Prayer

Volume Three—Chapter Eight PRAYER

In this brief chapter on prayer, I will make no attempt to provide a comprehensive discussion of our customary uses of and accepted views about prayer in the Church. Rather, I will attempt to touch on the essence of prayer and the potential role it has in each of our lives.

#Definition of Prayer

In our discussions of the characteristics of our mortal experience here on earth, we have often referenced the veil that separates heaven and earth. We have concluded it is hardly an impenetrable wall, but rather a potentially porous “curtain.” It allows two-way communication between the spiritual or heavenly realm and the mortal earth, which communication is overseen and managed by the Holy Ghost. This interaction between God and man is highly desirable and even completely necessary for man’s spiritual progress and eventual salvation. No accountable mortal will ever return to his celestial home without it.

The communication that passes from heaven to earth we call revelation.1 That which passes from earth to heaven is prayer. Prayer consist of those thoughts, feelings, and words that a mortal sends heavenward, intending they be communicated to God. He stands constantly ready, willing, and eager to communicate with man. But the process must be initiated by the man. And, the Lord’s responding to the man’s prayer is conditioned upon his righteousness, sincerity, forthrightness, and the appropriateness of his motivation and desires.

#We Are Commanded to Pray

It is not surprising that God has commanded us to pray. He commands us in order that we might receive, in return, his blessings of divine succor. Adam and Eve began praying to God after they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. “And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not” (Moses 5:4). Though they were separated from God, communication with him was still possible and vital. The Lord commanded Adam, “Thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore” (Moses 5:8).

This commandment to pray still applies. The Lord instructs, “Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (D&C 4:7; cf. Matthew 7:7-8). Home teachers are to “visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret” (D&C 20:47). Other scriptures emphasize the necessity of prayer: “Pray always lest that wicked one have power in you, and remove you out of your place” (D&C 93:49). “Pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward” (D&C 31:12). “For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold . . . ye must pray always, and not faint . . . ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul” (2 Nephi 32:8-9). Thus, as the scriptures make clear, prayer is a commandment and an opportunity to communicate with God and to receive blessings and direction from him.

#Types of Prayer

We may differentiate among three types of prayers:

1. “Set prayers.” These are a formal type of prayer used only in temple ordinances, in the two sacrament prayers (D&C 20:77, 79; cf. Moroni 4-5), and in the baptismal prayer (D&C 20:73). Elder Mark E. Peterson wrote, “By revelation the Lord has given the Church . . . set prayers for use in our sacred ordinances . . . [These] relate to the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, his crucifixion, and his burial and resurrection. All of the ordinances in which we use these prayers place us under solemn covenants of obedience to God” (Prayer, Kimball et al., 56).

2. Other formal prayers. These do not have set texts, but they do consist of specific styles and conventions—(1) address the Father, (2) express gratitude, (3) petition him for those things you desire, and (4) close in the name of the Son. Some of these are offered while kneeling. These include giving thanks for meals, family prayers, morning and evening individual prayers, and the invocation and benediction at church meetings or other gatherings for church purposes. These are often offered at set times, but may be uttered in any setting, any circumstance, and in any posture. In all these instances Latter-day Saints express themselves in their own words.

3. Constant prayers. These are characterized by a spiritual attitude and a constant sense of the presence of and a connection with Divinity. Ideally, the line of communication is open constantly. The individual has a constant sense of communication with the Lord through his Spirit. These may be “verbally enhanced” at any time. There surely is a relationship between this mode of communication and the “constant” presence of the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus counseled his twelve disciples and the multitude to “pray always” (3 Nephi 18:15, 18). The multitude was told that “they should not cease to pray in their hearts” (3 Nephi 20:1). This is achieved through the constantly accessible line of communication open to the individual in constant prayer. Each of us should be striving for this form of prayer. In our daily walk we should find ourselves yearning continually for the presence of God.

This type of prayer is more something we are rather than something we do. We must become an individual who is constantly in the presence of, or at least constantly “in touch” with the Lord.

