Recent LDS Conference Talks on Grace and the Enabling Power of the Savior's Atonement

I love what I am learning about the enabling power of the Savior's Atonement from the recent conference talks about Grace. 

See also: 

The Atonement: Grace, the Enabling Power of the Atonement, and "In the Strength of the Lord"

The Atonement: The Redeeming and Strengthening Power of the Atonement


President Dieter F. Uchtdorf , “The Gift of Grace,” April 2015

I have tried to understand the Savior’s Atonement with my finite mind, and the only explanation I can come up with is this: God loves us deeply, perfectly, and everlastingly. I cannot even begin to estimate “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height … [of] the love of Christ.”⁷

A powerful expression of that love is what the scriptures often call the grace of God—the divine assistance and endowment of strength by which we grow from the flawed and limited beings we are now into exalted beings of “truth and light, until [we are] glorified in truth and [know] all things.”⁸

First: Grace Unlocks the Gates of Heaven

Even if we were to serve God with our whole souls, it is not enough, for we would still be “unprofitable servants.”¹² We cannot earn our way into heaven; the demands of justice stand as a barrier, which we are powerless to overcome on our own.

But all is not lost. The grace of God is our great and everlasting hope.

But the grace of God does not merely restore us to our previous innocent state. If salvation means only erasing our mistakes and sins, then salvation—as wonderful as it is—does not fulfill the Father’s aspirations for us. His aim is much higher: He wants His sons and daughters to become like Him.

Second: Grace Opens the Windows of Heaven

Another element of God’s grace is the opening of the windows of heaven, through which God pours out blessings of power and strength, enabling us to achieve things that otherwise would be far beyond our reach. It is by God’s amazing grace that His children can overcome the undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise above sin, and “be perfect[ed] in Christ.”²²

Though we all have weaknesses, we can overcome them. Indeed it is by the grace of God that, if we humble ourselves and have faith, weak things can become strong.²³

Throughout our lives, God’s grace bestows temporal blessings and spiritual gifts that magnify our abilities and enrich our lives. His grace refines us. His grace helps us become our best selves.

Are we like Simon? Are we confident and comfortable in our good deeds, trusting in our own righteousness? Are we perhaps a little impatient with those who are not living up to our standards? Are we on autopilot, going through the motions, attending our meetings, yawning through Gospel Doctrine class, and perhaps checking our cell phones during sacrament service?

Do we understand our indebtedness to Heavenly Father and plead with all our souls for the grace of God?

Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God.²⁶ Thinking that we can trade our good works for salvation is like buying a plane ticket and then supposing we own the airline. 

Why Then Obey?

If grace is a gift of God, why then is obedience to God’s commandments so important? 

Our obedience to God’s commandments comes as a natural outgrowth of our endless love and gratitude for the goodness of God. This form of genuine love and gratitude will miraculously merge our works with God’s grace. 

Grace is a gift of God, and our desire to be obedient to each of God’s commandments is the reaching out of our mortal hand to receive this sacred gift from our Heavenly Father.

All We Can Do

The prophet Nephi made an important contribution to our understanding of God’s grace when he declared, “We labor diligently … to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”³¹

However, I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase “after all we can do.” We must understand that “after” does not equal “because.”

We are not saved “because” of all that we can do. Have any of us done all that we can do? Does God wait until we’ve expended every effort before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace?

Many people feel discouraged because they constantly fall short. They know firsthand that “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”³² They raise their voices with Nephi in proclaiming, “My soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.”³³

I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin.³⁴ This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God.”³⁵

After all, that is what we can do! And that is our task in mortality!

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” October 2015

He therefore knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us—to give us the strength to bear it all.

Isaiah taught that the Messiah would bear our “griefs” and our “sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Isaiah also taught of His strengthening us: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10).

We see that because of His Atonement, the Savior has the power to succor—to help—every mortal pain and affliction. Sometimes His power heals an infirmity, but the scriptures and our experiences teach that sometimes He succors or helps by giving us the strength or patience to endure our infirmities.

