Modern day revelation as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 112:28 teaches, “But purify your hearts before me; and then go ye into all the world, and preach my gospel unto every creature who has not received it.” Additional instructions are given in Doctrine and Covenants 84:62, “Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.”

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ (Latter-day Saints) emphatically profess that the vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ was not merely for a choice few, but rather all people can have the opportunity to partake of its wondrous blessings. Therefore, following in the footsteps of our Great Exemplar who admonished His disciples, ““Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), they count it a privilege to be able to share the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with any and every person they meet.

Everyone should be Involved in Missionary Work

Everyone should be actively engaged in missionary work. Like the original twelve apostles, every person who professes to be a modern day disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, is commissioned to take the message of the gospel to all corners of the earth. The gospel is a messenger to prepare the way before the Lord. Said the Savior,

 And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me (Doctrine and Covenants 45:9).

The Savior further admonished, “Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:81). And so, as the message is carried throughout the world, the rallying cry of the Lord’s royal missionary army should echo that of the prophet Jeremiah, “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord” (Jeremiah 22:29).

All are called to Send Forth the Message of the Gospel

David O. Mckay, the 9^th President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ, exhorted, “Every member a missionary!” In addressing the early Saints of the Church, he proposed a profound question – a question that remains applicable in this dispensation of time. He said, “The world is hungry to hear the truth. … We have it. Are we equal to the task—to the responsibility God has placed upon us?” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1945, 113–14.)

The Master commanded His disciples to:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Matthew 28:19-20).

Considering the commandment given by the Savior to His disciples, President McKay taught,

The text … “go ye unto all the world” is really the missionary injunction given by the risen Christ to his Apostles. In effect He says:

Consider this work unfinished until all nations shall have accepted the gospel and shall have enlisted themselves as my disciples. …

With the same direct commission from the risen Lord who with the Father appeared in person in the beginning of the nineteenth century, the proclamation of the gospel is being made by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to “every nation, kindred, tongue and people” as fast as means and personnel can carry it forward (In Conference Report, Oct. 1949, 118.)

Responding to the subject of the magnitude and urgency of missionary work, and why everyone needs to be involved, Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second highest governing body in The Church of Jesus Christ), in his 2006 General Conference address titled “Prophets in the Land Again”, commented:

As surely as the rescue of those in need was the general conference theme of October 1856, so too is it the theme of this conference and last conference and the one to come next spring. It may not be blizzards and frozen-earth burials that we face this conference, but the needy are still out there—the poor and the weary, the discouraged and downhearted, those “[falling] away into [the] forbidden paths” we mentioned earlier, and multitudes who are “kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.” They are all out there with feeble knees, hands that hang down, and bad weather setting in. They can be rescued only by those who have more and know more and can help more. And don’t worry about asking, “Where are they?” They are everywhere, on our right hand and on our left, in our neighborhoods and in the workplace, in every community and county and nation of this world. Take your team and wagon; load it with your love, your testimony, and a spiritual sack of flour; then drive in any direction. The Lord will lead you to those in need if you will but embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ that has been taught in this conference. Open your heart and your hand to those trapped in the twenty-first century’s equivalent of Martin’s Cove and Devil’s Gate. In doing so we honor the Master’s repeated plea on behalf of lost sheep and lost coins and lost souls (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Prophets in the Land Again”, Ensign, November 2006).

Why Mormon Boys Serve Missions

Indeed a great work has begun, and the preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ is the responsibility of all followers of Christ. In The Church of Jesus Christ it is a specific duty for men who hold the priesthood. Latter-day Saint theology teaches that the priesthood is the authority given to worthy male members of the Church to act in God’s name for the salvation of His children. Latter-day Saints further believe and teach that the same priesthood authority that existed in Christ’s original Church exists in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today.

Scriptures teach that the “field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:4). Wherefore, any young man of the priesthood who has a desire to go on the Lord’s errand and labor in His vineyard preaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is called to the work. And as Thomas S. Monson, President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ, has taught, “Whom the Lord calls, the Lord will qualify,” and “When you’re on the Lord’s errand, you’re entitled to the Lord’s blessings.”

