What Can We Learn from the Israelites’ Experience?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Exodus 14-18 in a lesson titled “Stand Still, and See the Salvation of the Lord.” The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

The Israelites were trapped. The Red Sea was on one side, and the army of Pharaoh was advancing on the other. Their escape from Egypt, it seemed, would be short lived. But God had a message for the Israelites that He wanted them to remember for generations: “Fear ye not. … The Lord shall fight for you” (Exodus 14:13-14).

Since that time, when God’s people have needed faith and courage, they have told this story. When Nephi wanted to inspire his brothers, he said, “Let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground” (1 Nephi 4:2). When King Limhi wanted his captive people to “lift up [their] heads, and rejoice,” he reminded them of this same story (Mosiah 7:19). So did Alma, when he wanted to testify to his son of God’s power (see Alma 36:28). And when we feel trapped—when we need a little more faith to “see the salvation of the Lord”—we can remember how “the Lord saved Israel that day” (Exodus 14:13, 30).

The scripture block teaches several principles, including (1) The Lord can do a “great work” in my life (Exodus 14; 15:1-21); (2) The Lord can make bitter things sweet (Exodus 15:22-27; 16:1-15; 17:1-7); (3) The Lord offers me daily spiritual nourishment (Exodus 16); (4) Jesus Christ is my spiritual rock and living water (Exodus 17:1-7). This essay will discuss principle 3 concerning daily spiritual nourishment.

The Lord offers each of us daily spiritual nourishment. Just as we need daily food to nourish our bodies, we also need daily spiritual food to nourish our spirits. Yes, the Israelites needed food as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years, and manna provided that nourishment. However, manna provided an important spiritual lesson.

The Lord provided manna every single day except on Sunday. To make sure that the Israelites had food on Sunday, He sent twice as much manna to them on Saturday and told them to gather for two days. The experience was given to teach the Israelites the importance of relying on God.

The Israelites’ experience with manna is a lesson for us also. There are things that he has given to us that we should “eat” every single day. Two of those things are personal prayer and scripture study. As we are obedient to offer daily prayers and to study scriptures daily, we can gather enough spiritual food to sustain during that day. As we live one day at a time by eating of the spiritual manna, we will grow closer to Christ and more like Him.

Some videos that help to teach this principle are: “Daily Bread: Pattern;” “Daily Bread: Experience;” "Daily Bread: Change;" "Daily Restoration.” 

Prayer

                Prayer is the act of speaking to Heavenly Father, and sincere prayer is one of God’s greatest blessings to His children.  Prayer is the act of “calling home,” the act of a child speaking to a Parent.  The Savior taught the Nephites “Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” (Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 3 Nephi 18:19). 

                Prayer has always been a part of the gospel since the time of Adam when an angel of God commanded Adam and Eve to repent and call upon God in the name of the Son (see Pearl of Great Price, Moses 5:8).  God has never taken this commandment away because He desires to hear from His children.  Prayer has a great influence on our thoughts, words, and actions.

                There are many reasons why we should pray.  (1) To be obedient to God’s commandment, (2) to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, (3) to gain strength to overcome temptations, (4) to ask for guidance and help in our daily lives, (5) to ask for blessings for ourselves, our families, our friends, (6) to ask for protection from our enemies, (7) to ask for success in our work or crops, (8) to express our love to our Heavenly Father, (9) to express gratitude for blessings, and (10) to ask for help in staying on the straight and narrow path back to his presence.

                We can pray whenever we feel the need and will never receive a “busy signal” or be put on “hold.”  We can pray vocally or silently.  We can pray as individuals, families, or larger groups. We can pray during any activity.  We can pray to ask a blessing on our food that it will be nourishing.  We can pray in our hearts and keep a prayer there continually.  We should pray individually every morning and every night and with our family morning and night.  

                We can pray in any position – standing, sitting, kneeling, or lying down.  The important thing is that we pray with a sincere heart and with real intent, having faith that our prayer will be answered.  Heavenly Father already knows everything that is happening in our lives, but He desires that we express our feelings and thoughts to Him.  We do not need to “multiply” our words but can keep our prayers very simple.