There are millions of God-fearing people who pray to God to be lifted out of their afflictions. Our Savior has revealed that He “descended below all things” (D&C 88:6). As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Having ‘descended below all things,’ He comprehends, perfectly and personally, the full range of human suffering.” We might even say that having descended beneath it all, He is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us the strength we need to endure our afflictions. We have only to ask.

I know these things to be true. Our Savior’s Atonement does more than assure us of immortality by a universal resurrection and give us the opportunity to be cleansed from sin by repentance and baptism. His Atonement also provides the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our mortal infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality. He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Divine Gift of Repentance,” October 2011

Repentance is the necessary condition, and the grace of Christ is the power by which “mercy can satisfy the demands of justice” (Alma 34:16). Our witness is this:

“We know that justification [or forgiveness of sins] through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true;

“And we know also, that sanctification [or purification from the effects of sin] through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength” (D&C 20:30–31).

It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts (see 2 Nephi 25:23). Perhaps as much as praying for mercy, we should pray for time and opportunity to work and strive and overcome. Surely the Lord smiles upon one who desires to come to judgment worthily, who resolutely labors day by day to replace weakness with strength.

Prophetic Warnings Fulfilled and the Need to Follow the First Presidency

 

Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting the Challenges of Today," Oct 10, 1978 - BYU Speeches

Excerpts:

Discipleship includes good citizenship; and in this connection, if you are careful students of the statements of the modern prophets, you will have noticed that with rare exceptions—especially when the First Presidency has spoken out—the concerns expressed have been over moral issues, not issues between political parties. The declarations are about principles, not people, and causes, not candidates. 

But make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters; in the months and years ahead, events will require of each member that he or she decide whether or not he or she will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions (see 1 Kings 18:21).

President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had “never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional, or political life” (CR, April 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ.

We are now entering a period of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: we shall see in our time a maximum if indirect effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism that uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of Western civilization to shrink freedom even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.

Your discipleship may see the time come when religious convictions are heavily discounted. M. J. Sobran also observed, “A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it” (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, p. 58). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain of people’s opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will soon be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.

In its mildest form, irreligion will merely be condescending toward those who hold to traditional Judeo-Christian values. In its more harsh forms, as is always the case with those whose dogmatism is blinding, the secular church will do what it can to reduce the influence of those who still worry over standards such as those in the Ten Commandments. It is always such an easy step from dogmatism to unfair play—especially so when the dogmatists believe themselves to be dealing with primitive people who do not know what is best for them. It is the secular bureaucrat’s burden, you see.

It may well be, as our time comes to “suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41), that some of this special stress will grow out of that portion of discipleship which involves citizenship. Remember that, as Nephi and Jacob said, we must learn to endure “the crosses of the world” (2 Nephi 9:18) and yet to despise “the shame of [it]” (Jacob 1:8). To go on clinging to the iron rod in spite of the mockery and scorn that flow at us from the multitudes in that great and spacious building seen by Father Lehi, which is the “pride of the world,” is to disregard the shame of the world (1 Nephi 8:26–27, 33; 11:35–36). Parenthetically, why—really why—do the disbelievers who line that spacious building watch so intently what the believers are doing? Surely there must be other things for the scorners to do—unless, deep within their seeming disinterest, there is interest.

Properly humbled and instructed concerning the great privileges that are ours, we can cope with what seem to be very dark days and difficult developments, because we will have a true perspective about “things as they really are,” and we can see in them a great chance to contribute.

Hymns/Words of Comfort During Times of Deep Trials

I have a few favorite hymns that I retreat to in times of deeper trials. I had never thought through the words of the third hymn below before, but now I have three songs to rely on.

The Touching Story Behind “It Is Well with My Soul.” I have read this story many times, but it still brings me peace. It is one thing to be able to read the words, it is another thing to write them during what he went through!

