Prayer-Try Again

The following is an excerpt from an address given at a BYU 14-stake fireside, Sunday, 2 March 1980

H. Burke Peterson

Tonight, if it’s possible for you to be alone, go where you can be alone. If you can’t be alone, do what I suggest anyway. And if your spouse or roommate doesn’t pray, perhaps your example tonight will be all that he or she needs to make a fresh start. Go and kneel.

Think about who you are praying to, for ofttimes we kneel and start to pray so quickly that we don’t have in mind to whom we are praying. Frequently, I will try to picture in my mind a painting of the Savior. Now, I’m not exactly sure what Heavenly Father looks like, but that thought gives me something to contemplate as I kneel.

And then as you think to whom you are praying, speak out loud to him—or, if you wish, whisper to him. Address him as your Father and say what you would like to say to him. Don’t repeat trite phrases that you have heard others say; instead, be sincere with him, and talk about the things you want to talk about. Thank him for what he has done for you. Confide in him; let him know what’s in your heart. Ask him for some help.

Those of you who may have had some particularly difficult experiences may only want to ask him for a desire to pray. That may be all you will want to ask for tonight. But at least ask for that—a desire to pray. Then plead with him, enjoy his Spirit, tell him you love him. I don’t know how many of you have prayed out loud and in that vocal prayer have told the Lord that you love him, but that is a great experience.

After you have talked to him, listen to him. You must listen carefully, or you are going to miss his answers. Sometimes people will pray for a minute, or two, or five, or fifteen, and then not even listen for a second. Perhaps something different would happen if you continued to kneel at your chair or your bed (after you prayed) for a minute, or two, or five, or fifteen, until you get that good, warm feeling that you have received an answer. Then you know the Lord has heard your prayer, you know he’s there, and you know that you have finally found a way to allow him to get his messages through to you. A great experience comes to those who feel the Spirit.

I testify that the Lord is in his heavens. I know he listens to us and answers us. I know, too, that we must be prepared to hear him. Without prayer we will never really know our Heavenly Father or his Son, the Savior; and without prayer we cannot return to him, for we will have closed the door. He does not close the door—we do. I plead with those of you who are discouraged to not give up. I think we have all had at least one experience, and perhaps many more, in our lives when we have had an unusually warm and good feeling about something spiritual. That feeling, the warmth of the Spirit that comes as we learn to talk to the Lord, is available to each of us, and I plead with you to not give up.