Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the First Quorum of the Seventy addressed BYU–Hawaii students, faculty, and staff at a campus devotional on Tuesday, May 17, 2011. His talk was entitled, “The Power of Personal Prayer.” Elder Pearson began his talk by saying, “I am convinced that personal prayer is one of the most significant challenges facing members of the Church, particularly youth and young adults. Because they struggle with prayer, they struggle spiritually.” He then addressed the following three basic questions about prayer:
1. What is the principle of personal prayer?
2. Why is personal prayer essential?
3. How can we make our personal prayers more effective and meaningful?
To define the principle of personal prayer, Elder Pearson said, “Personal prayers should be solemn, sacred expressions of praise and gratitude; heartfelt petitions for specific needs and desires; humble, contrite confessions and requests for cleansing forgiveness; pleadings for comfort, direction, and revelation. These expressions often cause us to pour out our very souls to our loving Heavenly Father.”
Elder Pearson quoted the Bible Dictionary to explain the necessity of personal prayer. “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.”
“Our personal prayers are a barometer of our spiritual strength and an indicator of our spiritual well-being,” said Elder Pearson. “When was the last time you listened carefully to your own personal prayers to assess your own spiritual well-being?” With that thought, Elder Pearson discussed obstacles that could prevent meaningful prayer, including a misunderstanding of our own divine identity, disobedience or unworthiness, and physical or emotional fatigue.
To improve the quality of our personal prayers, Elder Pearson said, “May I suggest finding a time and place where you can carefully ponder your life and your needs. Reflect on your divine identity and relationship to God. Strive to visualize Heavenly Father as you prepare to speak with Him. Think of the Savior in whose name you will be praying. Doing so will help you focus and prepare to pray with a humble and grateful heart.”
In conclusion, he stated, “I plead with you to pray always and to be believing. As you continue to learn and understand the divine principle of personal prayer as the Savior taught it, prayer will become a source of great spiritual power and revelation in your life.”
Read or watch Elder Pearson’s talk at devotional.byuh.edu.
Photo by Monique Saenz