Talk in church

Disclaimer and note: I got to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting today. The bishopric gave out topics about 6-8 months ago, so the talk has been prepared for quite some time. The other speaker went first and talked for half an hour. Then I gave my 7-8 minute talk. So it worked out perfectly and we ended on time. You don't have to read this if you don't want to, and I won't be offended one bit. I just thought parents might be interested since they couldn't hear the talk.

Prayer
24 January 2010

I. Introduction
When I was a teenager, we were on a family trip visiting my grandparents in Salt Lake City. One morning I lost a contact lens. Frantically I started to search and soon enlisted the help of my whole family. After a few minutes of no one finding the lens, I decided to say a silent prayer for help. When I finished my prayer I happened to look over at my father and saw that he was also saying a prayer.
Right after that we found the lost contact lens.
This morning I want to share my testimony of prayer. Specifically, I want to focus on ways we can help others, especially children, develop their own testimonies of prayer.
I know only about half of you have children in your home now, but I hope something I say will benefit you, or help you reflect on the blessings we receive through prayer. Also in choosing this focus, I hope to learn something that will help our children and family.
In the April 2009 General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson said, “Prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace. Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us. Speak to Him in prayer and then listen for the answer. Miracles are wrought through prayer.”
II. The Power of Example
The event I related about my lost contact lens illustrates my first point. First, if we want others to learn to pray, we need to pray ourselves. We need to be good examples. I knew my father prayed because I saw him pray.
Elder Russell M. Nelson said, “The practice of Church members is to kneel in family prayer each morning and evening, plus having daily personal prayers and blessings on our food.” However, merely telling our children to pray at these times isn’t sufficient. They need to know we pray. They need to know we talk with our Heavenly Father often and about many different subjects.
Speaking in the October 2000 General Conference, Elder Henry B. Eyring said, “Parents should teach their children to pray. The child learns both from what the parents do and what they say. The child who sees a mother or a father pass through the trials of life with fervent prayer to God and then hears a sincere testimony that God answered in kindness will remember what they saw and heard. When their trials come, they will be prepared.”
One of my mother’s friends told about how her teenagers once asked her why she never went to the temple. At this time, she was probably attending the temple once a week; however, she did so when the children were in school. Since her children never saw her go, they assumed she did not go. She began to attend the temple also in the evenings so her children would know. In like manner, if our children never see us praying—personal prayers, for example—they may assume we don’t pray, despite what we may say to them.
III. Provide Prayer Opportunities
My second point is that part of our teaching about prayer involves providing opportunities to pray. This can start with taking turns saying blessings on the food or saying family prayer. Perhaps, even more importantly, we can help them learn what Almulek taught, as recorded in Alma 34: 17-27. We should pray in our homes and in our places of work or other locations. We should pray about our families in the morning, mid-day, and evening; about the things we are doing; and as a protection against evil.
One way to do this is to involve the children in prayers for others. My sister’s youngest boy was born with only half of his heart. At critical moments and before each of his open-heart surgeries, the extended family has been especially diligent in prayers and fasting. The boy is now two years old and doing well. Our children know about these prayers and will often pray for their cousin in their personal prayers.
A few months ago the heavy-duty lock on our shed broke. We could not get the key to work, and I was getting discouraged thinking about having to take off the doors or do something equally drastic to get inside the shed. We left the shed locked for a week until Kirk had time to look at the lock and could buy a replacement. Every so often, I would try the key, but the lock was frozen shut. On a Saturday I returned home from running errands to find the shed had been opened and a new lock was in place. I asked how it was done. Kirk said he got the boys and asked them to say a prayer; he then tried the key and the lock opened. We said a prayer of thanks as a family.
IV. Express Gratitude and Share Testimonies
That brings me to my third point. We need to express gratitude for the answers we receive to our prayers. We need to point out to our children the times when our prayers have been answered and share our testimonies. This can be as simple as saying, “Wasn’t that wonderful that Heavenly Father helped Daddy get inside the shed? Let’s remember to say ‘thank you’ in our prayers.”
Over the summer we were driving home from swimming lessons and I was waiting at a light to cross 900 East. For some reason I was distracted and didn’t notice when the light changed green. About the time I looked and realized I could go, a car came racing down 900 East at 40 or 50 mph and ran the red light. We missed being broadsided by that car. When we got home, still a bit shaken, I reminded the children we had prayed for safety that morning and that Heavenly Father had helped us be safe. We said a prayer of gratitude.
In my family, my father has written down many of his experiences with answers to prayers and these have been shared with all of his children. A few months ago we asked Kirk's parents to write down and mail to us some of their experiences. These written testimonies of prayer become a way to build faith in our families.
V. Teach Aspects of Prayer: Work, Different Ways of Receiving Answers
Finally, we need to teach the different aspects of prayer, such as the importance of work as part of prayer, the different ways we may receive answers, or the different answers we may receive. Our children are still quite young, so we don’t have that much experience teaching some of these things to them. We have been able to tell them, “No, Heavenly Father did not tell you to hit your brother. He won’t ever tell you to do something bad.” But, that’s about the level we are at right now.
Each of these facets of prayer can be a talk in and of themselves.
As we do these things we should remember to be consistent. Speaking about family prayer and other related activities, Elder David A. Bednar said, “Our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results.”
Personally, of course, I’ve learned that along with fervent prayers, I must work as hard as I can. Then, if it has been the Lord’s will, I have seen amazing miracles in my life and the lives of those around me. I’ve had instant answers to prayers, answers that have come while I was praying, as well as answers to prayers that have come 10 years after the initial prayer. I’ve also had an interesting experience recently when I was guided in a choice between two good options—one just happened to be better for my family and me. I’ve learned that through prayer, the Lord can heal our hearts and help us in our responsibilities.
VI. Conclusion
Alma taught, “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.” (Alma 37:37)
My prayer is that we will all be “lifted up at the last day” with our families as we pray and teach others the power of prayer. We can do this as we lead by example, provide opportunities for experiences with prayer, express our gratitude for answers and our testimonies of prayer, and teach the different aspects involved in this holy communication with our Father in Heaven.
I know that prayer is a form of work, and as such, we may struggle and occasionally fall short in our attempts to help others gain testimonies of prayer. But, as Elder Eyring said, “Our Heavenly Father answers the pleadings of faithful parents to know how to teach their children to pray.”
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.