With a Sincere Heart

We have Moroni’s words in the Book of Mormon in the books of Ether, Moroni, and the last two chapters of Mormon. His most well-known passage is found in the final chapter of the whole book in which he invited us to pray to know the truthfulness of the record he was concluding: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 10:4). This idea of praying to God with faith and a sincere heart is not just mentioned here but is a theme throughout his writings. After describing the incredible experience of the brother of Jared on the mount Shelem, Moroni recorded for us this invitation of the Savior: “Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation of the world from you—yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made unto your fathers, O house of Israel” (Ether 4:15). When we have the sincerity and faith of the brother of Jared, we can receive answers like him as we call upon the Father in the name of Jesus. Moroni also recorded for us this invitation of his father: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ” (Moroni 7:48). Prayer, to be truly powerful, must be done with all the energy of our heart. Moroni described that kind of prayer that had been given by many of his predecessors: “Those saints who have gone before me, who have possessed this land, shall cry, yea, even from the dust will they cry unto the Lord; and as the Lord liveth he will remember the covenant which he hath made with them. And he knoweth their prayers, that they were in behalf of their brethren. And he knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove mountains…. And behold, their prayers were also in behalf of him that the Lord should suffer to bring these things forth. And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord hath spoken it” (Mormon 8:23-26). The prayers of the Nephite prophets were so powerful that the Lord remembered them centuries later and still promised to fulfill them. Their prayers evidenced the kind of faith that moves mountains, and they did just that.

                Moroni especially exhorted us to sincere, heartfelt prayer in Mormon 9. Speaking to us in our day, he wrote this, “O then ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day” (v6). We are not just to say prayers; the prophet invites us to “cry mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus”—that is how we are to speak to the Lord. He also invited us, “Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth” (Mormon 9:21). That is an incredible promise—if we can pray so sincerely that we do not doubt in the least, our prayers will be granted. I love this additional invitation to us: “O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him. Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God” (Mormon 9:27-28). The kind of prayer that Moroni describes are not short, memorized phrases; no, we are to come unto Him in the name of Jesus with all our heart, with both fear and trembling and a firmness unshaken. Finally, he again summarized the faithful prayers of the prophets before him concerning their brethren: “And behold, these things which we have desired concerning our brethren, yea, even their restoration to the knowledge of Christ, are according to the prayers of all the saints who have dwelt in the land. And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name of Jesus Christ” (Mormon 9:36-37). Moroni’s repeated invitation for each us was to pray with that same kind of faith and heartfelt desire. As we ask with a sincere heart and real intent, turning our whole heart to the Father and the Son, He will likewise answer and bless us forever.