"It is Well With My Soul"

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well, With my soul

It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

 

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

 

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

 

 "How Gentle God's Commands"

My favoritie line: “Why should this anxious load, press down your weary mind?”  

1. How gentle God’s commands!

How kind his precepts are!

Come, cast your burdens on the Lord

And trust his constant care.

2. Beneath his watchful eye,

His Saints securely dwell;

That hand which bears all nature up

Shall guard his children well.

3. Why should this anxious load

Press down your weary mind?

Haste to your Heav’nly Father’s throne

And sweet refreshment find.

4. His goodness stands approved,

Unchanged from day to day;

I’ll drop my burden at his feet

And bear a song away.

 

 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

 Joyfully

 1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!

Join the great throng,

Psaltery, organ and song,

Sounding in glad adoration!

 

2. Praise to the Lord! Over all things he gloriously reigneth.

Borne as on eagle wings, safely his Saints he sustaineth.

Hast thou not seen

How all thou needest hath been

Granted in what he ordaineth?

 

3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy way and defend thee.

Surely his goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee.

Ponder anew

What the Almighty can do,

Who with his love doth befriend thee.

 

4. Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!

All that hath breath, join with Abraham’s seed to adore him!

Let the “amen”

Sum all our praises again,

Now as we worship before him.

 

Text: Joachim Neander, 1650–1680; trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1829–1878

Music: From Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665; arr. by William S. Bennett, 1816–1875, and Otto Goldschmidt, 1829–1907

 

Psalm 150

Psalm 23:6

What Can I do to Increase My Spirituality?

 I often ask myself and ask in my prayers, "What can I do to increase my spirituality?" so I can receive more help from my Heavenly Father in my daily life. Over the years, I find that the things I need to work on can be grouped into the following categories. These ideas have come from the teachings of living apostles and prophets, so I have included their teachings below.

1. Focus on Jesus Christ
2. Prayer
• Focused, vocal prayer
• Spiritually plan my day
3. Scripture study
• Daily Read from the Book of Mormon
• Pray before reading
• Ponder and listen after
4. Temple covenants
5. Repentance & humility
6. Recognize and Record impressions
• Ask each day, “Have I seen the Hand of the Lord today?”
• Ask more – listen longer, His ways are higher

President Nelson, "Let God Prevail," Oct. 2020, “The only way to survive spiritually is to be determined to let God prevail in our lives, to learn to hear His voice and to use our energy to help gather Israel.”

President Russell M. Nelson, "Spiritual Treasures," Oct. 2019 Examine your life meticulously and regularly. As you do so, the Holy Ghost will prompt you about what is no longer needful, what is no longer worthy of your time and energy.

1. Focus on Jesus Christ

a.       Read and underline every verse cited about Jesus Christ

Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into our Lives - President Russell M. Nelson’s Challenge

Earlier this year, I asked the young adults of the Church to consecrate a portion of their time each week to study everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the standard works. I invited them to let the scriptural citations about Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide become their personal core curriculum. I gave that challenge because I had already accepted it myself. I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide. When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, “I am a different man!” I felt a renewed devotion to Him as I read again in the Book of Mormon the Savior’s own statement about His mission in mortality.

2. Prayer

a.      Focused, vocal prayer

Elder Jeffery R. Holland, To “Hear Him” Is the Essence of the Restoration, Nov. 2020  

I Hear Him through Determined Prayer. 

There is a great lesson in [Joseph’s prayer] about muscular, urgent, determined prayer to fight through, whether it is the adversary’s opposition, the cares of the day, or the distractions of our mind. We have many things that can keep us from having that divine experience. And we, like Joseph, will have to exert all our power to have the magnificent experience that God wants us to have.

