Thou Hast Heard My Prayer

 To my daughter, 

                Yesterday and today you were looking for your silver church shoes and you have been sad that you couldn’t find them. So this morning I told you to say a prayer to ask Heavenly Father for His help. You questioned whether Heavenly Father would really hear you, but you prayed and after that it didn’t take us very long to find the shoes. I want you to know that your Heavenly Father does indeed hear your prayers and He can help you no matter what problems you may be facing. Thou He expects us to work hard and do our best, He will help us when we ask Him. He always hears your prayers when you are sincere. 

              Listen to these words of a prophet, and count how many times he said that the Lord hears our prayers: “Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed…. Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me. 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. Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations. Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies…. And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity” (Alma 33:4-11). Nine times this prophet, whose name was Zenos, repeated that the Lord had heard his prayers! He bore a powerful witness that when we pray, God hears us and will be there to help us. I too know that this is true and that when I need help and pray earnestly for it, He does indeed grant it.

                I want you to know though that sometimes you might feel for a time that the Lord is not hearing your prayers because you may not always get the answers you want right away. When that happens, don’t give up or give in, but keep seeking the Lord and you will find Him. Even the Prophet Joseph Smith, who had seen the Father and the Son in person, once felt discouraged because his prayers didn’t seem to be answered. From a miserable prison he prayed, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?” This was a very difficult time for him as he and others suffered in prison while the Saints were suffering as refugees escaping Missouri. Though it felt like they had been suffering for so long, Joseph finally received an answer that helped him put their trials in perspective: “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:1-8). Our challenges and trials here are but a small moment when we look at them with an eternal perspective, and the Lord has promised that we will triumph over all our struggles if we persevere with faith in Him. Never give up on the Lord and I promise that He will guide and strengthen and bless you with everything you need to be happy.

 

Love,

Dad