#The Gift of Constant Prayer

The ability to “pray always” is a gift of the Spirit. We may call it the “gift of constant prayer.” It is notable that this gift fits into both “nonspecific” and “specific” categories.

 It is nonspecific in that it is one of those “perquisites” or extra blessings that accompany spiritual growth.2 The individual actively progressing spiritually in all areas will “automatically” begin enjoy the marvelous blessing of an open line of communication with the Lord. Like all perquisite gifts of the spirit, it is granted by virtue of constantly striving to deny one’s natural self and obeying the Lord’s commandments. It is one of the extra blessings of diligent and constant spiritual growth. The individual growing rapidly tends to draw close to the Lord. He may even come to feel the Lord’s presence continuously.

The usual course of spiritual growth for all of us is somewhat “stuttering.” That is, we may at times grow faster than at other times. Commensurate with this pattern of growth, it may well be that our “constant” line of communication may at times seem to be “out of order.” Yet, continued striving and repentance will “restore our service.”

 This particular gift also has a “specific” element as well. That is, diligently disciplining oneself to vocally pray regularly, as the Lord commands, also facilitates the acquisition of the gift of constant prayer according to the principle of D&C 130:20-21.3

It should be obvious why the Lord commands us to pray to him. It is not to keep him informed. The Father already knows our hearts. He knows what we are thankful for and what we need. He knows this even before we pray. He does not need to hear it for his sake. Yet, he commands that we pray often and in specific settings. He desires that we discipline ourselves to pray. When we school ourselves to obey a commandment, our obedience passes through two phases. This first is the “deliberate” phase. That is, we must obey the commandment deliberately. We force ourselves to obey, even if we don’t feel strongly inclined to do so. In our discussion of faith,4 we learned this is the exercise of “deliberate” faith. When we succeed in obeying, the process eventually becomes easier due to the reception of spiritual gifts. These gifts change our hearts and make us “new creatures,” more apt to submit to the divine will. Those gifts, revealed to our hearts, may be spoken of as “revealed” faith. When we receive these gifts, we reach a higher level of obedience. It is then easier to resist our natural self and obey. We have the benefit of a changed heart produced by our gifts of the Spirit.

As we begin the process of deliberately and diligently following the Lord’s commandment to pray frequently and from our hearts, he will slowly reveal to us the gift of constant prayer. This establishes a constant connection with him. Then we will joy in all forms of prayer, both uttered and unuttered. The Lord’s command to pray is his way of drawing us closer to him. As we diligently pray, he will gradually forge a stronger and more constant relationship with us. We need to seek every opportunity to express ourselves to him verbally. This deliberate prayer will then be gradually replaced with a longing to communicate with him and a feeling of constant closeness to him. This longing is the gift of constant prayer.

#How Often Ought We to Pray?

The question may be asked, then, how often is an individual obligated to offer uttered prayers? There exists no specific command, but what do the best among us do? The prophet Joseph Smith provided counsel in this area. He suggested we consider praying three times a day: “You must make yourselves acquainted with those men who like Daniel pray three times a day toward the House of the Lord” (TPJS, 161). Evidently, Joseph Smith was making reference to Daniel 6:10: “Daniel . . . went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God.” There is good evidence that Joseph Smith and his family practiced this teaching. Eliza R. Snow recorded: “Three times a day he had family worship; and these precious seasons of sacred household service truly seemed a foretaste of celestial happiness” (Jayann Morgan Payne, “Eliza R. Snow, First Lady of the Pioneers” Ensign, September 1973, 62-67). According to Eliza Ann Carter, “When I was living at Hyrum Smith’s, I thought that he was the best man I ever saw. He was so kind to his family, and he prayed in his family three times a day” (Lucinda Snow, “A Biographical Sketch,” Women’s Exponent, 15 April 1897, 134-135).

#Avoid Vain Repetitions

We are warned against “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7). The Greek adjective used in this verse suggests speaking without thinking. There is little wrong with repetition per se. More often than not, God teaches us through repetition. He continually teaches and re-teaches, iterates and reiterates, all throughout the scriptures. And in the holiest classroom on earth, in the house of God, the main method used is repetition. It is vain or mindless repetition we are urged to avoid.

