(D&C 104:79)

79 And it is my will that you shall humble yourselves before me, and obtain this blessing by your diligence and humility and the prayer of faith.

(D&C 19:28)

28 And again, I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.

(1 Thes. 5:18)

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

(James 1:5)

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

(Alma 34:27)

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

An Informal Prayer

"The proper way for a man to pray,
Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
"And the only proper attitude
Is down upon his knees."
"Nay, I should say the way to pray,
Said Reverend Dr. Wise,
"Is standing straight with outstretched arms
And rapt and upturned eyes."
"Oh, no, no, no," said Elder Snow;
"Such posture is too proud.
A man should pray with eyes fast closed
And head contritely bowed."
"It seems to me his hands should be
Austerely clasped in front.
With both thumbs pointing toward the ground,"

Said Reverend Dr. Hunt.

"Las' year I feel in Hodgkin's well
Head first," said Cyrus Brown,
"With both my heels a-striken' up,
My head a-p'inting down;
An' I made a prayer right then an' there;
Best prayer I ever said;
The prayingest prayer I ever prayed;
A-standin' on my head."

(Sam Walter Foss, "The Prayer of Cyrus Brown," in Stars to Steer by, ed. Louis Utermyer [New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1941], pp.301-2)

(3 Ne. 19:6)

6 And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did cause that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the earth, and should pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus.

Quote 1

At Conference Oct. 1973 Bishop H. Burke Peterson said:

As you feel the need to confide in the Lord or to improve the quality of your visits with him-to pray, if you please-may I suggest a process to follow: go where you can be alone, go where you can think, go where you can kneel, go where you can speak out loud to him. The bedroom, the bathroom, or the closet will do. Now, picture him in your mind's eye. Think to whom you are speaking, control your thoughts--don't let them wander, address him as your Father and your friend. Now tell him things you really feel to tell him-not trite phrases that have little meaning, but have a sincere, heartfelt conversation with him. Confide in him, ask him for forgiveness, plead with him, enjoy him, thank him, express your love to him, and then listen for his answers. Listening is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord come quietly-ever so quietly. In fact, few hear his answers audibly with their ears. We must be listening so carefully or we will never recognize them. Most answers from the Lord are felt in our heart as a warm comfortable expression, or they may come as thoughts to our mind. They come to those who are prepared and who are patient.

(1 Tim. 4:15)

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Quote 2

(David O. McKay - Man May Know For Himself, p. 22 - 23)

"I think we pay too little attention to the value of meditation, a principle of devotion. . . . Meditation is the language of the soul. It is defined as "a form of private devotion or spiritual exercise, consisting in deep, continued reflection on some religious theme. Meditation is a form of prayer. . . .

"Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord."

(Matt. 6:6)

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

(Alma 34:26)

26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

(Alma 34:21)

21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

(1 Thes. 5:17)

17 Pray without ceasing.

Quote 3

Boyd K. Packer said:

"When you have a problem, work it out in your mind first. Ponder on it and analyze it and meditate on it. Read the scriptures. Pray about it. . . .

"Ponder on things a little each day and don't always be in the crisis of making major decisions on the spur of the moment. . . .

"I have learned that the best time to wrestle with major problems is early in the morning. . . . The blackboard of your mind has been erased by a good night's rest. The accumulated distractions of the day are not in your way. Your body has been rested also. That's the time to think something through very carefully and to receive personal revelations" ("Self-reliance," Ensign, Aug. 1975, p. 88)

(Alma 37:37)

37 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.

Your Invited

Who: D&C 104:79

Why: D&C19:28

1 Thessalonians 5:18

James 1:5

Alma 34:27

How: 3 Nephi 19:6

1 Timothy 4:15

Where: Matthew 6:6

Alma 34:26

When: Alma 34:21

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Promise: Alma 37:37

(Wilford Woodruff, History of His Life and Labors, p. 530 - 531)

After his visit along the settlements up the Little Colorado Elder Woodruff returned to Brigham City, and later took up his abode in a shepherd's tent about twenty-five miles from Sunset. Here he wrote letters to President Taylor and others, and was especially thoughtful of Elder George Reynolds, then a prisoner in Lincoln, Nebraska, Elder Reynolds having been convicted of polygamy. It was here in this shepherd's tent that he felt the solemnities of eternity resting upon him and desired to know the mind and will of the Lord concerning the Apostles and the nation, and especially the purpose of the persecution against the Saints of God. On the 26th of January in his journal he says: "I went to bed filled with prayer and meditation. I fell asleep and remained in slumber until about midnight, when I awoke. The Lord then poured out His spirit upon me and opened the vision of my mind so that I could comprehend in a great measure the mind and will of God concerning the nation and concerning the inhabitants of Zion. I saw the wickedness of the nation, its abominations and corruptions and the judgments of God and the destruction that awaited it. Then I also comprehended the great responsibility which rested upon the Quorum of the Apostles. My head became a fountain of tears, and my pillow was wet with the dews of heaven. Sleep departed from me. The Lord revealed unto me the duty of the Apostles and of all the faithful elders of Israel. The revelation was submitted to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles just prior to the April conference of that year. It was accepted by that body as the word of the Lord, according to Elder Woodruff's journal, under date of April 4th, 1880.

