Daily prayer during your mortal life is essential in order to return to the presence of Heavenly Father after death and to become a god yourself. Prayer is a heartfelt, sincere talk with Heavenly Father. We are commanded to pray in the morning and in the evening, while on our own, and while gathered together with our families. We must pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
In our prayers, we should confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. We should thank Heavenly Father for all our blessings, and express our love toward him. We should pray for strength to resist Satan and his angels, and for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. We should pray for all people, both friends and enemies. We should pray for our flocks, herds, fields, and crops. We should always ask that Heavenly Father's will be done, remembering that he knows better than we do what is best for us.
You can pray any time you feel a need to communicate with Heavenly Father. It can be a prayer spoken out loud or thought in silence. You can pray while going about your daily activities, walking down a street, preparing a meal, or no matter what you are doing, day or night. At times you may feel angry or discouraged and not feel like praying, but it is at these times you should make an extra effort to pray.
Sources:
• Gospel Principles, (2011), 34–38
Remember that prayer is a two-way communication, so be sure to take time to listen after you pray. God communicates to people in a variety of ways—through visions, dreams, angels, or a voice from heaven—but most often through the Holy Ghost. Be assured, Heavenly Father answers all sincere prayers. Some answers come quickly and others take longer. If you have not maintained your worthiness, you may be ineligible to receive the quiet promptings from the Holy Ghost in answer to your prayers.
Sometimes our prayers are answered through other people. For example, there was once a young woman who was new to a neighborhood, and her baby became injured in an accident at home. She had no way to get the baby to a doctor, but minutes later a neighbor came to her door and said, "I had a feeling that I should come over and see if you needed any help." The neighbor rushed the baby to a doctor.
Sources:
• Gospel Principles, (2011), 34–38
Sometimes the answer to our prayers is “yes”, sometimes it is "wait a while", and other times it is “no”, because what we prayed for is not what is best for us. Our rejected prayers tells us much about ourselves, and also tell us much about the flawlessness of Heavenly Father.
Sources:
• Gospel Principles, (2011), 34–38
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