As these young priesthood holders diligently prepare to “embark in the service of God” they are reminded that they must be willing to serve God with all of their heart, might, mind and strength, and if they do so, they are promised that they will be able to “stand blameless before God at the last day” (See Doctrine and Covenants 4:2). Scriptures further teach that the qualifications for the work are “faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God” (See Doctrine and Covenants 4:5).

While serving as a Mission President in Australia, the late Bruce R. McConkie wrote concerning being on the Lord’s errand:

I am called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth. By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Master and he has chosen me to represent him. To stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would say and do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts; my words are his words and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done. To say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work.

During the Priesthood Session of the April 2013 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ, President Monson poignantly asked the young men of the Aaronic Priesthood, “Young men, are you ready to respond? Are you willing to work? Are you prepared to serve?” [1] He further admonished the young men,

At best, missionary work necessitates drastic adjustment to one’s pattern of living. It requires long hours and great devotion, selfless sacrifice and fervent prayer. As a result, dedicated missionary service returns a dividend of eternal joy which extends throughout mortality and into eternity. The challenge is to be more profitable servants in the Lord’s vineyard. [1]

During the course of his remarks, President Monson also shared a four-point formula that would ensure anyone embarking on a mission success in the mission field. Those four points are: search the scriptures with diligence, plan your life with purpose, teach the truth with testimony, and serve the Lord with love.

Why do Mormon boys serve missions? Answer: to preach the message of the restored gospel, and through that message and the testimony and witness of the Holy Spirit, bring precious souls – men, women, and children unto the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the missionary who redeemed the precious souls of all mankind, gives this blessed assurance as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16:

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

The words of Joseph Smith, the first Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ, puts this entire discussion into its proper frame. Said he,

The standard of truth has been erected; No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done.

Keith L. Brown

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.

of-common-sense.site123.me/

Our Savior Jesus Christ has many roles and responsibilities, all of them eternal in scope. The prophets and apostles have given countless addresses about the Savior, His life, mission, and roles. As John said, “even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” about Jesus Christ (John 21:25).

The Living Christ

The prophets and apostles issued a statement about Jesus Christ entitled “The Living Christ,” in which they declare their witness of the Savior’s life and mission. They identify some of His roles and responsibilities: “He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth.” From these two sentences, we learn that Jesus was the Jehovah worshipped by the Jews in the Old Testament. It was He who instructed Abraham, and gave the Law to Moses. He is also the Messiah to whom the Jews looked for and still look for today. He is also the creator of the world; God the Father was still involved in the creation, but He directed Jesus, who did the creating. Later, the document states: “He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.”

Although this statement says that Jesus was the “Firstborn of the Father,” Jesus is eternal and uncreated.  This may sound confusing, but we know from modern revelation that God, the Eternal Father is the organizer of our spirits, but that we existed as individual intelligences before our spiritual creation.  Jesus’ spirit was organized first, and that could have happened billions of years ago.

Roles of Jesus Christ

Elder Russell M. Nelson, an apostle of Jesus Christ, talks about ten of the Savior’s many roles. He lists the following responsibilities: “Creator, Jehovah, Advocate with the Father, Immanuel, Son of God, Anointed One, Savior and Redeemer, Judge, Exemplar, and Millennial Messiah” (“Jesus the Christ, Our Master and More,” Ensign April 2000). Elder Nelson discusses each responsibility in further detail, but is careful not “to imply any order or priority because all He accomplished was equally supernal in scope”:

• Creator. Jesus Christ, under the direction of the Father, created the earth and everything on it. Elder Nelson says, “This hallowed Creator provided that each of us may have a physical body, uniquely individual . . . We honor Jesus as our Creator, divinely directed by His Father.”
• Jehovah. Elder Nelson cites numerous scriptures in both the Old and New Testament, showing that Jesus Christ of the New Testament is indeed the same God worshipped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Advocate with the Father. An advocate is “one who pleads for another.” The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, speaks clearly about Jesus’ role as our advocate: “He shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved” (2 Nephi 2:9). Elder Nelson says, “Comprehending Him as our Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator with the Father gives us assurance of His unequaled understanding, justice, and mercy.”
• Immanuel. The Hebrew name Immanuel means “with us is God.” Jesus was born in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy that “a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
• Son of God. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus is literally the Son of God. Elder Nelson speaks about Jesus’ unique parentage: “From His Heavenly Father, Jesus inherited His potential for immortality and eternal life. From His mother, Jesus inherited death.”
• Anointed One. The titles “Christ” and “Messiah” both mean the anointed in Greek and Hebrew, respectively. Elder Nelson says, “One may add either of these titles . . . both signifying an anointed by God for that supernal responsibility” of saving all mankind.
• Savior and Redeemer. These roles refer specifically to Jesus’ Atonement. He saved all mankind from sin and death, and redeems us, making it possible for us to return to God.
• Judge. Jesus will preside at the final judgment. The Book of Mormon states: “The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name” (2 Nephi 9:41).
• Exemplar. Jesus is our ultimate example in all things. He lived a perfect and flawless life, and we need to strive to become more like Him. In Matthew He instructs us, “Be ye therefore perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Elder Nelson says, “His hopes are for your full potential to be realized: to become as He is!”
• Millennial Messiah. This responsibility of Millennial Messiah is yet in the future. Here, Elder Nelson speaks of the day when Christ will come again, and “direct the affairs of His Church and kingdom.”  

These ten roles are not an all-inclusive list of Jesus’ responsibilities. All of the other prophets and apostles have talked about and testified of Jesus Christ and His divine roles. The following addresses are some of what living prophets and apostles have said about our Savior:

“He is Risen!” President Thomas S. Monson

“The Mediator,” Elder Boyd K. Packer

“The Seven Christs,” Elder Bruce R. McConkie

“The Doctrine of Christ,” Elder D. Todd Christofferson

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.

Spirit Paradise and Spirit Prison

Latter-day Saints believe that when a person dies, he or she goes to either paradise or spirit prison. People who have accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ and made and kept the necessary covenants while on earth go to paradise. People who have not accepted and lived the gospel, either because they did not live it, rejected it, or did not have the opportunity to hear it, go to spirit prison. Paradise and spirit prison are active places. Spirits from paradise go to teach other spirits the gospel. Spirits in spirit prison can accept the gospel of Christ, and their ordinances (religious ceremonies) can be done vicariously for them by people on earth.

Paradise and spirit prison aren’t permanent. Jesus Christ will return to the earth, and all the people whose spirits are in paradise or spirit prison will be resurrected (reunited with their perfected physical bodies). Eventually, all people who have lived, do live, or will live on earth will be judged by Jesus Christ, and then “receive an eternal dwelling place in a specific kingdom of glory.” [1]

Kingdoms of Glory

Latter-day Saints believe that heaven is split into three degrees or kingdoms: the Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Kingdoms. We also believe in perdition, a kingdom that is not a kingdom of glory. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that “the glory we inherit will depend on the depth of our conversion, expressed by obedience to the Lord’s commandments. It will depend on the manner in which we have ‘received the testimony of Jesus’ (Doctrine and Covenants 76:51).” [1] Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus taught the principle of kingdoms of glory in John 14:2 when He said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” and that the prophet Joseph Smith received further revelation about the kingdoms of glory. Joseph Smith’s revelation is recorded in Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

• Celestial Kingdom. The celestial is the highest of the three degrees of glory, and is where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. People who inherit this kingdom of glory will dwell forever in the presence of God and Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate goal: to inherit celestial glory. The Doctrine and Covenants states that people who inherit the celestial kingdom are “just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” who “received the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:51, 69). A person cannot reach the celestial kingdom through works alone; the grace of Jesus Christ is also necessary. Latter-day Saints also believe that to inherit celestial glory, one must have made all of the necessary covenants (promises with God) and performed the ordinances that He has commanded. These include the baptismal covenant and other sacred temple covenants, including marriage.

• Terrestrial Kingdom. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches: “Individuals in the terrestrial kingdom will be honorable people ‘who were blinded by the craftiness of men’ (D&C 76:75).” Included in this group are members of The Church of Jesus Christ who were less valiant in following the Savior, and individuals who rejected the gospel in mortality but accepted it in the spirit world. Individuals who did not have the opportunity to receive the gospel on earth but accept it in the spirit world will not inherit this kingdom; they can still inherit the celestial kingdom.

