How Can I Make My Prayers more Meaningful: Studying Great Prayers Found in the Scriptures

In trying to make my own prayers more meaningful, I decided to study some of the great prayers from the scriptures and also what modern prophets and apostles have said. When I face challenges or questions that really require sincere prayer, I have found that if I incorporate each of the 5 ideas listed below, I feel the Spirit of the Lord with me in much greater abundance.

Examples of Powerful Prayers from the Scriptures

Examples of Prayers	Dedication of Kirtland Temple D&C 109	Nephi (2 Nephi 4)	Brother of Jared Ether 2 & 3	Modern Prophets & Apostles
1.    Expressions of Gratitude	1 Thanks be to thy name, O Lord God of Israel, who keepest covenant and showest mercy unto thy servants who walk uprightly before thee, with all their hearts—			Each prayer is tailored to its purpose, with a clear statement of what needs resolution, as well as ample expression of gratitude for specific, recognized blessings. E. Scott Fourth, it is an opportunity to express thanksgiving and gratitude to our Creator. It is important that we frequently say: “We thank Thee … , “ “We acknowledge before Thee … ,” “We are grateful unto Thee …”  Faust
2.    Requests for forgiveness		My heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.  18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.	2 Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee. 3 O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness.	Second, it is a sincere confession of sin and transgression and a request for forgiveness. E. Faust Asking that Thou wilt forgive our arrogance, pass by our sins, be kind and gracious to us, and cause our hearts to turn with love toward Thee. Pres. Hinckley
3.    Acknowledging our dependence on Him		20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.	2 Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; 3 O Lord, look upon me in pity.	Third, it is recognition that we need help beyond our own ability. E. Faust
4.    Testimony that God has all power, love, and knowledge, and that He will answer our prayers		20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.  21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.  22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. 35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss;	2 We must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires. For we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens. 4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, 5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.	Prayer is a humble acknowledgment that God is our Father and that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  As we pray we should think of our Father in Heaven as possessing all knowledge, love, understanding, & compassion. E.Faust He confides in the certainty that His answer will come when most needed. E. Scott Thou who art the governor of the universe, Thou who art our Father and our God, whose children we are, we look to Thee in faith in this dark and solemn time. Pres. Hinckley

Examples of Powerful Prayers from the Scriptures (cont.)

Examples of Prayers	Dedication of Kirtland Temple D&C 109	Nephi (2 Nephi 4)	Brother of Jared Ether 2 & 3	Modern Prophets & Apostles
4.    Asking for Specific Blessings, acknowledging that His will be done	10 We ask thee to assist us, thy people, with thy grace, in calling our solemn assembly, that it may be done to thine honor and to thy acceptance;  11 And in a manner that we may be found worthy, in thy sight, to secure a fulfilment of the promises which thou hast made unto us. 12 That thy holy presence may be continually in this house;  13 And that all people who shall enter ... the Lord’s house may feel thy power.  15 And that they receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost. 22 And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power - Many more are listed	31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?  32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! ...that I may be strict in the plain road! 34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh;	19 O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish. 4 Touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels	A key to improved prayer is to learn to ask the right questions. E. Scott An important element of all of our prayers might well be to follow the pattern of that prayer in Gethsemane: “not my will, but thine, be done.” By this, then, we acknowledge our devotion and submission to the overriding purposes of the Lord in our lives.  --James E. Faust
5.    Acknowledging that we have kept the commandments	2 Thou who hast commanded thy servants to build a house to thy name in this place [Kirtland].  3 And now thou beholdest, O Lord, that thy servants have done according to thy commandment. 5 For thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people.		18 The brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me...

Other prayers to study: Jesus’ Intercessory Prayer, 

Trials: The Obstacles Before Us Are Never as Great as The Power Behind Us.

This is one of those stories that I try to read on a regular basis, especially when I am facing trials that don't seem to have an apparent solution. At the end of the article, Elder Oaks teaches that the Lord blesses us when we "are on the move." I have found this to be true so many times in my own life. 

"The obstacles before us are never as great as the power behind us"

Reach Out and Climb!

BY ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS of the Quorum of the Twelve – April 2002 New Era

---

Making it to the top means doing the difficult, even when you think you can’t.

How do we respond when we are confronted with a task that seems to be impossible?

All of us face obstacles. All of us have challenges. We all walk paths that lead us toward heights we think we cannot ascend. Sooner or later we all stand at the foot of cliffs we think we cannot scale.