                We should address our Father with respect:  “Our Father in Heaven.”  Then we should express gratitude for the many blessings He gives to us and ask Him for what we need.  We should always ask that His will be done and always close our prayers “in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

                We can expect an answer to our prayers if we pray sincerely, but we may not receive the answer we desire.  God always answers sincere prayers:  sometimes He says “no,” sometimes He says “yes,” and sometimes He says “not yet.”  He may tell us “no” because what we ask for is not good for us.  The Lord will always answer our prayers at the time and in a way that He knows will help us the most.  If the answer is “yes,” we will probably have a warm, comfortable feeling; if it is “no,” we will continue to question or doubt.

                Sometimes the answer to our prayers comes through another person.  The Lord can inspire anyone to perform a kind act that will in reality be an answer to a prayer.  Someone may pray for help, and another person feels the need to check on the person or at the house.  Sometimes an answer to prayer comes from a talk at church or the words spoken by family, friends or neighbors. 

                The Lord has promised, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee b the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers” (Doctrine and Covenants 112:10).

                I know God answers prayers because He answers my prayers.  I pray numerous times each day, either to ask for help for myself or others or to express gratitude for my many blessings.  I would be totally lost and inadequate in my duties if I could not commune with my Father in Heaven. 

Power of Personal Prayer

Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.  There is real power in communicating our wants and needs to God.  The story of Daniel in the lions' den bears testimony that regular and sincere personal prayer brings blessings from God.

                    Daniel was a young man of Jerusalem who depended on the Lord to guide him.  When his country was invaded, he was among those taken captive by the Babylonian conquerors.  The kings of Babylon gained confidence in Daniel because of his great wisdom, and he continued to be in favor among the Persians when they conquered Babylon.  Darius, the Persian king who ruled over Babylon, gave Daniel a prominent position in the kingdom's government.

                    The Persian princes resented having Daniel, a Hebrew captive, rule over them; therefore, they worked out a plan to remove Daniel.  Knowing that Daniel prayed faithfully, they wrote a rule that for 30 days anyone making a request to anyone but the king should be cast into a den of lions.  They took it to King Darius and tricked him into signing the decree and making it an unchangeable law.

                    Daniel knew about the new law, but he trusted the Lord and continued to pray as he had done before.  The princes then ran to the king, saying, "Daniel … regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition [to his God] three times a day" (Daniel 6:13).

                    When Darius saw that he had been tricked, he tried to save Daniel.  But the law was unchangeable, so Daniel was thrown into a den of lions.  The king spent the night fasting.   Early the next morning the king went to the den of lions and called out, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"  (Daniel 6:20).

                    Daniel replied, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me" (Daniel 6:22).

                    Daniel was released immediately.  Then King Darius made a law that all the people should respect the God of Daniel.  Darius declared:  "He is the living God.  … He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth" (Daniel 6:26-27).

                    Prayer was so important to Daniel that he continued to pray, even though he could have been killed, and he was blessed for doing so.  Daniel's experience is one of many in the scriptures.  These stories show us that God will deliver us from our bondages if we keep His commandments - one of which is to pray often.

                    The Savior gave us a true pattern of prayer as well as clear instructions of how to pray when He taught the Lord's Prayer.

                    Matthew 6:9:  "After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."  (The Savior showed us that we should address all our prayers to Heavenly Father.  He also taught us to show reverence for Heavenly Father when He said "hallowed [holy] be thy name.")

                    Matthew 6:10:  "Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."  (The Savior demonstrated His willingness to accept Heavenly Father's will.)

                    Matthew 6:11:  "Give us this day our daily bread."  (The Savior taught us that we should pray daily for blessings we need, not for luxuries.  Our Heavenly Father, who knows our needs, will bless us according.)

                    Matthew 6:12:  "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."  (We should always pray with a repentant attitude.  We must forgive others to be able to receive forgiveness ourselves.)

                    Matthew 6:13:  "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen."  (In the Joseph Smith Translation of this verse, the Savior says, "Suffer [allow] us not to be led into temptation."  Heavenly Father does not tempt us to sin, but He does help us avoid falling into sin.)

                    When Jesus Christ visited the Nephites on the American continent, He told them to always ask for guidance and help to avoid falling into sin: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him.

                    "And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name.  Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

                    "And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, he turned again unto the multitude and said unto them:

                    "Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat."  (See Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 3 Nephi 18:15-18.)

We should also express gratitude when we pray and show our gratitude through the way we live. 

