May 31, 2015

To my friends and family,

Today I want to talk about one of the most powerful tools we have in this life. A tool that we can use to find peace and also find strength in our daily life. That tool is prayer. Prayer is more than saying or thinking words silently to yourself, or just rolling over in our beds and mumbling some words. Prayer is a principle of power that is connected to our faith. Prayer demonstrates our reliance on God and our willingness to ask him for what we need.

This past week, we had the opportunity to have a combined conference with the missions in Seoul. My Mission President and his wife both talked about prayer and used two verses that illustrate principles I think are critical.

“Behold and hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.” (D&C 67:1)

God declares that he hears our prayers, knows our hearts, and feels our desires. Many people that I teach struggle to pray, mainly because they feel that it will do them no good or that they feel uncomfortable doing it. But I know that as we pray, God hears our prayers. I know that not because I have gotten an answer to every prayer immediately or that I have seen a vision, but because as I have been patient with God and sought for his will and timing, I have begun to recognize the answers to those prayers.

“And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer. And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.” (Alma 33:6-8)

I know that the Lord will hear our prayers as we continue to ask in faith. When we pray, we must pray according to the feelings of our heart and ask for things that we need. I know that God hears all of his children's prayers and it is our responsibility to have the patience and the faith to recognize those answers.

I love you all,

Elder Coleman