With All His Heart

To my daughter, 

               As I read the first chapter in the Book of Mormon today, I looked for the first instance where someone prayed. It didn’t take much time to find. On the fifth verse we read this: “Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.” Three things stand out to me about this description. First, Lehi was praying “as he went forth,” which means that he was not at home but on the road walking somewhere. I think this highlights the fact that we can—and should—pray anywhere. Even as we are walking or driving doing some other thing, we can in our heart still pray to our Father in Heaven to express gratitude and seek His help. Second, Lehi prayed “with all his heart.” Lehi wasn’t praying casually or in some repetitive way; rather, he was expressing his feelings earnestly with the Lord as he put his heart fully into the prayer. It is easy for us to get into a habit of saying a few things in our prayers without even thinking about it. But Lehi’s example shows us that we should put our whole heart into our prayers to God. Lastly, Lehi prayed in behalf of his people. Of course it is right and good to pray for things for ourselves, but I believe there is power in really praying for others.

                The next chapter also shows us an example of how Nephi prayed. We read, “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord.” After he tried to share what the Lord revealed to him with Laman and Lemuel, he wrote this: “Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them” (1 Nephi 2:16,18). I love that the word he used to describe his prayer to the Lord was “cry.” Like his father, he put his whole heart into his earnest pleadings with the Lord. He didn’t know how to help his brothers and so he prayed with a burning desire to help them. Again, like his father, he prayed for others and sought the Lord earnestly. There was no mundane repetitions and meaningless words in his prayers—it was all heart.                  These are powerful examples to us of the kind of prayers we should have. I urge you to pray every morning and night with your whole heart. Try like Nephi and Lehi to pray for others, especially those in your family who get into arguments with you. When someone makes you mad, I know that praying for them seems like the last thing you want to do. But I know that as we overcome our pride and really pray for even those who make us mad or offend us, the Lord will help soften our hearts and work miracles in His timing.