Personal Prayer: Aloud or Silent?

[zil2]

Obviously, if praying in / with a group of people, it's done aloud by someone acting as the "voice" of the group, but what about personal prayer?  Is there a reason for it to be spoken aloud vs expressed silently?

I've been wondering a lot about this lately.  I remember reading this:

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D&C 23:6 Behold, I manifest unto you, Joseph Knight, by these words, that you must take up your cross, in the which you must pray vocally before the world as well as in secret, and in your family, and among your friends, and in all places.

And there are similar verses (this to Martin Harris):

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D&C 19:28 And again, I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.

And the duties of an Elder...

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D&C 20:51 And visit the house of each member, exhorting them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties.

And there's another in D&C 81:3.

...Anywho, all that, but mostly the first, got me to wondering people's thoughts on praying aloud vs silently when it's a personal prayer.  Living in the midst of other people in my "formative" years, my personal prayers were always silent.  I've heard some people express fear that praying aloud might reveal to evil spirits listening in things better kept private.  This morning, while praying, I had the thought that praying aloud might "offend" those very spirits and send them packing (so to speak).  Unless the FBI have bugged my house, there's really no reason I can't always pray aloud (beyond it feeling strange to me).

So, what are your habits or thoughts on this?  Does it matter?  Which is better?

[mikbone]

The Prayer of Cyrus Brown

By Sam Walter Foss (1858–1911)

“THE PROPER way for a man to pray,” Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, “And the only proper attitude, Is down upon his knees.”

“No, I should say the way to pray,” Said Reverend Doctor Wise,“Is standing straight, with outstretched arms, And rapt and upturned eyes.”

“Oh no; no, no,” said Elder Slow  “Such posture is too proud: A man should pray with eyes fast closed And head contritely bowed.”

“It seems to me his hands should be Austerely clasped in front, With both thumbs pointing toward the ground,” Said Reverend Doctor Blunt.

“Las’ year I fell in Hodgkin’s well Head first,” said Cyrus Brown, “With both my heels a-stickin’ up,My head a-p’inting down; “An’ I made a prayer right then an’ there Best prayer I ever said, The prayingest prayer I ever prayed, A-standing on my head.”

[zil2]

This question was definitively answered in the April 2024 General Conference by Elder Holland and Elder Dushku.