December 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

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prayed that each of my children would have an experience
by which they might know the reality of their Eternal
Father’s love. The answers have come in different ways for
each child, but there is a similarity in the life-changing
power that these experiences produce. As children continue
to call upon their Father, a confident humility, born of
a sense of their kinship with Deity, begins to grow in them.
They are kinder to one another as they see how God has
been kind to them. They are more willing to seek out and
follow His counsel, knowing it will come.
I have noticed my children more
drawn to the truths of the scriptures,
sensing that many answers to present
and future prayers are recorded there.
The things of the world seem to appear
less attractive to them, dimmed by the
light of the reality of a personal God
who is aware of them. Moses experienced
this life-transforming reality
when the Lord spoke to him face-toface,
calling him “my son” (Moses 1:6).
When Lucifer later tempted the prophet, he replied, “I will
not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire
of him: for his glory has been upon me, wherefore I can
judge between him and thee. Depart hence, Satan” (Moses
1:18).
When we are recipients of anyone’s compassion, especially
that of our Heavenly Father, we experience a refinement
and softening of our character. In the first chapter of
Ether, the brother of Jared offered three recorded prayers,
each of which was granted. In every case we read that the
Lord “had compassion” (Ether 1:35, 37, 40) upon Jared
and his family or friends. It is critical as we seek our Father
in Heaven that we understand that we address a being
who is filled with compassion.
Taking Time to Ponder
Before he went into the Sacred Grove, the Prophet
Joseph Smith’s “mind was called up to serious reflection”
(Joseph Smith—History 1:8). I believe our Heavenly Father
Before he went into
the Sacred Grove, the
Prophet Joseph Smith’s
“mind was called up to serious
reflection.” I believe our
Heavenly Father anticipates that
we will reflect seriously about
the concerns we bring to him.
anticipates that we will reflect seriously about the concerns
we bring to Him. This lesson was taught to the brother of
Jared when the Lord asked him to ponder the problem of
light in the barges (see Ether 2:22–25; 3:1–6; 6:2–3).
Sometimes when I pray, I can imagine the Lord saying,
“What do you think about the matter?” There is something
very humbling in knowing He really does care what we
think. Perhaps this is what Alma meant when he taught his
son Helaman to “counsel with the Lord in all thy doings,
and he will direct thee for good” (Alma 37:37; emphasis
added). Serious reflection allows me
to bring something to our counseling
session when I approach my Father
in prayer.
The Prophet Joseph Smith also indicated
that his feelings “were deep and
often poignant” (Joseph Smith—
History 1:8). I am impressed by the
word deep. It is used elsewhere in the
scriptures to describe a certain hunger
for communication with God. Enos
said that “the words . . . concerning eternal life, and the
joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.
“And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my
Maker” (Enos 1:3–4; emphasis added).
The Prophet Joseph Smith tells us that when he knelt
down in the Sacred Grove he “began to offer up the desires
of [his] heart to God” (Joseph Smith—History 1:15). The 12
chosen Nephite disciples “did not multiply many words, . . .
and they were filled with desire” (3 Nephi 19:24). Speaking
to the Lord, the brother of Jared observed “that from thee
we may receive according to our desires” (Ether 3:2). We
sing “prayer is the soul’s sincere desire” (Hymns, no. 145).
It seems almost self-evident that we should offer God our
desires, but occasionally, for various reasons, we may find
ourselves hesitating to express our deepest feelings.
Trusting in the Lord’s Wisdom
Of course, not all of our petitions are granted, for we
also address a God of wisdom. Jesus introduced the Lord’s