Our attitude determines our gratitude.  Do we consider the opportunity to pray as a burden or as a privilege?  Do we express gratitude for things that we are truly grateful for or do we simply repeat the same things that others have said?

A Book of Mormon prophet named Moroni taught, "And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such" (Moroni 7:9).   When we pray "with real intent of heart," we are sincere in thanking Heavenly Father for our blessings as well as asking him to bless ourselves and others.  We would be wise to evaluate our personal prayers by silently asking ourselves, "Do I pray with real intent?"

                    People often feel that they are so sinful that they are unworthy to pray or that Heavenly Father doesn't want to hear from them.  I am comforted by the words of Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:  "[God] is your Father; pray to him.  If your life is in disarray and you feel uncomfortable and unworthy to pray because you are not clean, don't worry.  He already knows about all of that.  He is waiting for you to kneel in humility and take the first few steps.  Pray for strength.  Pray for others to be led to support you and guide you and lift you.  Pray that the love of the Savior will pour into your heart.  Pray that the miracle of the Atonement will bring forgiveness because you are willing to change.  I know that those prayers will be answered, for God loves you.  His Son gave his life for you.  I know they will help you."  (See Ensign, Nov. 1988, 77.)

                    Another Book of Mormon prophet named Nephi gave the following counsel:  "And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that you ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing.  For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.

"But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any

thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."  (See 2 Nephi 32:8-9.)

                    Nephi said that it is Satan that makes us feel unworthy to pray to Heavenly Father.  Satan is miserable, and he wants all of us to be miserable with him.  He understands that prayer will move us further from him and closer to Heavenly Father.

                    Amulek, a missionary in the Book of Mormon, taught that it was important to pray over temporal matters as well as spiritual matters:    "Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

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

                    "Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

                    "Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

                    "Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

                    "Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

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

                    "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."  (See Alma 34:20-27.)

                    The words "cry unto the Lord" refer to our prayers to Heavenly Father.  Amulek taught that we should pray about all the areas of our lives.  After we ask Heavenly Father to bless us, we should then do all in our power to bring those blessings into our lives.

I know that Heavenly Father always hears our prayers - even about small things and even if we feel unworthy.

Heavenly Father answers our prayers as shown in the following story about a girl named Stacey who accepted a request to baby-sit for a family she did not know.  She was comfortable with the situation while she was caring for the children, but she grew uneasy when the children had gone to sleep and she was basically alone in the house.  The creaks of an unfamiliar house and the sound of fighting neighbors made her too frightened to sleep.  When she remembered her experience later, she said:

                    "The thought came to my mind that my father, who was a fireman, might still be awake and that I could call him on his private line at the station.  Within seconds my father was on the phone speaking to me with a comforting voice.  He suggested that I lie down on the couch and try to rest.  I fought his counsel, telling him over and over again that I was too afraid to ever rest in that environment.

                    "My father calmed my fears with a promise that he would stay on the line and not hang up.  I did lie down and rest.  However, I awoke with a bolt of fear several times during the following two hours, each time calling, `Dad, are you there?'  And every time my father was there, still holding on the line, never leaving me alone."

                    "I continue to find that life can be scary and uncertain.  …  The lesson in faith and trust [my father] taught me on that night years ago still comforts me.  Now, when I need comfort and reassurance, I pray to my Heavenly Father, `Father, are you there?'  And I am comforted, knowing that he loves me and is still on the line, aware of my situation and `a very present help in trouble' (Ps. 46:1)."  (See Stacey Child Weeks, "Dad, Are You There?" Ensign, June 1996, 53.)

                    Stacey's communication with her earthly father is very much like that which we can have with our Heavenly Father.  He is always there and ready to help.  When we are all alone with no one to call, we can always pray and be assured that God hears our pleas!

Elder Richard G. Scott taught, "Talk to your Father in Heaven.  He hears every prayer and answers it in His way.  When we explain a problem and a proposed solution, sometimes He answers yes, sometimes no.  Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves us - perfectly.  He wants us to apply truths He has given us.  For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions.  We need to do what we feel is right.  In time, He will answer.  He will not fail us."  (See Ensign, Nov. 1989, 31.)

Heavenly Father has answered many of my prayers.  Sometimes the answer is "yes," sometimes the answer is "no," and sometimes the answer is "not yet."  Sometimes I am not sure what the answer is except the sure knowledge that my Heavenly Father loves me.  The language of prayer is individual because God answers our prayers in a way personal to each of us. 