Are Latter-day Saints guilty of using vain repetitions? Consider the following common clichés often heard in Latter-day Saint prayers: “We’re thankful for this day.” “We’re thankful for this building we have to meet in.” “We’re grateful for all our many blessings.” “Bless those who aren’t here this week.” “Bless the sick and afflicted.” “Bless us that no harm or accident will befall us.” “Bless us with all the blessings we stand in need of.” “Bless the missionaries that they’ll be guided to the honest in heart.” “Bless us that we will strive to incorporate these things into our daily lives.” “Take us all home in peace and safety.” “Bless and sanctify this food that it may nourish and strengthen us.” Is there anything inherently wrong with any of these phrases? Certainly not, as long as voicing them is sincere, genuine, and heartfelt. Vain repetitions occur only when the individual mouths the words without feeling them.

#Avoid Ostentation

Verbal prayer ought to consist of simple, unostentatious expressions of deep emotions. The person who prays to parade piety only makes explicit his lack thereof. The individual who prays to display his eloquence is turned inward in his thoughts and not outward toward the Lord and toward others. Those who “sound a trumpet” or give alms to be seen of men are “hypocrites.” The author of Matthew used this epithet to describe those Pharisees who sought prestige above all else. It is not the form but the real substance of one’s prayers that is important. It is not one’s outward decorum or glib speech, but rather what lies deep within one’s heart. The Church teaches those offering invocations and benedictions to express worship rather than make a display or preach a sermon.

As with other religious acts, prayer should be done privately and quietly. Entering “into thy closet” may mean your bedroom, or, as the New Testament Greek term connotes—your “places of privacy,” whether in your home, your office, or your personal “wilderness” (Alma 34:26).

Jesus used simple, expressive language in his prayers and avoided ostentation and flowery phrases (Matthew 6:5-13; 3 Nephi 13:5-13; 19:20-23, 28-29; cf. 3 Nephi 17:14-17; 19:31-34). More important than words are the feelings accompanying prayer. Christ addressed this issue with a clear warning: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8; cf. Isaiah 29:13). The language of prayer should be reverent, humble, sincere, and simple. If there is a disconnect between the words uttered and the honest feelings of the heart, one can hardly expect the Lord to respond.

#The Spirit of Prayer—Gratitude and Submissiveness

The natural self within each of us would have us appear self-sufficient and independent. In actuality, each of us is completely dependent upon our Savior. Though it may seem ironic to some, this dependence is not weakness. It is true spiritual strength. We ought to constantly express our gratitude to the Lord. An important purpose of prayer is to thank God for life itself and for all that makes life valuable. Ingratitude is an offense against God. It is a failure to recognize his power and love. Giving thanks to God is to acknowledge his ever-present hand (D&C 59:14-21). The revealed gift of constant prayer imbues the recipient with this gratitude. This gift doubtless overlaps with the gift of divine indebtedness or “a broken heart and contrite spirit.”5

Prayer should also be accompanied by a spirit of submissiveness to God’s will. The Savior’s submissiveness as he prayed in Gethsemane shows the way: “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

#Adding Fasting to Prayer—What Does It Accomplish?

Fasting is a form of personal sacrifice. Together, fasting and prayer results in the spirit of sacrifice. Fasting is a tangible sacrifice we offer to the Lord, and we present this offering to him through our prayers.

In an earlier discussion, we learned that most adversities are not orchestrated by the Lord. Nor are they brought upon us exclusively by our own sins. Rather, most are simply an integral part of mortality. For the most part, they are “mortal accidents.”7 We live outside the presence of God in a telestial world. We are here on earth to learn from our experiences. Part of this learning occurs as we are forced to respond to unexpected and undeserved adversities. Many adversities occur in ways that do not seem fair or just. They just occur. We grow spiritually as we address and overcome our adversities. The Lord is thus loath to remove them from us, even when we pray and plead for him to do so. Sometimes he simply patiently, sympathetically, and lovingly lets us deal with adversities. He knows our adversities will often strengthen us.