• Telestial Kingdom. The telestial kingdom is for people who “received not the gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus” (D&C 76:82). They rejected the gospel and did not accept Jesus Christ.

• Perdition. Perdition is not a kingdom of glory and is reserved only for people who accepted the fulness of the gospel and then willfully rejected their knowledge. There will not be many individuals who meet the requirements to be sent to perdition.

Works and Grace

Jesus Christ will judge all of us according to our actions, and then we will go to a kingdom to dwell eternally. It is up to us to do all we can in this life to reach the celestial kingdom; but not one person, except the Savior, can reach the celestial kingdom alone. Latter-day Saints believe in the importance of both works and grace; we need both to reach celestial glory.

The Importance of Faith

Latter-day Saints have a lot of additional revelation about heaven, which is very comforting, especially upon the death of a loved one. It is comforting to know that our ancestors can dwell in the same glory we can and that the gospel of Jesus Christ includes everyone. It is also humbling to realize that we cannot attain our goal of celestial glory without the grace of our Savior.

However, with all that Latter-day Saints know about heaven and life after death, there is and will always be some uncertainty. What can be frightening about life after death is that it is unknown, and we can be unsure of exactly what it will be like. We may be uncertain how complicated family relationships might be worked out, or unsure of what our family members are doing on the other side of the veil.

I believe that these worries, while they may be legitimate, needn’t worry us right now. Heavenly Father is ultimately in charge and with His perfect knowledge and understanding will work everything out. I believe that we know enough to help us get back to Heavenly Father. Sure, there are things about heaven we don’t know. But that’s okay, because if we knew everything right now, we wouldn’t need faith.

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle and leader of The Church of Jesus Christ, stated concerning the Second Coming of Christ:

Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it. (“Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign, May 2004).

When Will He Come?

Matthew 24:36 says of the Second Coming: “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Only Heavenly Father knows when the Second Coming will happen; not even the angels know when. Neither Latter-day Saint prophets nor members predict the day of the Second Coming. We know that it will happen, but not exactly when. However, the scriptures have given us some signs of the Second Coming so we can know when it’s getting closer.

What Are the Signs of His Coming?

Matthew 24 gives many signs of Jesus’ Second Coming. Some of these signs include: false Christs who will deceive many; wars, and rumors of wars; famines, pestilences, and earthquakes; abundant iniquity; and the love of many growing cold. Other less discouraging signs include: the restoration of Jesus Christ’s gospel; the gospel being preached to all the world; the coming of Elijah (see Malachi 4:5–6); and the building of a city called the New Jerusalem (see 3 Nephi 21:23–25).

Some of these signs have already been fulfilled, while others are yet to be fulfilled. For example, the coming of Elijah as prophesied in Malachi has been fulfilled with the appearance of Elijah to Joseph Smith in April 1836 (see Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16). Some signs, such as wars, famine, and earthquakes, could be said to be fulfilled, but they are also continuing to be fulfilled. It’s often difficult to put checkmarks beside each sign of the Second Coming.

What are the Prophecies of His Coming?

Isaiah prophesied that “the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6); that “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). In Acts, after Jesus ascended into heaven, two angels came to the apostles and said: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). This foretells the day when the Savior will come to earth again. These and many other prophesies in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and from our own day, prophesy of the day when Jesus will come again. 

What Will Happen When He Comes?

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Latter-day Saints take this to mean that all those who have died who were righteous will be resurrected first. All people who are on earth at the Second Coming will be caught up into heaven, while the wicked will be destroyed (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The earth will be cleansed with fire, and then Christ will rule and reign on the earth for a thousand years, a period known as the Millennium. Isaiah prophesied of the Millennium, speaking of a time when “a king shall reign in righteousness” and “my people shall dwell in peaceable habitation” (Isaiah 32:1, 18). The Millennium will be a wonderful time, when there will be no wickedness or evil on the earth, and we will dwell in peace and love.