My husband and I recently made a trip to Utah to help his sister who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  I wanted to include a visit with two daughters in another part of the country, but I never received a "yes" answer.  I was disappointed that I could not visit all of my children that live out of Alaska in one trip, but I knew that the Lord knew the situation much better than I did.  I put my trust in Him and bought the tickets.  As it turned out, my sister-in-law needed us to be in Utah for the entire length of time as the business we were doing was completed one day previous to our return to Alaska.  Because I was able to tap into the knowledge of God, my husband and I were able to successfully serve his sister in the ways that she needed.

                    President Spencer W. Kimball said, "God does notice us, and he watches over us.  But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs."  (See "Small Acts of Service," Ensign, Dec. 1974, 5.)

                    We must be willing to do more than ask Heavenly Father to bless others because He often answers prayers in behalf of others by inspiring us to serve.  When we feel a prompting to help someone, we should be willing to follow it.  I felt strongly that my husband and I needed to go to Utah to help his sister even though I didn't have any idea what she needed us to do.  I know that we were a blessing in her life whether or not she was asking for one.     I am very grateful that I have established a regular pattern of personal prayer, and I encourage you to do the same.  There is great power in personal prayer!

                       

Communication with God

When Heavenly Father sent each of us to earth, it was as though He were sending us off to college. Just as I would never send my children away without a means of communicating with them, Heavenly Father did not leave us alone. The opportunity to talk with Heavenly Father through prayer is one of the greatest blessings we have while here on earth. Just as loving earthly parents listen to their sons and daughters, Heavenly Father listens to our prayers.

"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matthew 7:7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings" (Bible Dictionary, 752-753).

Prayer is a sincere, heartfelt talk with our Heavenly Father. Prayer can be compared with visiting with a loved one on the telephone. There are many reasons why we should pray. The most important reason is to be obedient to a commandment given to Adam and Eve and never rescinded. They were told by an angel of God to call upon God in the name of the Son (Moses 5:8). We should pray for guidance and help in our lives and for family, friends, neighbors, homes and properties, our work and daily activities. We should pray for protection from our enemies and for strength to resist the temptations of Satan. We should pray to express our love to Heavenly Father and to feel closer to Him. Prayer will help us grow closer to God because it influences all of our thoughts, words, and actions. We should pray to thank Him for our many blessings and to confess our sins.

We should pray when we want to talk with Heavenly Father - and even more when we don't feel like praying. We can pray silently or vocally, alone or with others. We can pray at any time whether day or night. We can pray kneeling or standing or in any other position when needed. We should pray individually every morning and every night as well as with our families every morning and every night. We should also give thanks for and ask a blessing upon the food that we eat.

We should tell Heavenly Father what we really feel in our hearts, confide in Him, thank Him, ask Him for forgiveness, and tell Him that we love Him. We should always ask that His will be done. We should begin our prayer by addressing Heavenly Father, thank Him for blessings received, ask for needed blessings, and close in the name of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father answers every sincere prayer at a time and in a way that God knows will be best for us. When the answer is yes, we receive a warm, comfortable feeling about what we should do. When the answer is no, we continue to feel confused or unsure about the proposed action. Sometimes the answer is "not yet" or "wait awhile." At those times we need to exercise our patience. Sometimes prayers are answered with an idea of what we can do. At other times, the answer may come through another person.

I am very grateful to know that I have a Father in Heaven who hears my simple and sincere cries for help and gives me the necessary guidance, comfort, and help.

Humility and Prayer

Families are strengthened when individual members walk in humility and prayer because doing so invites the power of God into their lives. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of humility and prayer. He said, "I can of my own self do nothing…. I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5:30). He freely admitted that His strength came from Heavenly Father. Humility is not a sign of weakness or fear because a person can be both humble and fearless or humble and courageous. Humility is a grateful acknowledgment of the blessings from God and of a person's need for God's support. "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers" (Doctrine and Covenants 112:10). Prayer is the formal or informal act of communicating with God and is the act of a child speaking with a Parent. The Bible Dictionary explains, "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matthew 7:7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings" (pp 752-753). President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, "There is no place for arrogance in our lives, no place for conceit, no place for anything of that kind. We are very ordinary people in many respects. We must walk our own way. We are here to do a work, to make something of our lives, and God our Eternal Father will bless us in so doing if we will walk in humility and prayer" (Stand A Little Taller, p 363). Humility and prayer as individuals and as groups give added strength to families.