 

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.

 b.     Spiritually plan my day

3. Scripture study

a.      Daily Read from the Book of Mormon 

 Pray before reading

b.     Ponder and listen after

Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, Nov. 2010 Our humility and our faith that invite spiritual gifts are increased by our reading, studying, and pondering the scriptures. We have all heard those words. Yet we may read a few lines or pages of scripture every day and hope that will be enough. But reading, studying, and pondering are not the same. We read words and we may get ideas. We study and we may discover patterns and connections in scripture. But when we ponder, we invite revelation by the Spirit. Pondering, to me, is the thinking and the praying I do after reading and studying in the scriptures carefully.

 

4. Temple covenants

5. Repentance & humility

Elder Neil L. Anderson, The Gift of Forgiveness, Liahona, Feb. 2021

In prayer we review the happenings of the day, asking,

• “Where did I see the Lord’s hand in my life?
• How did my actions reveal honesty and unselfishness?
• What more could I have done?
• What thoughts and emotions do I need to control?
• How could I have better followed the example of the Savior?
• How could I have been more kind, more loving, more forgiving, and more merciful toward others?
• In what ways was I less than my Heavenly Father would want me to be?”

In prayer we review the happenings of the day… Then we pause and listen. Our personal prayers open the window to personal revelation from our Heavenly Father.

Our repentance, followed by forgiveness from the Savior of the world, is the foundation of our prayers and efforts to return to our heavenly home.

With faith in Jesus Christ, we openly acknowledge to our Heavenly Father

• our mistakes,
• oversights,
• and unthoughtful actions toward others.

We humbly ask for forgiveness, listen to the quiet impressions of the Spirit, and promise our Heavenly Father that we will be more attentive to those things we can improve. We confess our sins and we forsake them (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:43). We restore that which we can restore to those we have hurt or offended. It may be an apology to a spouse or a child, a message to a friend or coworker, or a resolve to follow a neglected spiritual impression.

Repentance becomes a continual thought, a constant effort.

President Russell M. Nelson has said:

“Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. …

“… Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day.”

 

6. Recognize and Record impressions

a.      How to #HearHim

President Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, Apr. 2018 Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.” Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.

 

President Nelson, Hear Him, Apr. 2020

I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him.

 

Elder Jeffery R. Holland, To “Hear Him” Is the Essence of the Restoration, Nov. 2020  

 I Hear Him by Trusting My Feelings

Another way I “hear Him” is to trust what I feel. I often get asked, “How do I know that what I am feeling is coming from the Lord?” We don’t always get a written, certified statement issued in response to our prayers, but if your searching is honorable and true and clean and noble, trust the feelings that come. I encourage people to act on those feelings and to believe that their instincts can be founded on truth. At that point you do not have to ask, “Did it come from Him?” He will make sure that it doesn’t come from an evil source.

 

God wants us to be like Him. We mature, and with effort we become more like God. We think more of His thoughts and feel more of His feelings. We are one with Him, and our impressions ought to be indistinguishable from His promptings. That unity is one of the things the Savior prayed for. By striving to live as one with Him, you will be more like God and you will “hear Him” and trust Him, even as you trust your own feelings when praying to Him.

 

b.     Ask each day, “Have I seen the Hand of the Lord today?”

c.      Ask more – listen longer, His ways are higher

The Best Ways to Receive and Recognize Personal Revelation from the Holy Ghost

 

Importance of Receiving Revelation

Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Grow into the Principle of Revelation, Liahona Jan. 2021

Satan has marshaled his forces and is raging against the work of the Lord and those of us engaged in it. Because of the increasing dangers we face, our need for divine guidance has never been greater, and our efforts to hear the voice of Jesus Christ—our Mediator, Savior, and Redeemer—have never been more urgent.

Immerse Ourselves in the Scripture

Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Grow into the Principle of Revelation, Liahona Jan. 2021

First, we immerse ourselves in the scriptures. Doing so opens our minds and hearts to the Savior’s teachings and truths. The words of Christ “tell [us] all things what [we] should do” (2 Nephi 32:3), especially in these days of uncertainty and upheaval.

