The facilitator today was Jessica White. First she opened the meeting by sharing that the RS Presidency in their meeting decided that todays discussion should be about making our prayers more meaningful. She invited all sisters to come and share their thoughts and feelings, because as we do this it strengthens and uplifts us all.
Sister White also asked us to think about Sister Joy's lesson last week and how the word Remember was such a strong word. We need to Remember our Savior. She then asked what we did with Sister Joy's handout. Sister White took a moment and shared how when she took her handout home her children wanted to know all about it. So she told of how they sat down as a family and she told them about what she had learned in Relief Society. They thought it was a special thing and they decided that her handout should take an important place on the mantle in their home so that they could all see it and Remember. Sometimes it is the little things that help us.
Sister Bywater shared that the word Remember is an important word. There are many things in our lives that we need to remember. As a mother and grandmother and now a great-grandmother she told of how we need to remember our children and families and we also need to reflect on what the Lord has done in our lives.
Sister White then asked, "So how do we make our prayers more meaningful to help us be unified with the Lord?" She talked about how when she first thought about this she thought she needed to use bigger words and be more impressive in what she was saying. Then she told of how she changed her heart and thinking by relating a story.
She asked us to think about if we were going to meet with someone important, wouldn't we take someone with us for support? So think about that. Think of driving to meet with someone important and you have a friend or family member with you in your car. Think of what you would say to them. Maybe how you would discuss with them what you should say to this important person. And then you finally met with this important person and really the meeting was somewhat of a let down. They really weren't impressed by what you had to say.
Then as you got home and had a chance to reflect on the day, who was it that you really had the most meaningful conversations with that day? Wasn't it the person you took with you for support? Didn't you tell them the dearest thoughts of your heart and your deepest desires for that day?
Now think about praying ~ Isn't this how we need to make our prayers more meaningful? Shouldn't we be taking the time to talk to Heavenly Father like we would our dearest friend? Isn't He our greatest Champion and Cheerleader?
Do you talk to the Savior throughout the day? Sister White talked about how she carries on a conversation with Him all day long. I know that when I have time and something is really worrying me, I talk to Him as if He were standing there listening. Our prayers need to be like this. They need to be regular, consistent, honest conversations!
As we talk and then take the time to listen, it is the Holy Ghost that answers these prayers These thoughts are not just us thinking to ourselves. The Holy Ghost will be there. He will put thoughts into our minds.
Recently Elder Bednar met with the local Relief Society Leaders. At this meeting, he stated, "hearing the Lord's voice should not be a unique experience. The voice will be a still small voice." He said that often we talk too much and listen too little.
Elder Bednar also said that if you have a big, grand Spiritual experience, you probably won't share it because it is sacred. He said that if you feel you want to share it, you probably need to make sure it is okay with the Holy Ghost first.
Sister Rawlins commented on how when she prays, often she cannot express in words exactly what is in her heart and what she desires to say. She said that it is sometimes hard to ask for those things that mean so much to her. She then asked the question, Does the Lord get tired of us asking for the same things? Sister Rawlins then related a story of how one day when she was driving, she had been praying to the Lord. She felt like she had been asking for the same things and was being repetitive so she then apologized to the Lord for asking always for the same things. She said she was blessed to feel the warmth of the Savior encompass her and she knew that He understood and still loved her.
So even though sometimes we ask for the same things over and over like for our families, etc. He understands and still loves us and wants us to continue to pray to Him.
Someone said that when we pray we should pray as if kneeling before our own fathers. Sister Gregory (Whitney) said that when we pray we should pray as if we are talking to our best friend. She said that on her mission it made it easier to pray this way if she had a picture nearby of the Savior that she could look at before she prayed.
Sister White read a portion out of the Bible Dictionary relating to prayer. It said, As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them.
Sister Garn then commented on how we need to use the correct language when we pray. She said that is a pet peeve of hers. She said that if we use this it can help us feel closer. Many agreed with this.
The comment was also made that sometimes we have children or others that resist this way of praying. Sister Tammy Jensen commented that she had this experience, but was blessed by coming to understand that Heavenly Father will accept prayers no matter the language in which it is given.
I also believe this. What if a person's language doesn't translate to the thee, thou, thy and thine? Also as I have listened to my grandchildren pray, they don't understand this language, however I have never heard such sweet, heartfelt, beautiful prayers. They are pure prayers and so I think Heavenly Father accepts all prayers no matter the language.
Sister Calli Richards commented on how we need to pray with gratitude and fervency. She told of a time when she and Brother Richards were saying their personal prayers at night she was feeling like she wasn't saying enough as Brother Richards was always done after her. When she commented on this to him, he told her that he had finished his prayer quite awhile before her, he was just waiting now to hear the answers. She talked of how it is our responsibility once we have asked questions of the Lord to take the time to stop and listen for the answers.
I know that this is one thing that I really need to work on and plan on implementing in my time talking with my Heavenly Father.
Sister Jensen then talked about how she read in a book that in the scriptures it says that the Lord commands all men to write down the words He speaks to them. She wondered if it was true and she looked it up and sure enough there it was. ( I looked it up and it is written in 2 Nephi 29:7, 9, 11 for those wondering.) We then continued to discuss how it is important to journal His answers to us. If we begin writing down His answers to us, we will become better able to discern His voice. Sister Jensen talked about when she first began doing this, how she didn't want to write down what she heard. She said that we need to be honest and write down what is given to us or we won't be able to hear His voice.
The Challenge that was given: TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO MAKE YOUR PRAYERS MORE MEANINGFUL!
To those sisters who weren't able to be there and be a part of this discussion, know you were missed! We love you and hope you will be with us for our next discussion.