Change

Are you concerned about the direction our nation is headed? Do you want to make a difference? The best way to change the conditions in a home, community or nation is to change a person. Human beings have little ability to change other people, but we have great power to change ourselves. Allow me to suggest a few actions for changing yourself and thus changing our nation. 1) Pray once a day on your knees. Pray for protection for our nation. Pray for our leaders to make wise decisions. Pray for yourself and your family. 2) Tell the truth because the truth will make you free. 3) Do something nice everyday for every member of your family. I can promise you that you will be changed by doing these three things every day for three weeks and that greater changes will take place as you continue doing them.

Fasting

God's people from the time of Adam have fasted in order to draw nearer to God as well as to worship Him. Jesus Christ indicated the importance of fasting by His personal example. (See Luke 4:1-4.) God still expects His people to fast and pray often as shown through latter-day revelation. (See Doctrine and Covenants 88:76.) Fasting means to go without food and drink, and an occasional fast is good for the body and invigorates the mind. I once worked with a woman who "fasted" once each week in order to cleanse her body. She understood that fasting helped her physical body, but she did not understand that fasting could also benefit her spiritually. A purposeful fast is more than simply going without food and drink; it also includes a need to concentrate on spiritual things. Going without food or drink is simply starving our bodies. In order to benefit the whole soul, fasting must be accompanied by sincere prayer. Each fasting period should start and end with prayer. To make the fast even more beneficial, it should have a purpose. Fasting accompanied by sincere prayer can be used to overcome weaknesses and to solve problems. We can fast and pray for help or guidance for ourselves or for others who may be ill, injured, or otherwise in need of a blessing. Fasting can help us know the truth, become more humble and feel closer to Heavenly Father. It can also bring comfort in times of sorrow and mourning. (See Mosiah 27:22-23 and Alma 28:4-6.) We should be cheerful when we fast. We should not advertise the fact that we are fasting to others nor fast to impress others. (See Matthew 6:16-18.) Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints observe a day of fast one Sunday each month. We neither eat nor drink for two consecutive meals, meaning that we fast for a period of twenty-four hours. This means that if we eat dinner on Saturday evening, we would not eat again until the evening meal on Sunday. The fast day is a special day to help us become more humble, to ask for forgiveness from our sins, and for the power to overcome faults and forgive others. All members who are physically able to fast should do so. Little children, pregnant and nursing women, and members who are ill are not expected to fast. Children should be encouraged but not forced to fast after they are baptized at age eight or older. On fast Sunday, members meet together in fast and testimony meeting to partake of the sacrament and to strengthen ourselves and each other by bearing testimony. Fast day is also a day to help others by donating through the proper priesthood authority the money that would have been spent for food. We have been asked to give as generously as we can because the fast offerings are the Lord's way to administer to the needs or less fortunate members of the Church. An Old Testament prophet named Isaiah wrote about the Lord's rich promises to those who fast and help the needy. He wrote of promised peace, improved health, and spiritual guidance: "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am" (Isaiah 58:8-9). I know by personal experience that fasting brings many blessings. It improves our lives, gives us increased strength, and helps us to live other principles of the gospel by drawing us closer to God. It helps us improve our character as we learn to control our appetites and passions. Fasting helps us to prove to ourselves that we have self-control. Children can learn to develop spiritual strength if we teach them to observe a proper fast. Wise and prayerful fasting helps us develop faith, and increased faith brings greater spiritual power. The Savior promised that proper fasting brings blessings from God: "Thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:18).

Attack on Prayer

Prayer is being attacked once again. Officials from Senior Citizens Inc. announced recently that open prayer could not be said on the food at the Ed young Senior Citizens Center in Port Wentworth, Georgia, because the food there was mostly covered by the federal government. Saying the blessing on the food would usher in the burden of separation of church and state. Instead of asking the usual open prayer on their food, senior citizens will be given a moment of silence during which they may offer their own personal - and silent - prayer. This is just another example of how freedoms for many people are destroyed in the name of being tolerant of the wishes of a few other people. The people who continue to belief that there is a wall between church and state do not understand the First Amendment. The Founders set up a government where the citizens had freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.

