“I wonder if we can ever really fathom the immense power of prayer until we encounter an overpowering, urgent problem and realize that we are powerless to resolve it.” Elder Richard G. Scott
In the hymnbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a hymn titled, “Did You Think to Pray?” Here are a few of the verses: “Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray? When your heart was filled with anger, did you think to pray? When sore trials came upon you, did you think to pray? In the name of Christ, our Savior, did you sue for loving favor as a shield today?”
For the first 38 years of my life, the answer to the question of “did you think to pray?” in any situation occurring in my life would have been an emphatic “No!” I never thought to pray. Never gave it a second thought. I lived life with no divine direction or guidance, thinking I could make important decisions and go through trials on my own. Fortunately, God gave me good parents who taught me right from wrong. God also gave me a strong mind, and I made a lot of good decisions in my life. I had an innate desire to excel in school and seek higher education. I never had a desire to break the law or to cause trouble. I had a desire to be responsible and to be self-reliant and forge my own path in life. If I did receive any divine inspiration or guidance in my life, I didn’t recognize it or acknowledge it.
Looking back, there were many times I should have sought out God for his loving favor. There were times when I didn’t make good decisions, times I went through trials on my own, times I could have handled a situation in a better way, and times I regret what I did because of anger or sin – sin I could have avoided if I had prayed for direction. At that time in my life, not only did I not pray to seek answers and direction for myself, but I never prayed for others. They were on their own, just like I was.
I now realize that prayer is a gift from God to his children and there is power in prayer. Now I seek out my Heavenly Father’s advice and guidance. There is not a day that goes by without a morning and evening prayer or a constant prayer in my heart throughout the day. Now, I can answer with an emphatic “Yes!” to the question, “did you think to pray?” Prayer is now a part of the armor of God that I put on every day.
President Thomas S. Monson said, “Prayer is a great blessing that can provide inspiration in the lives of all of Heavenly Father’s children. Men and women of integrity, character, and purpose have ever recognized a power higher than themselves and have sought through prayer to be guided by such power.”
I appreciate the following quote from Elder Richard G. Scott, “Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. It matters not our circumstances, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer.”
I would like to share a story about a brief yet urgent plea to God for help that I made on behalf of someone else. This quick but urgent prayer and the resulting answer had a ripple effect, and many people were blessed as a result. Miracles happened. My husband and I just watched in awe as events unfolded, and it all started with a prayer.
In December 2013 my stepson, Mike, came home from college during Christmas break. He was in a foul mood. His girlfriend had ended their relationship, and he was taking out his hurt on everyone, including me and his father. He was angry, disrespectful, and mean-spirited. We didn't know it at the time, but he was also taking drugs. One night he came over to visit us prior to returning to college. It was not a pleasant visit. He was criticizing the Church and us...all “Mormons” are judgmental, and people should be able to do what they want to do, etc. I was trying to explain to him that the choices we make in this mortal life have eternal consequences. He was having none of it. I got up from the conversation and went into the kitchen and said a heartfelt prayer, asking Heavenly Father to help me to help this young man. I told Him we were losing Mike to the world, and I was desperate to know what I could do to help him. For Mark and I, this had become an overpowering and urgent problem, and I realized that we were powerless to resolve it on our own. The prompting I got was immediate...."give him the book." I knew exactly which book to give Mike, and I didn't hesitate or second-guess where the prompting came from. I knew immediately that it was an answer to prayer. I had two copies of “Visions of Glory,” and I went into the living room and took one of the copies from the bookshelf. As nonchalantly as I could, I asked Mike if he would read the book. I told him I really enjoyed it, and I wanted his opinion of it. The nicest thing he did that night was to take the book with him when he left. He told us later that he had no intention of reading it. A couple days later, his college roommate, Jake, came to pick up Mike to drive back to Portales, NM. Jake saw the book sitting on the kitchen table and read the back cover of the book, and it intrigued him. He asked Mike if the book was his and if they could read it on the trip. Mike agreed. As Jake drove, Mike began reading Visions of Glory. About two hours out of town, Mike called his father crying. Mark thought Mike had been injured in an accident and was at first panicked by the call. But instead, Mike told his dad that the book changed his life; that he was going to look up his bishop in Portales and start going back to church. He also told his dad to tell me that Jake (a non-member at the time) expressed his thanks for "saving his life."
When my husband told me about the phone call, I was taken aback. I never thought that book would have such an impact. But then the thought came to me that I obeyed the prompting, and the Lord did the rest. Mike later explained that as he read the book while Jake was driving, the Spirit came into that vehicle and they both felt it at the same time, and how strong the Spirit was, and how emotional they both became. They knew without a doubt that it was something Divine. Interestingly, neither of them ever finished the book. Apparently, what they read was enough for the Spirit to work on them. True to his word, Mike started going back to church. Within a couple months, Jake was baptized. A few weeks later, the girl who broke up with Mike (Alesha) was baptized, and a few months after that, Alesha's sister, Breeana, was baptized. All four of them served missions for the Church. Jake served in Mongolia, Alesha served in Zimbabwe, Breeana served in Pocatello, Idaho and Mike served in Vanuatu. Jake and Breeana got sealed in the Albuquerque, NM temple on December 16, 2018. Before Mike left for his mission, he got his older brother, Mark, reactivated. Mike’s prayers were instrumental in that reactivation and six years ago Mark and his wife, Lynzi, and two of their children were sealed in the Vernal, UT temple. That is an example of the power of prayer. I am grateful that God gave me that experience. It is sealed in my heart as an eternal truth that He hears and answers our prayers.
I would like to end with the following thought from Elder Juan A. Uceda, “A moment of prayer is a very, very sacred moment. At the very moment we say, ‘Father in Heaven,’ He hears our prayers and is sensitive to us and our needs. And so, His eyes and His ears are now connected to you. He reads our minds, and He feels our hearts. You cannot hide anything from Him. Now, the wonderful thing is that He will see you with eyes of love and mercy – love and mercy that we cannot fully understand. But love and mercy are with Him the very moment you say, ‘Father in Heaven.’”
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