Prayer and an Open Heart
General Conference was extra special because Uncle Travis, recently home from his mission, spent Priesthood session and Sunday with us. We also got to meet the twins for the first time who are now 1 month old! We’ve been working on reading the scriptures together with L every night, and lately we’ve been learning about receiving answers to our prayers.
We were in 1 Nephi 15 where it talks about how to receive answers when we inquire of the Lord. We’ve got to really mean it, have faith, and keep the commandments. Very sadly, I heard my little girl respond, “But Mom, God hasn’t answered my prayers…” A little taken aback and then concerned, we talked about why she felt her prayers weren’t answered. We talked about having an “open heart” and that answers might come as a feeling rather than words that we physically hear. I told her about some of my very first experiences with receiving answers to my prayers as a child. I prayed when I was in the spelling bee and I was terrified I would forget how to spell, and I ended up winning 2nd place. I told her about the time I prayed for safety in the night and I got the impression to look outside my window where I saw a fire started in my backyard. Finally, I told her about a time I was stuck in the dark alone in the garage, and I was scared so I prayed for help- I sang my favorite primary songs and I was able to get through that and I felt that God did answer my prayers. She listened patiently and nodded at the things I shared, but I could tell it still didn’t make sense to her.
Tonight as my husband picked up in the scriptures where I left off we revisited the subject, and again L mentioned that she hadn’t received answers to her prayers. He asked her if she remembered an experience that happened not long ago where L had a big part in a song the primary kids sang in front of everyone, and on the way home after the performance she had told us that she felt in her heart that Jesus was telling her he loved it and she did a good job. L remembered that and immediately lit up! Another time L had a couple of nightmares so Jeremy said a prayer with her to have good dreams about unicorns and rainbows… and the next morning she woke me up all excited that “It worked! It worked! I dreamt of unicorns and rainbows!” A big smile filled her as she recalled that time. Jeremy assured our daughter that God does hear her, God is trying to tell her things and she can feel them.