Preparing for the Second Coming

For many people, reading the signs and prophecies of the Second Coming can be a bit frightening. While some of the signs of the Second Coming are wonderful, many speak of destruction and desolation. It can be easy to be frightened of what the future holds, especially as the world grows more evil and dark. However, prophets have promised us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30). If we are following the Savior, we have nothing to fear from the Second Coming. In fact, for the righteous, the Second Coming and Millennium will be joyful and wonderful. Even as the world becomes more evil, the gospel is continuing to spread across the globe, bringing light and happiness to thousands. We must do all we can to prepare ourselves both spiritually and physically for the Second Coming, knowing that if we are prepared, we need not fear, but should rejoice.

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.

I’ve often wished for step-by-step instructions telling me exactly how to pray and get answers. I’ve wanted a list to go through, with the promise that when I got to the end of the list, I would have my answer. No such luck.

Prayer Isn’t Like Aspirin

When I have a headache, I take a break. I rest, lie down, relax. If that doesn’t work, I might try a dark room or a cold cloth. And if that doesn’t work, as a last resort, I’ll take some medicine. This tried and true method of headache relief works for almost everyone; if not, they have different method. But prayer isn’t like aspirin. It’s not a last resort. It’s not something we do only when we’re in pain. It’s also not an instant cure-all.

Prayer is the exact opposite of aspirin. Instead of a last resort, prayer should be something we turn to every single day. Instead of waiting until a problem is beyond our control, or we’re in serious trouble to pray, we should pray always, even when we’re feeling great. Instead of an instant solution to our problems, sometimes we have to continue to pray for the same things for a long time before we receive answers or help.

Guidelines and Counsel

Although there isn’t really a step-by-step instruction manual on prayer, there are guidelines and counsel concerning prayer. In Jeremiah 29, the Lord instructs: “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:12-13). How exactly can we call upon God, seek Him, and receive the answers we so desire?

• Be heartfelt and sincere. Our prayers are more powerful when we truly pour out our hearts to the Lord. Prayer is more than blandly repeating the same worn-out phrases over and over; it’s about what’s really in our hearts. Prayer becomes so much more powerful for us when we really talk to God, and tell Him how we really feel.
• Use appropriate language. It’s important to remember that we’re speaking to God, the most powerful Being in the universe. Using proper and respectful language is easier when we remember with whom we are speaking.
• Have spirit of gratitude. God, our Heavenly Father, has given us everything. I know sometimes it seems like we’re left with nothing, but stop for a minute. We have a body. We have a life on this earth. We have the hope of our Savior Jesus Christ. There is always something to be thankful for.
• Pray like everything depends on God and then work like everything depends on you. It’s wonderful and important to pray fervently and sincerely. But we can’t expect God to do everything for us. We must work our hardest to make what we’ve prayed for happen, because it shows Heavenly Father that we are serious.
• Remember to pray for others. No matter how bad things get, there are always people who need our prayers. Our family members, friends, neighbors—many people need prayers. Additionally, praying for others increases our love for them. Trouble with a roommate or friend? Pray for that person, sincerely, and it will be easier to love him or her.

Have You Tried Prayer?

President Thomas S. Monson, president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shares the following anecdote:

One human resource officer assigned to handle petty grievances concluded an unusually hectic day by placing facetiously a little sign on his desk for those with unsolved problems. It read, ‘Have you tried prayer?’ What he may not have realized was that this simple counsel would solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment in the human soul than could be obtained in any other way (“Come Unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Liahona March 2009).

Prayer seems like such a simple solution, and to many people seems like a waste of time. After all, we can’t see God, and He has billions of people praying to Him every day. But all it takes is a little bit of faith. Faith that Heavenly Father loves each of us, because He does. Faith that He listens to each of our prayers, because He can. Faith that He answers prayers, because He will.

To the critics who believe that prayer is outdated, a practice for a simpler time, President Monson replies:

Don’t we today, as always, love our children and want them to live righteously? Don’t we today, as always, need God’s divine, protecting care? Don’t we today, as always, continue to be at His mercy and in His debt for the very life He has given us? Times have not really changed. Prayer continues to provide power—spiritual power. Prayer continues to provide peace—spiritual peace (“Come Unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Liahona March 2009).

