Many times in the Book of Mormon, we are promised that God will answer our prayers. An essential element of effective prayers is faith—the belief or confidence that God will answer us. The Lord promised Enos, "Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it"... Continue Reading →
“Inquire of the Lord”
The Book of Mormon contains many stories of people taking questions to God in prayer and receiving answers. Here are some examples: Lehi prayed to know where his son Nephi should go to hunt for food for the family (1 Nephi 16:23-26).Jacob prayed to know what he should do about the "wicked practices" he began... Continue Reading →
“I Inquired of the Lord” – Moroni 8:7
When Mormon learned that there was some disputation in the church relating to baptism, he was concerned. When the Savior had visited the American continent, He had emphasized the importance of unity in the performance of baptisms. "Thus shall ye baptize," He had said. "And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have... Continue Reading →
Nourished
I ran my first marathon a little over two weeks ago. I was surprised at how much more preparation was required for a full marathon than for a half. In particular, I had to learn a lot about keeping my body hydrated and nourished while exercising for several hours. I thought of my marathon experience... Continue Reading →
“I Will Show Unto Them Their Weakness” – Ether 12:27
Moroni was painfully aware of his limitations. As he summarized the Jaredite record, he compared himself unfavorably to one of the authors of the Jaredite plates. Moroni worried that his imperfections would cause future readers to reject his writings, and he shared his anxiety with God in prayer: Behold, thou hast not made us mighty... Continue Reading →
“Tongue Cannot Speak the Words Which He Prayed” – 3 Nephi 19:32
On the first day of the Savior's ministry on the American continent following His death and resurrection, He invited the multitude He was with to kneel on the ground. He offered a prayer to His Father, "and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him" (3... Continue Reading →
“Watch and Pray Always” – 3 Nephi 18:18-24
Jesus taught the Nephites and the Lamanites the importance of prayer. "Ye must watch and pray always," He said, "lest ye be tempted by the devil.... Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name" (3 Nephi 18:18-19). He promised that prayer would help them overcome temptation and that Heavenly Father would answer their... Continue Reading →
Assurances, Peace, Faith, and Hope – Alma 58:10-11
After requesting much-needed provisions and reinforcements from the government, and after waiting many months for a response, Helaman's armies finally received an embarrassingly small shipment of food, delivered by a small number of additional troops. Helaman began to worry that he wouldn't even be able to retain control of the cities they had reclaimed (Alma 58:4-9).... Continue Reading →
How to Plant the Seed – Alma 33:1
When the poor Zoramites first approached Alma, they had a simple question: How can we worship God when we are not able to go to church? In response, Alma taught them about humility and faith. He also shared an elaborate analogy, comparing the word of God to a seed and saying that, if they planted... Continue Reading →
“Having Prayed Mightily” – Alma 2:28
As a Nephite army led by Alma struggled to defend their country against an insurgency led by a man named Amlici, they were alarmed to discover that the insurgents had joined forces with their enemies, and that the combined army was marching toward their capital city. They were terribly outnumbered, but they had an important... Continue Reading →
