Answers to Prayer
“Each of us has problems that we cannot solve and weaknesses that
we cannot conquer without reaching out though prayer to a higher source of
strength.” (James E. Faust, May 2002
p.59, Ensign) I am convinced the power
of prayer is real.
A few years ago, we were gathering cows off the mountain range in
the fall of the year. Our range is so
big that we cannot bring the cattle all the way home in one day, so we trail
the cows down off the mountains and by late afternoon we leave them in Chalk Creek
canyon below Copleys Camp Ground for the night.
There, Chalk Creek flows down the narrow canyon bottom and the canyon
walls are steep on both sides. It makes
an ideal spot for the give-out cows to rest for the night with little risk of
them wandering off. If any do not have
their calves they go back to the mountain top during the night to find and be
with their calf.
It was late in the year and we had already gathered most of the
cattle off the top and I needed to find 6 pair to finish up. We found them along with several cows
belonging to the other permittees.
During the cattle drive home I kept counting my cows to verify they had
not slipped off the trail and disappeared.
I knew they were in the herd when we went past Copleys Camp ground.
The next morning by checking tracks, we knew no cows had gone back
during the night. We rode down Chalk
Creek canyon gathering all the cows and calves from the night before and pushed
them into the corral in the foot-hills at the mouth of the canyon. I had 4 pair; 2 pair were missing. The other cattlemen began loading their
cattle in livestock trailers to haul them home.
I got on my horse and headed back up the canyon to find my missing cows. I said a fervent prayer for help to find them,
knowing if they were in the foot-hills, it could take weeks to get them. I checked everywhere hoping we had just
inadvertently rode past them earlier that morning; nothing. Then I thought I heard a cow make quiet “moo”
sound. It could have been audible but was
probably only in my mind. I took that as
a sign, tied up my horse and, on foot, began climbing the steep side hill. To
my surprise the terrain opened up and leveled off slightly. The two cows were standing there with their
calves looking at me. The place was
impossible to see from the trail. I
thanked my Heavenly Father, walked up around them and booed them back down on
the trail. I then got on my horse and
drove them to the corral, rejoicing in Christ’s promise, “Ask and ye shall
receive.” (Luke 11: 1-13)
I knew the God of this world could find those cows regardless of
my poor efforts. Nephi said the Holy
Ghost will show you all things what ye should do. (2 Nephi 32:3)
“Your confidence and faith should be in
Christ, not in yourself. Rely on the
spirit rather than your own talents and abilities. Trust the Spirit to guide you in every aspect
of you work.” (PMG p. 97) “God loves you and all His children. He is anxious to support you in your
practical and specific challenges.” (PMG
p. 89)
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if
any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup
with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)
Joseph Smith received the plates on 22 Sept 1827 and by 12 April
1828 he had translated the Book of Lehi with the help of Martin Harris. Martin lost 116 pages of the manuscript and
the plates were subsequently taken away for a period of time and then later returned. Persecution was intense so on 1 Dec 1828 Joseph
and Emma moved to live with her parents in Harmony, Pennsylvania and later
purchased a nearby home.
On 5 April 1829, Oliver Cowdery arrived in Harmony to meet Joseph
Smith. He was born in 1806 in
Vermont. He had moved to Manchester, NY
in 1826 to clerk in a store and teach school.
In those days part of the pay for teachers consisted of room and board
on a rotation basis in the homes of students.
While staying with the Smith family he heard the whole story of the
Golden Plates and Joseph Smith. He was
touched by the story and prayerfully could not let it go, so he traveled to
Harmony to meet Joseph himself. Oliver
was convinced Joseph was a prophet, so 2 days later, Oliver started working as
scribe while Joseph translated The Book of Mormon which was completed by June
of that same year. The Lord revealed truths about prayer to Oliver regarding
these events:
14 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed
art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as
often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it
had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this
time.
15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired
of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou
mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth;
16 Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know
that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of
thy heart. (DC 6: 14-16)
2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind
and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall
dwell in your heart.
3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of
revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of
Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
(DC 8:2-3)
Your prayers are answered as often as you pray so have faith that
just the way things work out are answers.
Plus, answers come as enlightenment.
“When you feel pure intelligence flowing into
you or sudden strokes of ideas; it is presented into your minds by the spirit
of God. If important some inspiration will come very
direct and powerfully; clear, unmistakable and distinct impressions and
promptings.” (Elder Boyd K. Packer, p.
132, BofM Institute Student Manuel)
Satan does not know your thoughts.
Revelation is the spirit that tells you in your mind with thoughts and
in your heart with feelings. In this
physical world you think of “telling” as audible sound in your ears, but the
language of the spirit is thoughts and feelings. You must be fluent in that language. Enos said, “…the voice of the Lord came into
my mind…” I find it interesting that if
you want to talk to God then you pray.
If you want God to talk to you, you must search for direction while answers
generally come in a quiet way, more as a feeling than as a sound. Reading scriptures, studying words of the
prophets and meditation can be a great stimulation for receiving answers.
Answers sometimes do not come immediately, remember we are here on
earth to: gain the experience and spiritual maturity that you can get in no
other way, increase your faith in Him, grow, develop, apply truth, face
challenges, resolve difficulties, etc.
You must show a willingness to obey or act consistent with His teachings
without prior confirmation. There is
nothing about you that God does not know and He loves you. He knows your every need and could, if He
wanted, provide all answers and remove all of your challenges simply by your
asking. But you cannot grow without
adversity. For your own good, sometimes
the answer may be to allow you to make correct choices, walking by faith, while
He comforts and strengthens.
Prayer must be based on personal righteousness, faith in Jesus
Christ and your seeking for what is right in God’s judgment.
“…for
we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26)
“Prayer is a Combination Lock…We would be very
spoiled children if that vault door opened any more easily than it does. Inventory the petitions He has refused to
grant to you. Your rejected petitions
tell much about you.” (Elder Neil L.
Maxwell)
Frankly, we would never have adversity if all our prayers were
granted immediately as we wished. I am grateful
that day on the mountain was a simple granting of a request. I am also grateful for the principle of prayer. I know He answers all prayers and that is a
source of strength for me.
President Robinson
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