The Ordinances and Prayer

One of the themes that we see in the short chapters at the beginning of the book of Moroni—those which teach about the ordinances of the Priesthood—is the power of prayer.  Each of the chapters from 2 through 6 is about prayer in some way and shows the importance of sincere prayer in the Church. 

In chapter 2 we see that prayer is a prerequisite for conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Christ told his disciples, “Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 2:2).  The message from this is that heartfelt prayer should precede the ordinances of the Priesthood.  We get the same teaching in chapter 3: Moroni tells us that it was after the disciples “had prayed unto the Father in the name of Christ” they were able to ordain priests and teachers (Moroni 3:2).  Chapters 4 and 5 are the well-known Sacrament prayers, and again we see the necessity of heartfelt prayer in conjunction with the ordinances. The disciples did “kneel down with the church, and pray to the Father in the name of Christ” as they blessed the Sacrament (Moroni 4:2).  Chapter 6 continues the theme of prayer showing how those who have entered into the Church through the ordinances can remain steadfast.  They are to be “continually watchful unto prayer” and meet with the Church oft “to fast and to pray” (Moroni 6:4-5).  I’m not sure exactly what kind of prayer the Lord would consider “mighty”, but that is what we should strive for in our communications with Him, especially as we seek to participate in any way in the ordinances of the Priesthood.  Whether in blessings or ordinations or in the weekly partaking of the Sacrament, our hearts should be continually drawn out to the Lord in “the prayer of faith” so that His Spirit will accompany us (D&C 42:14).