At times, however, our adversities seem unduly unfair and overwhelming. Accordingly, we are inclined to plead fervently with the Lord to relieve us of these burdens. Certainly the Lord has the ability to intervene. But will he in any particular case? As we importune the Lord in these particularly stressful situations, our inclination is to combine fasting with prayer to demonstrate to him our contrition and willingness to sacrifice. We also demonstrate our ardent desire that he respond directly to our prayer. Sometimes our family, friends, or even our ward family will join with us in fasting and praying in combined voice. If our prayers are fervent, righteous, persistent, associated with fasting, and particularly if they come from several different individuals, we hope the Lord will then be more willing to “accept the matter specifically onto his agenda” and decide to intervene. With our earnest fasting and prayer, we hope to induce the Lord to take the issue out of the realm of “mortal accident” and place it squarely “on his desk.” What a blessing to know the Lord personally has considered our situation and decided to intervene or even deliberately decided not to intervene. How comforting that would be!

When we pray, we should never be disillusioned when it appears to us that the Lord has not intervened. Perhaps he has made a deliberate, ultimately beneficial decision not to do so. I am convinced he knows our individual circumstances and burdens thoroughly. He always responds in our best interest.

#Prayer of Faith

Prayer should be regarded as an active process and not a passive one. In the April 2008 General Conference, Elder David A. Bednar spoke of the “prayer of faith” (Ensign, May 2008, 94-97). He suggested that we members of the Church often fail to fully utilize this effective type of prayer. Often, members of the Church, for example, pray that the Lord will “protect and guide the missionaries to the pure in heart.” They then get up from their prayer and trust that he will do so. Elder Bednar pointed out that when we petition the Lord to help the missionaries with a true prayer of faith, we then ought to get up from our prayer and find people for the missionaries to teach. He emphasized that it is the missionaries’ calling to teach, but ours to find investigators for them.

The prayer of Jacob’s son Enos is another apt example. On a hunting trip, Enos decided to pray until he received an answer to his question. He wished to know for certain whether the eternal principles taught by his father Jacob were true. Enos said, “And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins” (Enos 1:2). He reported, “And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens” (Enos 1:4). Enos’s use of the word “wrestle” should remind us that real spiritual progress requires genuine effort and is not a passive process. Apparently, Enos needed to labor intensely to position himself to receive remission of his sins and communicate with God. A simple, “routine” prayer was not enough. The answer did not come until after he had prayed all day and into the night. Then the Lord’s voice came to him. He enjoyed marvelous spiritual blessings as a result.

As Alma tried to convince the Lord to bless the recalcitrant people of Ammonihah, he also “labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer” (Alma 8:10). In your daily prayers, do you exert yourself and strive earnestly to make yourself heard? Do you yearn, work, and “wrestle” for an answer, or are you more passive? I’m afraid most of our daily prayers do not include much “wrestling.”

#For What Should We Pray?

When we make earnest requests of the Lord, we usually are praying for a few common things, all of which are appropriate:

We pray for the relief or prevention of some adversity in our own lives and in 

the lives of others: “Protect us as we travel.” “Take us home in safety.” “Please heal him [or her] of his illness.” “Watch over and protect my family.” “Relieve his pain.” “Bless our harvest this year that it may be abundant.” “Bless us that we may have sufficient funds to pay our bills.” “Protect us from harm or accident.” “Help me to resist temptation.”

 We pray for spiritual comfort or solace for ourselves or others: “Help me to know that thou art there.” “Please comfort her in her bereavement.” “Help me to be patient in my afflictions.” “Help her to feel thy comforting presence.” “Bless him in his disappointment.” “Comfort him in his sorrow.”

