Sacrament Talk
Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayers
Given:
____September 15, 2024 Bainbridge GA ward
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Intro:
Hello, I am Elder Hall. I am from Draper Utah - a town south of Salt Lake City. I have been serving in your branch for about a month now. I have been out in the mission field for almost a year.
I am grateful for this opportunity to speak today and to share some thoughts and a few personal experiences about RECEIVING ANSWERS TO PRAYER. Most importantly I am grateful to stand and bear testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. I have a strong testimony of God’s love. I have never felt it more than I have this past year as I have been serving as a missionary.
I. Our Personal Prayers
I want you all to think about your personal prayers when life is going well.
- How often do your pray?
- How long are your prayers?
- Are they very effective?
- Does your mind wander in the middle of the prayer?
- Do you fall asleep during your nightly prayer?
- Do you pause and wait for an answer?
Now think about your personal prayers to your Heavenly Father when life is out of balance.
Maybe you are experiencing a death in the family or a health crisis. Maybe you are in the middle of a job change or looking for employment. Maybe you are dealing with Bullies at school or struggling with your classes. Maybe you need answers to life’s big questions, guidance with your next phase of life, or wondering if he or she is “the one”. Or maybe you are enduring a faith crisis.
- How often do your pray?
- How long are your prayers?
- Are they very effective?
- Does your mind wander in the middle of the prayer?
- Do you fall asleep during your nightly prayer?
- Do you pause and wait for an answer?
Let me add the question
- Do you trust that God is listening to ALL of your prayers?
Elder Richard G Scott spoke in General Conference a looooong time ago (1989) HIs talk was titled Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayers. In this talk he said:
“Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege.”
He goes on to say:
“Don’t worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your Father. He hears every prayer and answers it in His way.”
I want to testify that this is true. Because of the love our Heavenly Father has for us He is wanting us to reach out to Him and He is waiting to answer our prayers. There is nothing about us He does not know. He is conscious of our every need and can provide all of the answers.
II. Scripture Story
I am sure many of us can share experiences where we look back and recognize that we received answer to our prayers. But I doubt many of the stories include a bolt of lightning, a bump on the head, or hearing a loud voice telling us exactly what we need to do.
As it says in Doctrine and Covenants 8:1-2
1. verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart…
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.
III. Scripture Story
We are all familiar with the story in 1 Nephi chapter 3 when Lehi tells his son that he’s has had a dream and they need to go retrieve the plates from Laban.
In verse 4 Lehi is speaking to Nephi and he says:
4. Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.
Nephi and his brothers know this isn’t going to be an easy tasks and the brothers aren’t too excited about going. Verse 5 reads:
5. And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.
The brothers complained and murmured and received no help.
Nephi answered, in verse 7: “I will go and do”. Even after two unsuccessful attempts, Nephi kept trying not knowing how this was all going to work. He was “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which (he) should do, Nevertheless (he) went forth.”
Nephi was willing to try time and again using his best efforts. He expressed faith that he would be helped. He refused to be discouraged. But because he acted, had confidence in the Lord, was obedient, he received guidance.
Elder Robert D Hales said:
We may not know when or how the Lord’s answers will be given, but in His time and His way, I testify, His answers will come.”
Once we receive an impression in our heart, we can rationalize it away or we can be like Nephi and act on it.
IV. Personal Story
Growing up I KNEW I was supposed to serve a mission. My family has talked about me going on a mission since I was little. So I assumed when I turned 18 the decision to serve would be easy. But that was not the case. The year was a roller coaster of “yes I’m going” to “no I’m not going” and back and forth.
At the end of my senior year in high school, I was focusing on all the negatives in my life. Such as losing our high school state championship in football for the second year in a row. I wasn’t doing well in school and my friends were starting to move away. I had settled on “no I’m not going on a mission. I’m going to work and go to school”. I got a job and started getting registered for school.
However I noticed I was significantly less happy. It felt like I wasn’t completely whole - like something was missing. I felt lonely and empty. This lead to me distancing myself from the spirit. My prayers weren’t sincere and probably not very effective.