National Day of Prayer

This land was discovered by Christopher Columbus and founded by many other great men, all or at least most of whom were Christians who prayed. Since the days of George Washington, Presidents have encouraged the citizens of the United States of America to pray. Abraham Lincoln asked for a "day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer" during the Civil War. Franklin D. Roosevelt led a prayer on radio on the evening of D-Day, 1944. He asked all Americans to join him in asking God to help the Allied troops to succeed. Lyndon B. Johnson requested that the nation pray following the death of John F. Kennedy. Gerald R. Ford asked Americans to "confirm me as your president with your prayers" when he assumed the office of President after Richard M. Nixon resigned. It is a natural thing for Americans to pray. Congress established a national day of prayer in 1952. In 1988 Congress designated the first Thursday in May as the official day to hold a national day of prayer as proclaimed by the President. Many cities and states also commemorated this day as a day for prayer. Two years ago the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit against the federal government with the charge that the day violated the separation of church and state. United States District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled in Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday, April 15, 2010, that a National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional because it would be like a call for religious action and violates the First Amendment. Judge Crabb, a Jimmy Carter appointee, ruled that the government cannot enact laws supporting a day of prayer because it would be the same thing as encouraging Americans to fast during Ramadan or attending a synagogue or practicing magic. This case is apparently on its way to another court for appeal. It is apparent that neither the Freedom From Religion Foundation nor Judge Crabb understands the meaning of the First Amendment, which states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; …" The writings of the Founders witness that this amendment was written to stop the federal government from forcing citizens to belong to a particular church and to keep the federal government from favoring any one church. How can a simple request to pray together as a nation be such a bad thing? I fail to see how it would violate anyone's rights or hurt anyone. Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist or agnostic could still choose whether or not to pray and to which god to direct their prayers. The National Day of Prayer carries no mandates or penalties and includes all religions. Anyone not believing in God or a higher power could simply observe a moment of silence or just ignore the designation. I do not understand how Congress can mandate that we buy health insurances and encourage us to stop smoking, exercise more, eat healthier foods, get immunizations, etc. if a simple day of prayer violates rights. I believe that we should hold our national day of prayer on May 6, whether or not it is officially designated as a National Day of Prayer. I believe that we should include prayers for Judge Crabb and the members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation as well as the leaders of our nation. The United States of America is a great nation, but there is only one way that it can stay great. For this nation to prosper and to stay powerful, the citizens and leaders of this country must turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no better way to turn to the Lord than to join in an official or unofficial day of prayer on May 6. Please join me in praying for the United States of America everyday but especially on May 6, 2010.

Prayer

"As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matthew 7:7-11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings" (Bible Dictionary, 752-753). Prayer is a sincere, heartfelt talk with our Heavenly Father. It is one of the greatest blessings we have in this life. It can be compared with visiting with a loved one on the telephone. There are many reasons why we should pray. The most important reason is to be obedient to a commandment given to Adam and Eve and never rescinded. They were told by an angel of God to call upon God in the name of the Son (Moses 5:8). We should pray for guidance and help in our lives and for family, friends, neighbors, homes and properties, our work and daily activities. We should pray for protection from our enemies and for strength to resist the temptations of Satan. We should pray to express our love to Heavenly Father and to feel closer to Him. Prayer will help us grow closer to God because it influences all of our thoughts, words, and actions. We should pray to thank Him for our many blessings and to confess our sins. We should pray when we want to talk with Heavenly Father - and even more when we don't feel like praying. We can pray silently or vocally, alone or with others. We can pray at any time whether day or night. We can pray kneeling or standing or in any other position when needed. We should pray individually every morning and every night as well as with our families every morning and every night. We should also give thanks for and ask a blessing upon the food that we eat. We should tell Heavenly Father what we really feel in our hearts, confide in Him, thank Him, ask Him for forgiveness, and tell Him that we love Him. We should always ask that His will be done. We should begin our prayer by addressing Heavenly Father, thank Him for our blessings received, ask for needed blessings, and close in the name of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father answers every sincere prayer at a time and in a way that God knows will be best for us. When the answer is yes, we receive a warm, comfortable feeling about what we should do. When the answer is no, we continue to feel confused or unsure about the proposed action. Sometimes the answer is "not yet" or "wait awhile." At those times we need to exercise our patience. Sometimes prayers are answered with an idea of what we can do. At other times, the answer comes through another person. I am very grateful to know that I have a Father in Heaven that I can approach in prayer and receive the guidance, comfort, help, etc. that I need.