We can turn to the Lord always, whenever and wherever we are. He loves us—we are His children. He wants us to pray to Him, and will answer us. Prayer isn’t like aspirin. It’s better.

megan

Megan is a graduate of BYU-Idaho and recently married member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a writer and avid reader, and loves music, hiking, and her family.

I believe a prophet’s example is one of the strongest sermons given over the pulpit of life.

VISUAL ACUITY

In John 1:35-36, John the Baptist discerned Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God.”

I hope to increase my visual acuity of the Savior, discerning who He really is and what He means to me: His divinity, His doctrine, His Atonement He alone could only perform, and His work shouldered by prophets and apostles even to this day.

John’s special witness of Jesus did not fall on deaf ears either.

In verse 37, we read, “And the two disciples heard him speak …”

It had been a long time since I had heard people speak proudly in public about God and our relationship to Him, both individually and as a country. Yet, for the weeks and months following the attack, people came together in a profound and touching way. We remembered God. We remembered all He has given us, the protection that He had offered so many times, the strength He continued to offer. We found comfort in Him and in each other.

After a few months, though, that reflection and power seemed to fade. President Thomas S. Monson was asked to write a piece for the Washington Post blog “On Faith” for the tenth anniversary of that fateful day. He shared some thoughts that reminded us that God is always there, even when we don’t call on Him. We should call on Him more, in the good times as well as the bad. He remarked on the country’s behavior after 9/11:

“There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it. Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.”

This time served to remind us how much strength we have when we lean on our Father in Heaven. However, President Monson also noticed how quickly we seemed to forget, “Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well.”

The counsel that a living prophet of God gives us is to draw near to God now and always: “The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him every week and each day. We truly ‘need Him every hour,’ not just in hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.”

I draw a great deal of comfort from knowing that we have a living prophet of God who offers us counsel and encouragement. I also am comforted to know that God is unwavering in His love for me and in His constancy. He will always be there for all of us to lean on, and can bless our lives so much more if we are willing to allow Him in for our joys and sorrows alike.

Learning how to pray is one of the first skills a Mormon learns, either in childhood or as a potential convert. This is because until a person knows how to pray, he will be unable to know whether or not Mormonism is true. Once he has his answer, he can also use this same ability to receive answers to other kinds of prayer.

Prayer is communication with God, so it is easier to have effective prayers if we have a good relationship with God. Reading the scriptures and spending time in prayer are two ways to get to know who God is. Attending church, of course, is another way. As you build your knowledge of God and get comfortable talking to Him, your prayers will become more effective.

Mormon beliefs about prayer include a simple pattern to formal prayers. Of course, there are also time throughout the day when they communicate informally with Him, but during formal prayers, both public and private, they try to follow a basic pattern.

First, Mormons address God respectfully by name. Mormons often start prayers by saying, “Dear Heavenly Father” or something similar to that. They consider God to be the literal father of their spirits and treat him as they would a parent, with love and respect.

Next, Mormons thank God for the blessings they have received from God. This helps them to review their day and their lives in general to notice what is good. It is easy to get so focused on negative events that we lose sight of our blessings and fail to notice how God is working to help us through our trials. This step of our prayer encourages us to slow down and notice that God is present in our lives.

The third step is to ask God for what we need. This is an optional step, since there are times we will only be praying to thank God for what He has already done. This step comes with some responsibilities. As a wise parent, God knows it is never good to just give us anything we ask for without expecting us to do as much as we can on our own. Every parent knows the parent’s job is to make up the difference between what is needed and what the petitioner can do for himself. If we ask God to help us find a job, we need to actually search for and apply for jobs, not just sit back and wait for God to drop one in our laps. Instead, His job will be to lead us to the best job, to help us know what to say in the cover letter, and to do well in the interview. We always need to be prepared to tell God what we will be doing to make our desires happen and then to ask for only those things we can’t do ourselves.

It’s important to remember that God isn’t Santa Claus. He has to balance our wishes with the eternal plans He has for us and for others. What we want isn’t always what is best for us or for someone else who will be impacted. For instance, in the above-mentioned example of praying to get a job, if someone asks to get a specific job, they are also asking that the other applicants, who might also have prayed about the job, not get it. God must balance out all those requests and decide who most needs or will most benefit from that job.