My cousin served her mission in New England and in her farewell talk she said:
When you do good, you feel good.
When you do bad, you feel bad.
When you do Nothing, you feel nothing.
That year, I truly tested the “do nothing” part.
In March, I met with my Bishop. We discussed receiving the Melchizedek priesthood, getting my patriarchal blessing, and he advised me to read Doctrine and Covenants section 84.
I started attending the temple with my friends, I made an appointment to get my recommend for my patriarchal blessing. And after shrugging it off for several weeks, I finally decided to read this chapter in the Doctrine and Covenants. As I read there was one verse that stood out to me. Verse 46. It says,
“And the spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into world; and the spirit enlighteneth every man through the world that hearkeneth to the voice of the spirit”.
This scripture hit me hard because of how much I related with it. I had started attended the temple more, and I knew I was “receiving the light”. As I listened to the talks given in sacrament meeting, I knew I was “listening to the voice”. I knew the “spirit enlighteneth” me because of the peace I was feeling. I immediately knew this was no coincidence but rather Heavenly Father showing me his love and the compassion he has for me right when I needed it most. It was then that my prayers became for sincere.
V. Patriarchal Blessing
I got my recommend to receive my patriarchal blessing in March. When I called our Patriarch, his first opening wasn’t until June 4th. These months of waiting were long and miserable for me.
Finally the day in June arrived. I was excited to see what my blessing would say about possibly a wife or any “future telling” things. But I was most interested to see what it had to say about serving a mission. At this time I had decided I was not going on a mission. I figured that if my blessing didn’t say anything about a mission that it was God letting me know He accepted my decision. I received my blessing and to my surprise (& relief) it had nothing to say about me serving a mission. However something felt off.
The following Saturday the patriarch called and asked if he could hand deliver the transcript of my blessing. Something he said he had only done once before. When he came to my house he told me that all week he felt as if he had left a very important part out of my blessing. He also encouraged me to pray to know that this “new part” was from the Lord.
Once he left, I opened my blessing and on first glance I saw the line saying “you will be called as a missionary”.
I had received an answer to my prayers. But I still waited six weeks to call my bishop. Fear is real folks.
On July 25, 2023, I met my bishop at his home and told him I was ready to serve. My papers went in a few weeks later. While waiting for my call, I received my endowment, started reading the Book of Mormon, I focused on gospel principles and engaged in church conversations.
I received my call on September 5th. My life has changed. I have never felt better or been happier. And I can honestly say, I have also tested and proved the “do good” part. When you do good, you feel good.
VI. Act on Promptings
Our Heavenly Father is perfect and His love for us is beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He will answer ALL of our prayers but He wants us to act. His answers won’t always be YES! Sometimes the answer is no. I will humbly admit I was hoping for a different answer. But today I can see the blessings that come from trusting in God’s love for me.
Elder Richard G Scott said:
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.
I know in the beginning of this talk I said most of us have experiences we can share when we received an answer to our prayers but that most of the time is isn’t a lightning bolt or bump on the head. Most of us won’t receive a “telegram from God” as my mom says I received. But when we have a desire to KNOW God’s will for us and are willing to ACCEPT AND ACT on his answers, He will ALWAYS answer our prayers.
Conclusion:
I KNOW our Heavenly Father is aware of each one of us. He knows our questions and is waiting to answer them. He wants to be a part of our lives. I have learned that sometimes our will and the Lords will don’t align. But that the Lords way is the best way. He won’t change to what WE want. But He will love us and send little spiritual hints, answers to our sincere prayers, to help us and He will patiently wait until we align our will with His.
I want to close with Elder Scott’s simple promise that “He will answer your prayers. He is your loving Father and your are His beloved child. He loves you perfectly and wants to help you.
I testify that God lives. He sent his son to atone for our sins. Together they created the perfect plan for us to come to earth, learn from our past and look, with hope, to the future when we can all gather together in their presence again. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