In 1895 my great-grandfather, Abinadi Olsen, was called on a mission to the Samoan Islands. Obedient to the call of the prophet, he left his wife and four small children, including my maternal grandmother, Chasty Magdalene, in the town of Castle Dale, Utah. He traveled by train and ship to the mission headquarters in Apia, a journey of 26 days. His first assignment was to labor on the island of Tutuila.

After many weeks of living in what he called a grass hut, eating strange food, suffering severe illnesses, and struggling to learn the Samoan language, he seemed to be making no progress in his missionary work. Homesick and discouraged, he seriously considered boarding a boat back to Apia and telling the mission president he didn’t want to waste any more time in Samoa. The obstacles to the accomplishment of his mission seemed insurmountable, and he wished to return to his wife and children, who were struggling to support him in the mission field.

A friend who heard Abinadi Olsen describe the experience some years after his return, quoted him as follows:

“Then one night, as I lay on my mat on the floor of my hut, a strange man entered and in my own language told me to get up and follow him. His manner was such that I had to obey. He led me out through the village and directly up against the face of a perpendicular solid rock cliff. ‘That’s strange,’ thought I. ‘I’ve never seen that here before,’ and just then the stranger said, ‘I want you to climb that cliff.’

“I took another look and then in bewilderment said, ‘I can’t. It’s impossible!’

“‘How do you know you can’t? You haven’t tried,’ said my guide.

“‘But anyone can see’—I started to say in objection. But he cut in with, ‘Begin climbing. Reach up with your hand—now with your foot.’

“As I reached, under orders that I dared not disobey, a niche seemed to open in the solid rock cliff and I caught hold. Then with my one foot I caught a toe hold.

“‘Now go ahead,’ he ordered. ‘Reach with your other hand,’ and as I did so another place opened up, and to my surprise the cliff began to recede; climbing became easier, and I continued the ascent without difficulty until, suddenly, I found myself lying on my pallet back in my hut. The stranger was gone!

“‘Why has this experience come to me?’ I asked myself. The answer came quickly. I had been up against an imaginary cliff for those three months. I had not reached out my hand to begin the climb. I hadn’t really made the effort I should have made to learn the language and surmount my other problems” (Fenton L. Williams, “On Doing the Impossible,” Improvement Era, Aug. 1957, p. 554).

It is hardly necessary to add that Abinadi Olsen did not leave the mission. He labored for three and a half years, until released by appropriate authority. He was an exceptionally effective missionary, and he was a faithful member of the Church for the rest of his life.

When we face seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the fulfillment of righteous responsibilities, we should remember that when we are involved in the work of the Lord, the obstacles before us are never as great as the power behind us. We should reach out and climb. Handholds will only be found by hands that are outstretched. Footholds are only for feet that are on the move.

The scriptures record many instances when the Lord blessed those who tried to do the impossible. Nothing is impossible to the Lord.

When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, they encamped by the Red Sea. The Egyptians thought the Israelites were trapped. Their backs were to the sea as they faced the pursuing chariots of Pharaoh. “Fear ye not, …” Moses declared, for “the Lord shall fight for you” (Ex. 14:13–14). The Lord then told Moses to command the children of Israel “that they go forward” into the sea (Ex. 14:15). As they did so, Moses stretched out his rod over the sea, as commanded, and the children of Israel went through the sea on dry ground (Ex. 14:16, 22). They had gone forward in faith, and what seemed impossible had occurred.

When Nephi was directed to return to Jerusalem to obtain the sacred records from Laban, he went forth in faith to do as he was commanded, even though he did not see how this could be done. Nephi knew that the Lord would give no commandment, save he would prepare a way to accomplish the thing he had commanded (1 Ne. 3:7). Through Nephi’s faith and initiative he accomplished his mission, and generations have been blessed by the outcome.

Nothing is impossible to those who keep God’s commandments and follow his directions. But the blessings that carry us over obstacles do not precede our efforts; they follow them. The Liahona was given to guide Lehi and his children, but it came after years in the desert, not when they were still in Jerusalem. The word of the Lord on the organization of the Camp of Israel (see D&C 136) didn’t come in Nauvoo. It came on the west bank of the Missouri near present-day Omaha, almost a year after the Saints had left Nauvoo.

What do we do when we face obstacles in the fulfillment of righteous responsibilities? We reach out and climb! The blessings that solve problems and carry us over obstacles come to persons who are on the move.

Trials: Why Should This Anxious Load, Press Down Your Weary Mind? - Finding Trust in the Lord

A few years ago I had several months of especially challenging times. As I was standing in my room one evening, trying to stop the tears from starting again, I had the words to this hymn come into my mind:

Why should this anxious load

Press down your weary mind?