What then is the purpose of praying, if God will do what is best? Prayer puts the situation into God’s hands, allowing Him to make the decision. It makes it easier for us to accept the decision, since we have agreed that He is best suited to know what is best.

If a decision has to be made, we’re to study it out, make a decision, and then take that decision to God for confirmation. If we learn we’ve made the wrong choice, we start over again. In this way, God allows us to improve our ability to make decisions and measure them against what God knows is best.

The next step in a prayer is to tell God anything else we’d like to tell Him. We can share details of our day or talk about what is on our minds. Then we close by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

When we pray, we pray to God through Jesus Christ. This is a sacred responsibility. When we pray in His name, we need to be certain we are treating His name with respect. We should not be using prayer to be sarcastic or mean-spirited, to pray things that would offend Jesus, or to be frivolous. That doesn’t mean we can’t be cheerful or talk about mundane things. It does mean we need to be respectful because anything said in Jesus’ name must be a respectful use of that name.

Many people consider “amen” to be the end of their prayer. They jump up off their knees and head out for their day or go to sleep. When they learn how to pray, they only learn how to do their part of the prayer. Mormons, however, are taught that there is still another step.

Once we’ve asked God for help or advice or even just talked to Him, we need to remain on our knees and quiet. Prayer is not a monologue. It is a conversation. When we talk to other human beings, we don’t normally say our part and run off. We stay and listen to the other person’s response. We need to do the same thing in prayer. When we finish talking, we need to sit quietly and let God have a turn. As we sit or kneel without distractions, keeping our minds free of our own random thoughts, God can place His thoughts into our minds and hearts. In this way, we can receive answers to our questions or guidance in our decisions. We can also do this step within the prayer—ask a question and wait for the answer. The answers come in several ways. Most often, we feel a peaceful, comforting feeling in our hearts that tells us the decision we made was correct. Satan cannot bring peace and comfort. That is God’s gift to us. Sometimes thoughts will come into our minds, again accompanied by a feeling of peaceful rightness. If we are trying to find a job, this thought might come to us: “Ask Fred if there are openings in his company.” In this way, God shows us where the job we are looking for can be found. Very rarely do we hear an actual voice. On occasion, this will happen, but usually in situations of imminent danger, when there is no time to verify the thought came from God.

There are some who teach people not to pray for answers because they won’t know whom the answer is from. This is a direct contradiction of Biblical teachings, since the Bible, and Jesus Christ, specifically instruct us to pray for wisdom. (See James 1:5 in the New Testament.) In this verse, James says God promises to answer our prayers for wisdom. Mormons trust God to keep His promises, and they believe that if God promises to do something He will find a way to do it. This means He will make sure we can learn to recognize the ways He is communicating with us. For Mormons, it is important to trust God to keep His promises. Learning how to pray includes learning to trust God.

Finally, once we’re off our knees, we need to act as though we trust God to do what we’ve asked. If we’re asking for help finding a job, we need to head to the computer to search the job ads, demonstrating a willingness to do our part and also faith that God is going to lead us to that job. If we’re writing a book and want help, we need to sit down and start typing. If we ask for courage in a given situation, we need to go into it with a determination to trust God to help us through it.

Learning how to pray can change our lives forever. No longer do we have to guess at life’s questions. We can get our answers from the only being that has a perfect knowledge of us, our needs, and our eternity.

The Mormon prophet, Thomas S. Monson, taught this about the power of learning how to pray:

As we offer unto the Lord our family prayers and our personal prayers, let us do so with faith and trust in Him. Let us remember the injunction of Paul to the Hebrews: “For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” If any of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now. William Cowper declared, “Satan trembles, when he sees the weakest Saint upon his knees.” Those who feel that prayer might denote a physical or intellectual weakness should remember that a man never stands taller than when he is upon his knees.

We cannot know what faith is if we have never had it, and we cannot obtain it as long as we deny it. Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.

Read Thomas S. Monson’s complete talk on prayer:

Thomas S. Monson, “Come unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Ensign, Mar 2009, 4–9