Elder Holland, “To “Hear Him” Is the Essence of the Restoration,” Church Blog 11/8/20

For me, the most obvious and most immediate way that God has spoken to me, day in and day out, has been through the scriptures. The 18th section of the Doctrine and Covenants teaches that if you have read the words, you have heard the voice of God (see Doctrine and Covenants 18:36). It is literal to me that those words on that page are His words. They are canonized and carry a spiritual impact. If I am in tune, I hear His voice.

Listening After Our Prayers

Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Grow into the Principle of Revelation, Liahona Jan. 2021

If we will stay on our knees for a while after we finish our prayer, thoughts, feelings, and direction will come into our mind. Recording those impressions will help us remember what actions the Lord would have us take.

Recording Impressions

Pres. Russell M. Nelson, Grow into the Principle of Revelation, Liahona Jan. 2021

If we will stay on our knees for a while after we finish our prayer, thoughts, feelings, and direction will come into our mind. Recording those impressions will help us remember what actions the Lord would have us take.

 

Learn How to Say Focused, Determined Prayers

Elder Holland, “To “Hear Him” Is the Essence of the Restoration,” Church Blog 11/8/20

There are many lessons that come out of that Sacred Grove experience. Not the least is the opposition that Joseph Smith faced before the great revelatory moment of the Father and the Son. The adversary was opposing that experience, including the prohibition of his prayerful speech—particularly because this supplication was going to lead to the great revelation. Then Joseph exerted his power against the adversary’s, made that breakthrough, and had his great revelatory experience.

There is a great lesson in that about muscular, urgent, determined prayer to fight through, whether it is the adversary’s opposition, the cares of the day, or the distractions of our mind. We have many things that can keep us from having that divine experience. And we, like Joseph, will have to exert all our power to have the magnificent experience that God wants us to have.

 

Pray Vocally and Maybe Earlier in the Evening

Elder Holland, “To “Hear Him” Is the Essence of the Restoration,” Church Blog 11/8/20

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.

 

Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2007

“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.”

The Importance of Praying Vocally

 

1.  “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

2.  “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 

3. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, I Hear Him by Making Quality Time to Pray Vocally 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.

Book of Mormon Theme: 1 Nephi- The Lord will help us accomplish what is necessary

Once in a while for my gospel study time, I enjoy going through my Book of Mormon from the beginning and reading just the passages I underlined. As I did that this week, the following theme was very apparent throughout 1 Nephi, – the Lord will “prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which He commandeth them.”

Many of us are familiar when Nephi says it in 1 Nephi 3:7, but the same wording is used in other places as well.

In Chapter 1, Nephi himself explains that he is going to show us this principle.

1 Nephi 1: 20 But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

Examples of This Wording

• ·         1 Nephi 3:7: I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
• ·         1 Nephi 5:8: And she [Sariah] spake, saying: I know of a surety that the Lord has given them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them.
• ·         1 Nephi 9:5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these [2^nd] plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I now not. But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works.
• ·         1 Nephi 17:3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them.

Examples of How the Lord Prepares a Way

·         Sending promptings is one way the Lord helps us accomplish things:

 After they give their best efforts to get the plates but nothing works, Nephi makes a third attempt. This time he says:

1 Nephi 4:6-7: I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.  Nevertheless I went forth...

·         Strengthening us to endure is sometimes the way the Lord “prepares a way...”:

1 Nephi 17:2-3 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, ...our women were strong, yea , even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.

And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

·         We have to be given power from the Lord:

      1 Nephi 4:31 ...having received much strength from the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban...

1 Nephi 7:17 ...I prayed unto the Lord...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.

·         The Lord prepares us for an unseen future event:

1 Nephi 9:5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these [2^nd] plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I now not. But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works.

·         The Lord provides miracles:

1 Nephi 16:16 And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.

·         The Lord shows us from time to time how to do something we can’t accomplish on our own:

1 Nephi 18:1 And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.

1 Nephi 18:2 I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men.

1 Nephi 18:3 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.