(https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/how-gentle-gods-commands?lang=eng )

As I looked up the rest of the words to the hymn, I realized that I could trust in my Father in Heaven more and I felt my burden being lifted. I started searching for more scriptures that remind me that "His ways are higher than my ways."

In the Lectures on Faith, the prophet, Joseph Smith, taught:

"Let us here observe that three things are necessary for any rational and intelligent being to exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.

• First, the idea that he actually exists;
• Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes;
• Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which one is pursuing is according to His will."  

Part of having a correct idea of God's "character, perfections, and attributes" is understanding that he has perfect love, perfect knowledge and perfect power. This means that our Heavenly Father knows me perfectly and knows what is best for me, so I need to have faith in his plan and timing for me. To remind myself of these truths, I often quote the first two scriptures below to myself, especially when I am facing challenges:

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

Jacob 4:8,10 No man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God. Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom and in great mercy.

Mosiah 2:36 If ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed, prospered and preserved—

Abraham 2:8 My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore, my hand shall be over thee.

2 Nephi 9:20 O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it.

Alma 26:35 For he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation.

Elder Bednar, 10/2013 We also will remember the Lord’s declaration, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”  Isaiah 55:8–9

I testify that as we are spiritually attentive and observant, we will be blessed with eyes that see more clearly, ears that hear more consistently, and hearts that understand more fully the significance and subtlety of His ways, His thoughts, and His blessings in our lives.

Pres. Benson 10-1967 God does not have to justify all his ways for the puny mind of man. If a man gets in tune with the Lord, he will know that God's course of action is right, even though he may not know all the reasons why.

Trials: Why Do We Have Trials? Of Thorns, Burdens, and Weakness

One of the truths of life is that no one escapes trials and challenges. Sometimes as I hear about the trials of family and friends, I wonder how they are enduring. I think the answer to that comes from one of the themes found in the scriptures: When we have trials that challenge us beyond what we think we can bear, then we learn that the Lord is the only way we can make it. Our testimonies become much deeper because we know that the Lord did "visit [us] in our afflictions." Notice in the three scriptures below, why we have trials:

THORNS: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

BURDENS: Mosiah 24:14-15 I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. ...Yea the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

WEAKNESS: Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

WATCH: Mormon Messages: Mountains to Climb

WATCH: Mormon Messages: The Refiner's Fire

WATCH:  No Blessings Denied the Faithful by Elder Gary Stevenson

Blog Post: It is Difficult to See Clearly through Eyes Blurred with Tears

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Fourth Floor, Last Door

The purpose of faith is not to change God’s will but to empower us to act on God’s will. Faith is trust—trust that God sees what we cannot and that He knows what we do not. Sometimes, trusting our own vision and judgment is not enough. …

Faith means that we trust not only in God’s wisdom but that we trust also in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does—every blessing He gives and every blessing He, for a time, withholds—is for our eternal happiness.

With this kind of faith, though we may not understand why certain things happen or why certain prayers go unanswered, we can know that in the end everything will make sense. …

Until then, we walk by whatever faith we have, seeking always to increase our faith. Sometimes, this is not an easy quest. Those who are impatient, uncommitted, or careless may find faith to be elusive. Those who are easily discouraged or distracted may hardly experience it. Faith comes to the humble, the diligent, the enduring.

It comes to those who pay the price of faithfulness. …

Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith

Let us here observe that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.

For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also ‑‑ counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ ‑‑ requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when these sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God.

Neal A. Maxwell,  All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, p.28

An equally hard but essential doctrine, if we are to understand life itself, is the reality that since this is a gospel of growth and life is a school of experience, God, as a loving Father, will stretch our souls at times. The soul is like a violin string: it makes music only when it is stretched. (Eric Hoffer.) God will tutor us by trying us because He loves us, not because of indifference! As already noted, this sort of divine design in our lives clearly requires the omniscience of God.

Submitting Our Will to His

 Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, Nov. 95, p. 23

As one’s will is increasingly submissive to the will of God, he can receive inspiration and revelation so much needed to help meet the trials of life.  In the trying and very defining Isaac episode, faithful Abraham “staggered not...through unbelief.” (Rom. 4:20) Of that episode, John Taylor observed that “nothing but the spirit of revelation could have given him this confidence, and sustained him under these peculiar circumstances.

The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar.  The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us.  However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him!  It is the only possession which is truly ours to give.

