How Can I Make My Prayers More Meaningful? Ask Specific Questions, Pray Aloud, and Act

1.    Pray with Sincerity and acknowledge obedience

a.     “I wonder if we can ever really fathom the immense power of prayer until we encounter an overpowering, urgent problem and realize that we are powerless to resolve it. Then we will turn to our Father in humble recognition of our total dependence on Him. --Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2007, 8–11

b.     “[Mother would] call on the Lord with perfect confidence when special blessings were needed.” In her prayers, she would speak to the Lord of her covenants with Him, “almost reminding the Lord that we had paid our tithes and offerings, that the desired blessing was, as nearly as we could judge, a righteous desire, that we were serving in our various callings to the best of our ability, and that now we were laying hold on the Lord’s promises. I can’t communicate the sincerity and the fervor of those pleas. Or the sincerity of the way she lived. … Because my mother had no doubts about the Lord’s reality and his ability to answer her prayers, I haven’t either. … This is a very personal thing to talk about and I don’t very often, because it’s hard to do without sounding overconfident. But I would be scared to death to try and undertake something without asking for the Lord’s help, so I always pray for that help, and I’ve never failed to get it.”   --“Dallin H. Oaks: The Disciplined Edge,” Ensign, Apr. 1981, 37

c.        Pray to Him when you are discouraged, because I testify that He does hear our cries for help. In his insightful discourse on prayer, the prophet Zenos observed, “And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity” (Alma 33:11). --James E. Faust, “Welcoming Every Single One,” Liahona, Aug 2007, 2–6

d.       Jeremiah counsels us to pray with all our heart and soul.  Enos recounted how his soul had hungered and that he had prayed all the day long.  Prayers vary in their intensity. Even the Savior “prayed more earnestly” in His hour of agony.  In times of great personal hurt or need, more may be required than mere asking. The Lord said, “You have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.”  Blessings sought through prayer sometimes require work, effort, and diligence on our part.  For example, at times fasting is appropriate as a strong evidence of our sincerity. When we fast we humble our souls, which brings us more in tune with God and His holy purposes.  --James E. Faust, “The Lifeline of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2002, 59

2.    Pray for specifics – Ask the right question

a.     A key to improved prayer is to learn to ask the right questions. Consider changing from asking for the things you want to honestly seeking what He wants for you. Then as you learn His will, pray that you will be led to have the strength to fulfill it.   Each prayer is tailored to its purpose, with a clear statement of what needs resolution.  --Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2007, 8–11

b.     Fifth, it is a privilege to ask Deity for specific blessings.  --James E. Faust, “The Lifeline of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2002, 59

c.     Elder Nelson said it not only was it important to pray for the right thing, put it was important to pray for the specific, right thing.  (Grandpa quoted)

d.     "It seems to me that there is a great power in the Church--in all of us--that is untapped because we are always setting about to do things in our way, when the Lord's way would accomplish much greater returns. And then, when we don't know what to do or think, or what would be the Lord's way or will, we don't ask. Why don't we talk to our Father? In specifics? About real problems? As often as we would with our earthly father if he were nearby? Improvement Era, May 1970

3. Pray aloud

a.    “At least every morning and every night, we should find a place that is free from distractions and kneel in humility and commune with our Heavenly Father. Although sometimes we may need to pray silently, we should make an extra effort at times to pray vocally (see D&C 19:28; 20:51).” --Gospel Topics, Personal Prayer LDS.org

b.    “I wonder if we can ever really fathom the immense power of prayer until we encounter an overpowering, urgent problem and realize that we are powerless to resolve it. Then we will turn to our Father in humble recognition of our total dependence on Him. It helps to find a secluded place where our feelings can be vocally expressed as long and as intensely as necessary.” --Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2007, 8–11

c. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, 11/20

I Hear Him by Making Quality Time to Pray Vocally

As Joseph did, I believe it is important for us to pray out loud. It is basic to what God intends for us in our communication with Him. He invites a conversation, if you will, and wants so much to “hear us.” We should make every effort to let Him hear us—literally.

The scriptures occasionally talk about the Lord speaking, and they sometimes describe His voice. Sometimes it is a soft voice. Sometimes it is a loud voice. But it is always a penetrating voice. It is always a voice that captivates and engages the whole soul. For me, to say out loud the words of my prayer is to make it crisp and almost visible. Prayer takes on a meaning and a life that is not quite the same when I am just thinking words or mumbling a bit. When we communicate clearly to Him, we can expect to “hear Him” more clearly in return.

If you wait until midnight, when you are exhausted, and then say your prayers, it might be only a half-hearted effort before you tumble into bed. Consider moving that prayer up to earlier in the evening, when you are alert and attentive and can make it more powerful. Prayer time ought to be quality time, not just time that happens to be left over when everything else is done—the last gasp of the day, so to speak.

4. Listen and Ponder

a.    President Gordon B. Hinckley observed: “The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries—we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, [and] think of what we are praying about and for.”2 --Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 469.

5. Act
Please notice the requirement to ask in faith, which I understand to mean the necessity to not only express but to do, the dual obligation to both plead and to perform.  Joseph’s prayer was not simply, “Which church is right?” His question was, “Which church should I join?” Joseph went to the grove to ask in faith, and he was determined to act. 

6. A common element in many of our prayers is a request that the missionaries will be led to individuals and families who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work!  If you and I would truly pray and ask in faith, if we would pray with the expectation to act and not just to express—then the work of proclaiming the gospel would move forward in a remarkable way.

7. Such a prayer of faith might include some of the following elements:   Asking for courage and boldness to open our mouths and share the gospel with our family and friends.  Entreating Heavenly Father to help us identify individuals and families who will be receptive to our invitation to be taught by the missionaries in our homes.  This same pattern of holy communication and consecrated work can be applied in our prayers for the poor and the needy, for the sick and the afflicted, for family members and friends who are struggling, and for those who are not attending Church meetings.  --David A. Bednar, “Ask in Faith,” Ensign, May 2008, 94–97