We pray for spiritual knowledge or direction: “Please bless me with a testimony 

of the Book of Mormon.” “Help me to find the book I have misplaced.” “Help my son to know the truth of the gospel.” “Bless me to make the right decision.” “Help us to have the Spirit with us to guide and direct us.” “Help me on this exam, that I may recall what I have studied.” “Help me to find the answer to this question.” “Help me to know what to say to her.” “Please guide us to the honest in heart.” “Help me to understand this spiritual concept.” “Help me to forgive her.” “Help me to feel compassion for him.” “Help me to know thy will in this matter.”

Are there things we should not pray for? The range of appropriate prayers has been outlined by the prophet Alma: “I would that ye should be humble . . . asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive” (Alma 7:23). Alma further evidenced his habit of praying for many different things: “O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people. . . . O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us [Alma and fellow missionaries] that we may have success in bringing [our brethren] again unto thee in Christ. Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious . . . therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee” (Alma 31:31-35).

Amulek also counseled men and women to pray about a wide variety of things: “Cry unto [God] when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. . . . Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase” (Alma 34:20-21, 24-25). Amulek also advised his people to “cry unto [God] against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness” (Alma 34:23).

It is right and proper to call upon the Father in Christ’s name regarding every aspect and in every circumstance of our lives. Thus, a student may pray about studies, a merchant about business, a mother and father about the welfare of their children, a missionary about his or her investigators.

The Lord has obviously placed few limitations or prohibitions on what we might pray for. Part of the gift of constant prayer includes the ability to discern—to know what prayers are appropriate—to know the Lord’s will. Knowing what the Lord feels is appropriate would seem to be the secret of having one’s prayers answered. The Lord has even warned that asking for what “is not expedient” will turn to one’s “condemnation” (D&C 88:64-65). It is always wise and safe to pray that God’s will be done, even if it may mean the denial of your request.

#Does the Lord Always Answer Our Prayers?

One of the vital requirements for spiritual growth is the opportunity to exercise

fully one’s agency. An essential precondition for the full use of agency is opposition or adversity. If an individual were to plead for relief of all the opposition in his life, the Lord would not accommodate him. Each individual should acknowledge and accept the necessary element of adversity in his life. He should pray that the Lord will sustain and guide him in his adversities rather than remove all of them. Sometimes the Lord calms the storm. At other times he lets the storm rage and calms his child. We may be confident that an omniscient Lord will not try or tempt us beyond our capacity to endure.9

We never need question that the Lord has heard our prayer. There is great comfort in knowing that he is aware of us and watches over us and our circumstances. We cannot be expected at this time to have full insight into the appropriateness of the trials we pass through in this life. One day, however, we will understand that our lives have been fully, fairly measured. We will recall the depth of the commitment we made in the first estate. We will realize that God has indeed been perfect in his justice and mercy.

In time we will develop the quality of spiritual discernment. We will preemptively sense when the Lord is likely to respond to our prayers for relief. The Lord said to Joseph Smith, “He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh” (D&C 46:30).

If we are striving to be righteous and therefore staying connected with the Lord and his Spirit, there are at least two kinds of prayers for which we may expect answers:

1. Prayers for spiritual comfort or solace for ourselves or others. The Lord has repeatedly reassured the saints of his continued intimate oversight of each of us here in mortality. A typical example: “Continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice; for behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end” (D&C 100:12). Counseling the saints to pray for one another, the Lord’s half brother James wrote, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

2. Prayers for spiritual knowledge, understanding, and direction. Several passages of scripture emphasize the Lord’s willingness to regularly respond to such prayers of righteous individuals: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:5-6). “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal” (D&C 42:61).

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

Although the Lord may be expected to respond to these prayers, his answers may not correspond each time to our preconceived expectations.

#Preparation for Prayer

Latter-day Saints are taught the importance of preparation if one is to communicate effectively with God. When our heart is prepared, we enhance the likelihood that God will answer our prayer. A tranquil time and place allow quiet contemplation on the specific requests one may make. Joseph Smith went to a nearby grove to pray for an answer to his question. He received his glorious vision. Job was told, “Prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him” (Job 11:13). Alma listed the qualities of a heart prepared for prayer: “I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering . . . being diligent in keeping the commandments of God. . . . And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works” (Alma 7:23-24). Moroni stressed the need for “a sincere heart . . . real intent . . . [and] faith in Christ” (Moroni 10:4).

