He Prayed With All His Heart

Prayer is an important theme throughout the first book in the Book of Mormon. In just the fifth verse we read, “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. And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much” (1 Nephi 1:5-6). Lehi prayed with all his heart for his people to open the book, and the stories of 1 Nephi teach us at least five reasons that we too should pray with all our heart. The first is to give thanks to the Lord. After Nephi and his brothers returned safely from Jerusalem, Lehi and Sariah “did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel” (1 Nephi 5:9). When Nephi was able to finally get food after the loss of his bow, they were filled with gratitude: “Now when they beheld that I had obtained food, how great was their joy! And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him” (1 Nephi 16:32). And when Nephi was tied up and suffering on the boat, he showed us that we can give thanks and praise even then: “Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions” (1 Nephi 18:16). The Lord wants us to give thanks in prayer.

                The boys second trip to Jerusalem highlights two other important reasons to pray. After Nephi’s brothers tied him up and left him for dead, he needed strength, and that’s what he prayed for: “But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound. And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again” (1 Nephi 7:17-18). There is a power in prayer to give us strength to overcome our challenges. After that, Laman and Lemuel realized that they needed forgiveness, another important reason to pray. Nephi recorded, “And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto the Lord their God for forgiveness. And it came to pass that they did so. And after they had done praying unto the Lord we did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father” (1 Nephi 7:21). They prayed to the Lord for forgiveness and obtained it.

                A fourth reason to pray that we see in 1 Nephi 1 is to know the things of God. After Lehi asked his family to leave Jerusalem, Nephi realized that he needed to understand the mysteries of God for himself and gain his own witness. He recorded, “Having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father” (1 Nephi 2:16). Later he spoke to his brothers about the things their father had taught, and they murmured that they did not understand them: “Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.” Nephi’s response underscored his own experience: “And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?” (1 Nephi 15:7-8). This is a question that he would ask to each of us as we seek to know the things of God. We can only understand them as we come to Him in prayer for His Spirit and knowledge.

                Lastly, 1 Nephi 1 highlights that to obtain personal revelation for our lives we need prayer. When the family was starving, Lehi had to go to the Lord: “And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food? And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many things unto them in the energy of my soul. And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father” (1 Nephi 16:23-25). Nephi was subsequently guided through the Liahona to find food to feed the family. After they arrived at the ocean, Nephi depended on prayer to build the ship that would take them to the promised land. He recorded, “And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord. And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters. And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?” (1 Nephi 17:7-9). He didn’t just pray once: “And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things” (1 Nephi 18:3). Through prayer, Nephi obtained the revelation he needed to build their ship and get their family across the ocean. 1 Nephi 1 is filled with examples of prayer and invites us to pray with all our hearts, giving thanks and asking for strength and forgiveness, spiritual knowledge and personal revelation.