Belief: It's Weird

[sjdean]

What kind of things should I be asking in prayer? I figure Im doing this the wrong way because I don't feel Im getting a response, or if I am, it's something contradictory.

[Jenamarie]

Sometimes I don't ask anything. Or I'll only ask one thing, like "Dear Father, please help me to understand," if I'm having a difficult time with something, and then I just remain on my knees, eyes closed, hands clasped, and listen. I did this last week when I was having a difficult time with my husband. The answer didn't come in a booming voice, but in a warm, peaceful feeling in my heart, and a feeling of increased patience for the trial my dear husband was currently going through, and that was causing his behavior toward his family to become less than ideal. I arrose from my knees with a new commitment to be more patient with my husband, and to be by his side through this trial. While my understanding of his situation didn't increase, I know the Lord answered my prayer because I saw how I could help my husband. Mere understanding of his situation might not have prompted me to those actions.

[Hemidakota]

Good point. Listening is hard for many believers of the faith. Some will fall to there knees and not wait for an answer.

I would start with learning everything about the Holy Spirit. Then the princple of Faith. Both unionize in each other and required to further you within the gospel.

My prayer should be of one with deep gratitude first, in acknowledging that it was God who brought you back in remembrance. Next, help you to understand the Holy Ghost communications. In addition, He would provide help to you, that your spirit could feel His promptings. Next, ask for guidance with the scriptures and to understand the meanings and how it can influence your life for a greater change.

Prayer is something that can be done silently throughout the day. The closer we draw to the Godhead; our moments of prayer will become one of a two-way communication between Them and you.

I would start with the Book of Mormon, then the D&C [Pearl of Great Price], next the Bible. There are many great resources online to aid you with additional help, even here are some notable scriptoriums.

The goal is to have a spirit as one is Born Again.

Some resources: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints LDS FAIR Apologetics Homepage

[ctr_tanc]

I agree. I think the best thing to start with is daily prayer and scripture study.

Here's some things that have helped me in my own prayers. Recently I tried changing the order of my prayers. First I thank the Lord for blessings that have already come to me. This part is pretty easy since everything comes from him :) Second, I think of someone else to pray for and include them. Then I pray for myself and the things I need. I've noticed as I do this that I feel my prayers have more meaning.

Another thing about prayers. Our prayers are always heard and always answered. However, the answers often come in unusual ways. A bit of a strange example of this is the other day when I lost my contact. I thought that it had fallen out of my eye when I tried to take it out. I started searching and said a quick prayer that I could find it. I didn't find it. Then, as I knelt to say my evening prayers a few minutes later, I felt something strange in my eye and it turned out that my contact had not fallen out, but had been pushed back behind my eye. So I didn't find it the way that I had thought, but I did find it. So, that's one example. I've had many many times where I thought the best thing for me would be one thing, when really, it wasn't. For instance, I've wanted to go on a mission for my whole life, yet when I went to put in my papers, I felt very strongly that I needed to wait for a year. I thought about it a long while and prayed about it and followed the promptings. I was confused and sad. But now that I've been through that year and I'm a month from my mission I can look back and I see that there has never been a year of my life that has better prepared me for my mission. So, the point of all this being, be willing to follow the will of the Lord even when He sends you down a path that you didn't expect. Nephi at one point was bound by his brethren. He prayed to the Lord to give him strength to burst the bonds, and the Lord loosened the bands instead. So just remember and be willing to watch for how your prayers are answered.

I am very excited for you! I love the scriptures and I love being able to pray each day. I'll be praying for you.

[fiona84]

What kind of things should I be asking in prayer? I figure Im doing this the wrong way because I don't feel Im getting a response, or if I am, it's something contradictory.

This happens to me sometimes. And when it does, I've learned I'm probably thinking too hard. I think its especially common with a yes/no, positive/negative question (such as you praying if the church is true).

When you are on your knees, thinking so hard about and waiting for an answer to the prayer, its easy to feel contradictory.

When this happens to me, I pray, and then end my prayer even while being confused as to the answer.

Then, maybe an hour, a day, or a few days later, I will just be going about my normal day and I will feel a peace regarding my answer. Or the anwer will make itself known in another way, not necessarily a feeling coming to you while praying.

This happened to me when I was choosing whether to go abroad on my exchange program or transfer to another college in the US. I needed to let both programs know ASAP but I didn't feel I was getting any answer!

I prayed and felt conflicted. I made pro and con lists and felt conflicted. I even had a blessing from my bishop and while I felt comforted the decision would come, I still didn't know which route to choose.

Well, out of blue one day I got an unexpected raise in my credit card limit (not that this is always a good thing). One of the reasons I was torn between my decision was that going abroad would be the more expensive option. When I got the funds, my first thought was....this is why the answer didn't come to me ealier! The answer came to me in the mail. And it all worked out. :)

God works trhough the 'still,small voice' of the Holy Ghost, but He also works through other people and means here on earth. Answers come in strange ways!

[Guest tomk]

What kind of things should I be asking in prayer? I figure Im doing this the wrong way because I don't feel Im getting a response, or if I am, it's something contradictory.

This may help:

LDS.org - Ensign Article - Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer

From that talk:

He is our perfect Father. He loves us beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees the end from the beginning.

He wants us to act to gain needed experience:

When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.

When He answers no, it is to prevent error.

When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth. We are expected to assume accountability by acting on a decision that is consistent with His teachings without prior confirmation. We are not to sit passively waiting or to murmur because the Lord has not spoken. We are to act.

Most often what we have chosen to do is right. He will confirm the correctness of our choices His way. That confirmation generally comes through packets of help found along the way. We discover them by being spiritually sensitive. They are like notes from a loving Father as evidence of His approval. If, in trust, we begin something which is not right, He will let us know before we have gone too far. We sense that help by recognizing troubled or uneasy feelings.

[sjdean]

It's strange, but that finally clicks. Thanks tomk, thanks everyone. You don't ask and get a response (well not normally), but your actions can be confirmed. While I socialise with my mates and have a few alcoholic beverages, I sometimes get the feeling that... this is pointless. It's not right.

I actually don't enjoy alcohol. I mean it's alright, I guess, but it just lacks the flavours of food. I'd rather chew on a Burger than drink a pint.

I just havent done anything about it./

Hmmm.

Cya

Simon

[Hemidakota]

Tidbit, I would like to say this, even Joseph Smith made a comment in his journal that he drank a beer with friends. However, this was before the Word of Wisdom was revelation. LOL We note, a prophet is not always a prophet 24/7. This makes him human and understandable.

I for one gave up the drinking long before my conversion in the church when I found myself in a place that I did not remember how I even got there. :)