If our human relationships are amiss due to our own negligence, we may be found wanting in our preparation for prayer. Our relationships with others must harmonize with Christ’s teachings. A forgiving heart is a prepared heart. A giving heart is also a prepared heart. Amulek spoke of this quality: “I say unto you, do not suppose that [a decision to pray] is all; for . . . if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing” (Alma 34:28).

The scriptures suggest if we are properly prepared to pray and if we pray with appropriate objectives, it is highly likely the Lord will respond. Our desires will align with his. We will be inclined to pray for those things the Lord feels are appropriate for us to have. The elders of the early Church were promised: “If ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done” (D&C 50:29). In even stronger terms this assurance is repeated to all who pray: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (D&C 82:10).

#How Do We Know Our Prayer Has Been Answered?

When we pray to receive a blessing, and we do receive that blessing, can we always be certain of the Lord’s intervention? Might we have received the blessing had we not prayed? Might the natural turn of events have brought that blessing into our lives without the Lord’s intervening. This can be a difficult issue, and the Lord has left each individual to decide on his own. I will provide you a couple of personal examples. I will leave it to you to decide whether or not the Lord intervened in each of these instances.

I had a personal experience with prayer shortly after I turned twelve which I still remember vividly. It occurred in the fall of 1954. For several months I had longed to have a newspaper route of my very own. I had been hanging around the “paper station” at the corner of 17th East and 13th South in Salt Lake City. This was an old garage in the middle of a vacant lot. All of the newspapers to be delivered in my extended neighborhood were delivered to this garage every afternoon and early on Sunday morning. All of the eight or ten paper boys assigned to that station gathered there each day prior to delivering their route. They folded their newspapers and talked before stuffing their bags with the folded newspapers. They told fascinating stories about their experiences delivering papers. They would often extol their own accuracy in hitting the porches with the paper. They shared accounts of the tips they had received or even the difficulties they had experienced in trying to “collect” their payments. They even told of challenging experiences with neighborhood dogs. It was an exciting society, and I yearned to be counted a member. The carriers then rode away on their bikes to deliver their papers and have more rich experiences. In order to obtain a paper route of my own, I had learned it was necessary to be there every afternoon and make myself visible. I showed up when the paper boys gathered, helped them fold their papers, and joined in the conversation. A “station manager” hired by the newspaper company supervised all of the paper boys. It was his prerogative to choose the new paper boy when a route opened up. One had to be at least twelve to be assigned a route. I had been “of age” since the previous August. The station manager seemed to like me. I sensed my time was nigh. One day in late October, he telephoned me. “Preece, the paper boy who carries N-184 is going on vacation for a week, and I’d like you to substitute for him.”

This was it! This was my big chance! I happened to know that the family of this same paper boy was moving in a month. I knew what the station manager was thinking. “If Preece does a good job in substituting, I’ll give him the route!” And N-184! Just imagine! The second largest route in the entire station! The “draw” for that route was over 80 papers. I would not only have a route of my own, but one of the most prestigious in the station. I would make almost thirty dollars a month! I could hardly believe my luck. When we gathered each day in the paper station, I would be among the most important people there. When I talked and told my stories, they would listen. I would be the carrier for N-184!

The first day of substituting arrived. It was a cold blustery Thursday afternoon and the newspapers were thick because of all the weekend ads—almost as thick as on Sunday. In those days the newspaper company did not keep a list of their subscribers.

The only list for each route was carried in the head of the paper boy. The newspaper company sold the newspapers to the paper carrier, and he alone dealt with the customers. The boy for whom I was substituting had made me a list of addresses. It was written onto a single sheet of paper eleven inches long, folded repeatedly to a width of about two inches. It was covered on all surfaces with addresses. This list was sacred.

