It was wonderful! God had given me an amazing opportunity to improve and grow.

I still have a lot to improve with being charitable and humble, yet I know God will help me. He will answer my prayers but it will be in His time and in His way. I just have to be patient.

To read the rest of the speech by Robert D. Hales, click here. 

Meaningful

Prayer and faith, they just naturally go together. Like peanut butter and jelly or Oreos and milk. Alone they are good, but together they are AMAZING! Lately thought I only seem to be getting one or the other. I came to realize it when I was reading The Book of Mormon and found this verse:

"O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him." (Mormon 9:27)

I wasn't doing both and therefore wasn't receiving the full help and blessings I could. So I made a change and what a difference it has made. I find my prayers are meaningful and that I have the Spirit with me more often. I am able to accomplish the work that I am called to with greater ability and success. It is wonderful! So what are you going to do to make your prayers more meaningful?

“As we speak of prayer, I emphasize the word meaningful. Simply saying prayers is quite a different thing from engaging in meaningful prayer.”

Elder David A. Bednar

The Strongest Witness

Truth. I have written about it in the past and today I learned a little more. Knowing the truth is important, but how do we know it? The answer is found in The Book of Mormon:

We find answers as Spirit testifies to us of truth. But that also means that we have to work for it. We must study, pray, ponder, and search. Also we must be willing to act. Then the Lord will send the Holy Ghost to you and He will witness to your spirit the truth. And that truth will carry you. There are two quotes that I recently found and love.

"You can receive a sure testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ only by the power of the Holy Ghost. His communication to your spirit carries far more certainty than any communication you can receive through your natural senses."

True to the Faith

"The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth and impresses upon the soul the reality of God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ so deeply that no earthly power or authority can separate him from that knowledge.”

-President James E. Faust

Both indicate that the knowledge brought to us from the Holy Ghost is the strongest witness. Nothing in this world can prove or convince you of truth as perfectly as the Spirit can. So go find your truth!

Warming Prayers

Over and over, day after day, time and time again. Prayer. I have said thousands and yet I am still learning how to. We had a meeting with Elder Christofferson and something he quoted really stood out to me. "Prayer is like a fire in winter- you don't have to do anything to let it warm you." I kneel, I speak, I get up. Something in my prayers is missing. I don't let let them "warm" me. I struggle just clearing my mind and listening. But when I take the time to listen and have a conversation with my Heavenly Father, those are the best prayers. I hear what His will is and find peace. My life is so much better. 

Sorry if it seems as all I post about is prayer but it keeps coming back!

I Know this Bucket is True

Something I do often is testify of what I teach. But how do I know that what I say is true? How did I gain my testimony? Well there is a scripture from the Book of Mormon that has the answer. 

"And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?
Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me." (Alma 5:45-46) 

So I learned that what I teach is true by praying and asking God. He has all truth and knowledge. If we desire to know we must ask Him. So when I post about something and know that it is true, it is because I have asked my Heavenly Father and He has let me know through the Holy Ghost. The great thing is you can do this too. You don't have to automatically believe all I say or anyone else. Take it to the Lord and ask Him.

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" 

(Matthew 7:7) 

It Is Better to Look Up

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It seems that life carries themes and lately that theme has been prayer. I recently posted about making my prayers more sincere and just a few days later I heard a talk from General Conference that was just what I needed. There is a story that was told that I want to share.

"At the end of a particularly tiring day toward the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” I left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down and I stared blankly at the floor.

The door opened and someone entered, but I didn’t look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.

I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.”

But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!”

The past week had been a difficult one. I had been asking, "How can I possibly do this?" The advice from President Monson is just what I needed. I had been looking down but "it is better to look up." I have not been "looking up" and calling upon God because I have not had the faith that such a simple thing could help me. I was like the children of Israel who looked beyond the mark and failed to be healed by simply looking at the brass serpent. I love the scripture that was quoted later in the talk, "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." (Mosiah 4:9) God does have all power and as I turn to Him and rely upon Him, He helps me. So I have been trying to look up and oh how wonderful it is. Yes I still face struggles but things are better. I know how I can do this, I can look up.

If you want to listen to the full talk just click here.

Bless Everybody!

The other night I listened to a two-year old pray. It went like this:

"Okay let's say a prayer, bless mommy."
"Mommy"
"Bless daddy"
"Daddy"
"Bless meemaw"
"Meemaw"
"Bless papaw'
"Papaw'
"And bless everybody"
"Everybody"
"Say Amen."
"Amen!"

It was possibly one of the cutest things I have ever heard. This little girl was so sweet and sincere. As I think about this prayer I wonder if mine are like this little girl's. Am I simply saying my prayers to get them done or do I treat them as a wonderful experience where I get to talk to my Heavenly Father? Growing up I remember my mom teaching me how to pray. Begin by addressing God, express gratitude (thank you for my kitty), ask for things I need or blessings (bless mom and dad), seek forgiveness (sorry for fighting with Val), and close in the name of Jesus Christ. But what stands out even more than this simple formula for a prayer is the many times I would find my mother kneeling by her bed. As I would look at her I knew she was earnestly and sincerely praying for her family, for me. She was having a real conversation with God. I am so grateful for this example and will strive each time I pray to follow it.

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"Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

(Alma 37:37)

Have you counseled with the Lord today?