( A LIGHT UNTO THE WORLD, p. 42 - 43)

In April 1996, following the Sunday sessions of general conference, we went home to watch a television program. We were concerned for President Hinckley, who was to appear on a nationwide television program. We knew of the importance of this appearance and what it would mean to us. We knew of the work and the hours of prayer and meditation and study that our prophet and leader had done in being prepared for this exposure, which would reach some 35 million people.

After that program was over, my heart was beating fast, and I felt it would burst. I was filled with joy and thanksgiving to the Lord for the way our prophet and our leader had handled the interrogation by one who had a reputation of attempting to ask questions that might be difficult to handle. What a joy it was for us to witness how our prophet and our leader had been blessed and magnified! As I watched his face on the television, I realized that a vast number of people were seeing what a prophet of God looked like: a kind, good, and handsome man, clean and intelligent. You could see the outstanding character, the personality of our prophet and leader. And then when the interrogator asked him, "Do you really believe that story that heavenly beings appeared to that young boy in that grove of trees? Do you really believe that to be true?" our prophet instantly said, "Of course I do. Isn't it great?"

Those words have been ringing through my ears ever since that happened: "Of course I do. Isn't it great?" He made that pronouncement with such confidence and with that wonderful personality he has, declaring it to all of the world. Since that time, missionary activity in the United States in the areas where people who heard that program reside has picked up, and member activity has picked up, too. More people have become interested in the Church because they have seen a living prophet in the flesh stand before that immense audience and declare to the world, "Of course I do. Isn't it great?" We hope and pray that the missionaries throughout the world have that same feeling and that same understanding and that same determination-- to want to so declare this message of hope and salvation and eternal life to all the world.

(Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 492)

The question of extending the blessings of the priesthood to blacks had been on the minds of many of the Brethren over a period of years. It had repeatedly been brought up by Presidents of the Church. It had become a matter of particular concern to President Spencer W. Kimball.

Over a considerable period of time he had prayed concerning this serious and difficult question. He had spent many hours in that upper room in the temple by himself in prayer and meditation.

On this occasion he raised the question before his Brethren-- his counselors and the Apostles. Following this discussion we joined in prayer in the most sacred of circumstances. President Kimball himself was voice in that prayer. I do not recall the exact words that he spoke. But I do recall my own feelings and the nature of the expressions of my Brethren. There was a hallowed and sanctified atmosphere in the room. For me, it felt as if a conduit opened between the heavenly throne and the kneeling, pleading prophet of God who was joined by his Brethren. The Spirit of God was there. And by the power of the Holy Ghost there came to that prophet an assurance that the thing for which he prayed was right, that the time had come, and that now the wondrous blessings of the priesthood should be extended to worthy men everywhere regardless of lineage.

Every man in that circle, by the power of the Holy Ghost, knew the same thing.

It was a quiet and sublime occasion.

There was not the sound "as of a rushing mighty wind," there were not "cloven tongues like as of fire" (Acts 2:2-3) as there had been on the Day of Pentecost. But there was a Pentecostal spirit, for the Holy Ghost was there.

No voice audible to our physical ears was heard. But the voice of the Spirit whispered with a certainty into our minds and our very souls.

It was for us, at least for me personally, as I imagine it was with Enos, who said concerning his remarkable experience, "And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind." (Enos 1:10.)

So it was on that memorable June 1, 1978. We left that meeting subdued and reverent and joyful. Not one of us who was present on that occasion was ever quite the same after that. Nor has the Church been quite the same. ("Priesthood Restoration," Ensign, October 1988, pp. 69-70.)

(ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, p. 78)

While serving another sister in the temple, someone who didn't have my privileges during her lifetime, I have time for solitude, private prayer, and meditation. I have time to listen and to contemplate the steps I can take, those steps that are right for me. The Lord often shows me how to effectively make choices between right and wrong-- and between right and right. He blesses me to see what is essential and what is secondary. I feel comforted regarding my discouragements, and I am able to see those moments as merely messages guiding me back toward my own individual divine destiny. If the Lord in his love and graciousness does that for me, I bear you my testimony that he will also do that for you!