The Purpose of Trials

Quentin L. Cook, Ensign, Nov. 2011

The refiner’s fire is real, and qualities of character and righteousness that are forged in the furnace of affliction perfect and purify us and prepare us to meet God. There are many kinds of challenges. Some give us necessary experiences. Adverse results in this mortal life are not evidence of lack of faith or of an imperfection in our Father in Heaven’s overall plan.

Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, Nov. 1987
If you have troubles at home with children who stray, if you suffer financial reverses and emotional strain that threaten your homes and your happiness, if you must face the loss of life or health, may peace be unto your soul. We will not be tempted beyond our ability to withstand. Our detours and disappointments are the straight and narrow path to Him, as we sing in one of our favorite hymns:

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine."

Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 345
If the Saints could realize things as they are when they are called to pass through trials, and to suffer what they call sacrifices, they would acknowledge them to be the greatest blessings that could be bestowed upon them.

Elder Jeffery R. Holland, October 2013

In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to remember that we are living—and chose to live—in a fallen world where for divine purposes our pursuit of godliness will be tested and tried again and again.

Of greatest assurance in God’s plan is that a Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.

George Q. Cannon, Millennial Star, Saturday, Oct. 3, 1863
The Saints should always remember that God sees not as man sees; that he does not willingly afflict his children, and that if he requires them to endure present privation and trial, it is that they may escape greater tribulations which would otherwise inevitably overtake them. If He deprives them of any present blessing, it is that he may bestow upon them greater and more glorious ones by-and-by.

President Thomas S. Monson, October 2013
Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.
This should be our purpose—to persevere and endure, yes, but also to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow. Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life. The poet expressed much the same thought in these words:

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees.

The further sky, the greater length.

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow.

Only the Master knows the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has promised that this will never change.
Francis M. Lyman, in Conference Report, Oct. 1898, p. 48
We may have a rough road to travel over, as we have had in the past; we may have difficulties and trials, and the world may be measurably arrayed against us, and try to destroy us or do us harm, feeling all the time, no doubt, in their hearts that they are doing the greatest possible good and are anxious for our salvation; but I want to say to you that our Father who dwells in heaven . . . that same great Parent overlooks these affairs, and is guiding and controlling the destinies of this people as He is the destinies of all other people.

The Parable of the Unwise Bee

How to Be a Better Parent: Preparing Our Children for The Fight Against Evil - Lessons from the War Chapters of the Book of Mormon

What lessons can we learn for today in the War Chapters of the Book of Mormon? Decide for yourself of how these might relate to today’s fight against evil. How can you apply these in your own family or situation?

Elder Bednar did a great job listing some the lessons we learn from the war chapters:

David A. Bednar, BYUI, 2003

Have you ever wondered why so much is recorded in the Book of Mormon about war? There are approximately 100 recorded instances of armed conflict in the Book of Mormon. The word war occurs 132 times in the Book of Mormon. The war chapters of Alma 43-63 alone include more than 50 pages- approximately 10 percent of the entire Book of Mormon.

Why so much about war? And how do the descriptions of wars and battles help us today in seeking the gift of courage? President Benson taught:

The Book of Mormon was written for us today. God is the author of the book. God, who knows the end from the beginning, told [Mormon] what to include in his abridgment that we would need for our day (President Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1975, p. 94).

Let me suggest that one of the primary reasons so much information is recorded about war in the Book of Mormon is to help you and me in these latter days appropriately seek the gift of courage.

What lessons do we learn about courage and war in The Book of Mormon?

·         We learn about the strategies and tactics of those who oppose righteousness

·         The defensive and protective strategies and tactics of the righteous.

·         We learn that the righteous can be strengthened in battle by the hand of the Lord.

·         And perhaps most importantly, we learn that small groups of the righteous can escape from the grasp of their enemies or emerge victorious against overwhelming opposing numbers and weaponry.

What Worked in the Past Isn’t Enough: Prepare in a Manner “Which has Never Been Known” Alma 49:8

Note this warning given by President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency:

“As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient will not be enough. And whatever growth in spiritual strength we once thought was possible, greater growth will be made available to us. Both the need for spiritual strength and the opportunity to acquire it will increase at rates which we underestimate at our peril” (“Always” [Church Educational System fireside for young adults], Jan. 3, 1999, 3, ldsces.org).

Alma 43 - How did Moroni prepare against the evil of Zerahemnah? (an army twice as numerous)

1.      vs. 19 - Captain Moroni prepared his people with armor and thick clothing

2.      vs. 23 - Captain Moroni sends spies to watch the enemy

3.      vs. 23 - Captain Moroni sends a messenger to Alma the prophet to have him ask the Lord where they should go

4.      vs. 48 - As his men begin to fear, Captain Moroni inspires his men with the truth of their cause

5.      vs. 49 - they cry to the Lord for help and in vs. 50 In the selfsame hour that they cry to the Lord, they stand with power against their enemies.