Sincere Prayer

Sincere prayer has the power to strengthen individuals, families, communities, and nations. Think of the combined strength our nation would have if every person had sincere prayer every morning and every night. We would be even stronger if everyone prayed unceasingly. Think of the added strength if every family had daily family prayer. Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915-85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, "Prayer changes our lives. Through it we draw near to the Lord, and he reaches out his finger and touches us, so we never again are the same. Prayer is a great tower of strength, a pillar of unending righteousness, a mighty force that moves mountains and saves souls" ("Patterns of Prayer," Ensign, May 1984, 32). Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, "Every honest and sincere prayer adds another piece to chain-mail armor…. One of the most important ways to clothe yourselves in the armor of God is to make sure that prayer - earnest, sincere, consistent prayer - is part of your daily lives" ("Be Strong in the Lord," Ensign, July 2004, 10). Prayer is humbly acknowledging that God is our Father and that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Prayer is sincerely and humbly confessing our sins and transgressions and requesting forgiveness. Prayer shows our recognition of our need for help. Prayer is showing our appreciation and gratitude to our Creator. Prayer is asking for specific blessings from God. President James E. Faust (1920-2007), Second Counselor in the First Presidency, taught, "… Sincere prayers come from the heart…." ("The Lifeline of Prayer," Ensign, May 2002, 59-60). When we want blessings from God we must be willing to exert some effort to receive those blessings. Prayer is a type of work and should take some effort. After our "amen," we must e willing to continue acting upon those things we requested from God. We must also put our faith and trust in God as well as believe in God, believe that He is there and will help us. President Thomas S. Monson said, "If any of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now" ("A Royal Priesthood," Ensign, Nov. 2007, 61). We live in troubled times - times when good is called evil and evil is called good. We live in perilous times when we need to know the right thing to do for our own safety and the safety of our families. Now more than ever, we need enlightenment from God. Sincere prayer is a means given by God that we can call down the powers of heaven to help us survive these last days. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to ask God for help and the knowledge that I can do so. Go here for a beautiful prayer.

Pray for Our Nation

An advisor to Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, organized a prayer group. This group of people committed themselves to pray for the safety of England, its people, and peace. The people in the group pledged to stop at a designated time each evening and pray for one minute for their country. England was able to stand tall during the war in spite of many brutal attacks on the nation. The report on this event suggested that the bombing stopped soon after the praying began. There is now a group of people in the United States who are trying to do the same thing for our nation. Our Republic is in danger of being destroyed from within by a radical progressive movement. We desperately need God's help to keep our Constitution and to maintain our liberties. If you would like to join this prayer group, stop whatever you are doing each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central, 7:00 PM Mountain, 6:00 PM Pacific, and 5:00 PM Alaska) and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, and that our land will remain Christian. I have a strong testimony that there is strength in praying in numbers, and I know that God hears our prayers. History has shown this statement to be true. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we read, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Our land definitely needs some healing! Another prophet told his people, "… it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared…." (Alma 10:23). I hope and pray that there are enough prayerful, righteous people in our nation that our Republic might be spared.

New Beginnings

With the idea that New Year's is a time for new beginnings, I want to share with you some ideas given by our bishopric for strengthening families. These are some suggestions for new and better beginnings given to our ward members, which have been proven to strengthen individuals and families. 1. Pray Earnestly: "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed" (3 Nephi 18:21). a) Daily personal prayer; b) Daily family prayer; c) Fast monthly with a purpose 2. Study Diligently: "… wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what you should do" ( 2 Nephi 32:3). a) Daily personal scripture study; b) Daily family scripture study; c) Weekly family home evening 3. Serve Willingly: "… by love, serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). a) Magnify callings; b) Attend temple regularly; c) Excel at visiting teaching and/or home teachings 4. Enjoy Time Together Regularly: "Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children" (Jacob 3:7). a) Weekly dates with spouse; b) Regular wholesome family activities; c) Consistent one-on-one time with children