Heavenly Father Answers Prayers

            Heavenly Father Hears and Answers My Prayers

Primary Talk by Clayton - August 11, 2013

Doctrine and Covenants section 112 verse 10 says, "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers"

Last week I learned a lot about prayer after reading the First Vision in Joseph Smith History.  When Joseph Smith was fourteen years old, he was confused about which church he should join.  Then he read a scripture in the Bible that said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.”  So he decided to do what the scripture said and pray for an answer.  In Joseph Smith History verse 13, he says:

“At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.”

While he was praying a dark force tried to stop him but then a light appeared above him, brighter than the noonday sun.  Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and answered his prayer.

One of the things I love about Joseph Smith, after reading this, is his determination to pray for a right answer.  I am also impressed with his courage to pray – which was something he’d never done vocally before. And I especially love his faith that his prayer would be heard and answered. 

Sometimes the hardest part about praying is thinking to pray.  And knowing what to pray for.  I hope that I can have determination, courage, and faith like Joseph Smith did.  One of the things I learned after reading about Joseph Smith is that Heavenly Father expects us to pray. He wants us to pray.  That's how we communicate with him and show our faith. I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.