An outstanding article at a precise moment. The answers of prayer have never been explain so clearly and in a very understanding way as this article. I am a true believer of prayer and this have given me a step closer to the power of prayer.
Ted GibbonsApril 4, 2016
Shauna, I wrote a lesson years ago on Job, and your anguished cry reminded me his suffering and distress. He complained several times in his book that God did not answer his prayers. I wish I could get this article to you. Maybe Meridian will post it in the next few weeks if I write it up for them.
Ted
SharonApril 2, 2016
Shauna,
I want to join Susan in encouraging you not to give up. In fact Susan's response that some of her difficult life challenges were conditions she agreed to in the preexistence, is the same witness I have received after years of fasting and prayer. I've also found wisdom and comfort in my patriarchal blessing. For some time, I became bitter that the promised blessings were not being fulfilled, but I'm at peace now knowing that this blessing, like all other blessings are eternal. It comes down to childlike faith and humility. I believe Him when He says, "I the Lord am bound when Ye do what I say." Our God is a covenant keeper.
SusanApril 1, 2016
Shauna, my heart goes out to you, for I know how this feels. I cannot speak to your specific circumstances, nor can I provide specific answers to similar situations in my own life. What I can offer is this: He lives and loves us, even when we feel apart from him. He is there. I have received a witness that some of the difficult circumstances of my life were things I agreed to take on in the preexistence. I have to trust that I could see more clearly then than I can now, along with trusting the Lord definitely sees more clearly. Knowing this gives me strength to move forward in faith and diligence, doing the best I can is trying and difficult circumstances, and working hard each day to align my will with His. This means praying differently--always seeking his guidance, leaving the door open to his vision and purpose for my life, and leaving behind my own desires. It is this humbling that, perhaps, in the end, will prove me worthy of exaltation. I pray, Shauna, for you to feel his comforting peace, available to all open to receive it.
ShaunaMarch 30, 2016
Just a reality check for those who have had different experiences: I have not found this to be a true principle in *my* life, although I desperately WANT it to be true!! I've been waiting 50 years for God to give me bread, not stones, in response to my prayers. I can count many times where a prayer was not answered in the way I had hoped, but what happened instead was worse and left me traumatized and "empty handed." Even my home teacher is upset and baffled as to why these promises don't work in my life. I don't know how much longer I can handle "worse" before it gets better. All of my petitions to the Lord are met with "No, you can't have that dream, too bad." I never hear "Yes, I know this dream is important to you, and I'm here to help you." ???!!! I am really, really, really struggling with this.
DavidMarch 29, 2016
If God can receive prayer from all of his children simultaneously, that would be approximately 7 billion, then include all of his children that have passed on, 105 billion. Then include all of the children yet to come to this earth, perhaps a total of around 200 billion children. In order to do this, His communication would have to deal with infinite variables and therefore be infinitely precise. I feel totally secure in understanding that God will always give me an answer when I am ready to receive it. To me the ultimate purpose of prayer is to build a closer relationship with my father and God. I do have faith that this is something to which He will always respond.
Anne WillisMarch 29, 2016
So very true. It may not be easy, but it is worth it.
DianeMarch 29, 2016
A wonderful article! I taught a similar lesson in Relief Society once, giving two examples: The quickest answer to a prayer I every received was before I closed the prayer. The longest time to wait was nearly 30 years -- and I recognized it as the answer to my prayer the instant it happened.
How does prayer work? We don't know. DOES prayer work? Definitely!
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Nick BiangelApril 4, 2016
An outstanding article at a precise moment. The answers of prayer have never been explain so clearly and in a very understanding way as this article. I am a true believer of prayer and this have given me a step closer to the power of prayer.
Ted GibbonsApril 4, 2016
Shauna, I wrote a lesson years ago on Job, and your anguished cry reminded me his suffering and distress. He complained several times in his book that God did not answer his prayers. I wish I could get this article to you. Maybe Meridian will post it in the next few weeks if I write it up for them. Ted
SharonApril 2, 2016
Shauna, I want to join Susan in encouraging you not to give up. In fact Susan's response that some of her difficult life challenges were conditions she agreed to in the preexistence, is the same witness I have received after years of fasting and prayer. I've also found wisdom and comfort in my patriarchal blessing. For some time, I became bitter that the promised blessings were not being fulfilled, but I'm at peace now knowing that this blessing, like all other blessings are eternal. It comes down to childlike faith and humility. I believe Him when He says, "I the Lord am bound when Ye do what I say." Our God is a covenant keeper.
SusanApril 1, 2016
Shauna, my heart goes out to you, for I know how this feels. I cannot speak to your specific circumstances, nor can I provide specific answers to similar situations in my own life. What I can offer is this: He lives and loves us, even when we feel apart from him. He is there. I have received a witness that some of the difficult circumstances of my life were things I agreed to take on in the preexistence. I have to trust that I could see more clearly then than I can now, along with trusting the Lord definitely sees more clearly. Knowing this gives me strength to move forward in faith and diligence, doing the best I can is trying and difficult circumstances, and working hard each day to align my will with His. This means praying differently--always seeking his guidance, leaving the door open to his vision and purpose for my life, and leaving behind my own desires. It is this humbling that, perhaps, in the end, will prove me worthy of exaltation. I pray, Shauna, for you to feel his comforting peace, available to all open to receive it.
ShaunaMarch 30, 2016
Just a reality check for those who have had different experiences: I have not found this to be a true principle in *my* life, although I desperately WANT it to be true!! I've been waiting 50 years for God to give me bread, not stones, in response to my prayers. I can count many times where a prayer was not answered in the way I had hoped, but what happened instead was worse and left me traumatized and "empty handed." Even my home teacher is upset and baffled as to why these promises don't work in my life. I don't know how much longer I can handle "worse" before it gets better. All of my petitions to the Lord are met with "No, you can't have that dream, too bad." I never hear "Yes, I know this dream is important to you, and I'm here to help you." ???!!! I am really, really, really struggling with this.
DavidMarch 29, 2016
If God can receive prayer from all of his children simultaneously, that would be approximately 7 billion, then include all of his children that have passed on, 105 billion. Then include all of the children yet to come to this earth, perhaps a total of around 200 billion children. In order to do this, His communication would have to deal with infinite variables and therefore be infinitely precise. I feel totally secure in understanding that God will always give me an answer when I am ready to receive it. To me the ultimate purpose of prayer is to build a closer relationship with my father and God. I do have faith that this is something to which He will always respond.
Anne WillisMarch 29, 2016
So very true. It may not be easy, but it is worth it.
DianeMarch 29, 2016
A wonderful article! I taught a similar lesson in Relief Society once, giving two examples: The quickest answer to a prayer I every received was before I closed the prayer. The longest time to wait was nearly 30 years -- and I recognized it as the answer to my prayer the instant it happened. How does prayer work? We don't know. DOES prayer work? Definitely!
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