6.      Alma 44:9  Zerahemnah, leader of their enemies, denies that it was the Lord who gave the Nephites the victory.

Alma 48 - How did Moroni prepare against the evil of Amalakiah?

1.      vs. 7 - Captain Moroni was “preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord.

2.      vs. 8 - Captain Moroni erected small forts, or places of resort to enclose his armies, and built walls of stone to encircle them about.

3.      vs. 9 - Captain Moroni fortified their weakest places by placing the greater number of men.

Ensign Article by By Kerry Hanson Jensen, 1/16

I began to feel a sense of helplessness and vulnerability in protecting my children. I unexpectedly found reassurance in 1 Nephi 15. Nephi is explaining Lehi’s vision of the tree of life to Laman and Lemuel when they ask the meaning of the river of water. Nephi answers in verse 27: “And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water”. Lehi’s mind was focused on the tree of life and getting his family to it to partake of its fruit! He didn’t even see the filthiness because of this focus.

That was the answer! Keeping inappropriate media out of our home was a start, but a more direct and conscious effort to teach our children the gospel is what would ultimately be their best defense against anything that could lead them away.

Alma 58 - How did the Lord strengthen the people against their enemies?

1.      Helaman and the Stripling Warriors poured out their souls for strength vs. 10

2.      The Lord did visit them with assurances and did speak peace to their souls vs. 11

3.      The Lord did grant unto them great faith and did cause that they should hope for deliverance. vs. 11

Other Resources:

Alma 50: 23 never had been a happier time among the Nephites

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/personal-strength-through-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng&query=%22Captain+Moroni%22

Elder Richard G. Scott

In between the many battles, Captain Moroni directed fortification of the weakest cities. “He caused that they should build a breastwork of timbers upon the inner bank of the ditch; and they cast up dirt out of the ditch against the breastwork of timbers … until they had encircled the city … with a strong wall of timbers and earth, to an exceeding height.”14 Captain Moroni understood the importance of fortifying the weak areas to create strength.15

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/prepared-in-a-manner-that-never-had-been-known?lang=eng&query=%22Captain+Moroni%22

Linda C. Reeves

As I am again reading about Captain Moroni in the Book of Mormon, I am reminded that one of Moroni’s greatest accomplishments was his careful preparation of the Nephites to withstand the frightening Lamanite army. He prepared his people so well that we read, “Behold, to [the Lamanites’] uttermost astonishment, [the Nephites] were prepared for them, in a manner which never had been known.”3

That phrase, “prepared … in a manner which never had been known,” really caught my attention.

How can we better prepare for sacred temple blessings? The Lord taught, “And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things.”4Let’s consider a scriptural pattern to help us prepare well. Moroni’s preparation for the enemy took consistent and faithful diligence, and this pattern will require the same.

Book of Mormon Themes: Being Directed Continually by the Hand of the Lord

When I look at the big picture of the stories from the Book of Mormon, one the lessons they illustrate for me is how to receive the Lord's guidance so I navigate through life better. This is especially apparent in the stories of Lehi's family and the story of the Brother of Jared.

1 Nephi 16:16, 28 And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness. I Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.

1 Nephi 17:13 I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

1 Nephi 18: 1-3 And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship. Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men. And I, Nephi, did go into mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

Ether 2:5-6 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel. And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.

Ether 2:24-25 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth. And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come.

Ether 3:2-3 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires.

Ether 6:7-8 7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them; therefore, when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters. And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.

Wandering in the Wilderness due to Iniquity – i.e., if we are righteous, we won’t have to wander through life, we can take a more direct course.

1 Nephi 17:4 And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness.

Alma 37:41-43 41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey; Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions. And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow.

Ether 3:3 Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.

How Do I Find the Power to Stay Strong?

Over the past 25 years of my married life, I would go through cycles where I would read the scriptures each day and then through periods when I wouldn't get them read every day. If you are feeling overwhelmed and don't know how to change your life, I know if you will start with 5 minutes each day in the Book of Mormon, other things will start to fall into place.  I have found these 2 promises to be especially true:

"Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, 1) there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, 2) a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and 3) a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God." --President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Aug. 2005

"There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the strait and narrow path. --President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon—Keystone of Our Religion,” Ensign, Nov. 1986