The day was so cold that I had to wear a heavy coat and a glove on my left hand, in which I held the list. Of course, no paper boy worth his salt would ever wear a glove on his “throwing hand.” I started delivering—throwing papers onto the front porches— according to the list. I continued over a long two-block stretch, crossed a busy street, and dropped a paper off at Fire Station number 10. I then had to ride a long block south and two blocks west before resuming the deliveries. I arrived at the point where I would again begin delivering. I looked down, and to my horror, the list was gone. It had fallen out of my gloved hand somewhere along that three-block stretch. I had not been aware of dropping it because of the glove. I was in serious trouble. The streets along which I had ridden were heavy with traffic, and the wind was blowing. Who knows where I dropped the list or where it might be by now? The regular paper boy was out of town and couldn’t be reached. The list I had lost was the only existing list of subscribers. If I missed or was late in delivering even one paper, the customer could call in a “complaint,” and the paper boy had to pay a fifteen-cent fine. My life flashed before me. Never had I been in such a difficult situation.

I struggled to decide what to do next. In desperation, I decided to pray. I pulled my bike between two houses, so no one would see me, and I prayed aloud. I told the Lord of my desperate plight and pled with him to help me locate the list. I paused after praying, and no revelation seemed to come. I remounted my bike and retraced the first part of the route. I again crossed the street to the fire station. It had been five to seven minutes since I had delivered the paper there. I then turned south and stopped to survey the situation. In front of me was a side walk extending to the south on the east side of the busy street. To the east of the sidewalk was a large empty field. I had previously ridden on the right or west side of the street with the traffic. There was no side walk on that side. For some reason, I decided to ride on the sidewalk. I had gone about a hundred feet when I became aware of an elongated, folded piece of paper rolling along in the wind at about the same speed I was riding. It was the list. Friends suggested I was extremely lucky. I knew then and know to this day that luck had nothing to do with it.

Just recently I had an experience illustrative of the Lord’s willingness to come to the rescue of his servants. I was in Manila in the Philippines on a humanitarian church assignment. I was accompanied by a small group of doctors assigned to teach local physicians how to better resuscitate infants born with respiratory difficulties. A few days into our project, one of our physicians came to breakfast early one morning visibly upset. On the evening prior, following our all-day teaching session, he had decided to do some souvenir shopping in a large mall near our hotel. Early in the evening he had referred to his electronic pocket planner, but did not take it out of his pocket again. When he arose that morning, he was unable to find it in his hotel room. It had somehow dropped out of his pocket somewhere in the mall. He explained, “My whole life is on that planner, every bank account number, every password, every credit card number, and other critical personal details. And the planner is not password protected.” Anyone who found his planner had ready access to considerable sensitive personal information. He said, “If I can’t locate it, I’ll have to awaken my wife in the middle of the night and have her begin to cancel all cards and accounts.”

The humanitarian missionary couple assisting us, when they learned of the missing planner, whispered to me that his chance of recovering it was “remote.” They had had a recent similar experience with a camera, and never saw it again. They said, “In this city, it is likely that whoever finds it will keep it.” My wife, Merrilee, and I sensed the doctor’s pain, and were ourselves upset. We were all about to leave for our teaching venue, but Merrilee and I made a hasty trip back to our hotel room where we knelt in prayer. We reminded the Lord that we were grateful to be on his errand, and that one of our team members had a significant problem. This physician is a good and righteous man, and had also prayed for the Lord’s help. While driving to the hospital where we would teach, I felt an unmistakable feeling of peace and felt to announce to the group I was sure we would find the planner. The doctor, in his angst, did not seem convinced. The humanitarian missionaries said nothing but did offer to return to the mall after it opened and see if they could find the planner. The doctor itemized to them, as best he could, the several stops he had made in the mall. Later in the morning, the couple returned to the mall. The doctor had mentioned stopping briefly in an internet café. They felt impressed to go there first. They explained the problem to the attendant and described the planner. She said she hadn’t seen it, but she was willing to write down the doctor’s name, hotel, and room number. As the couple was leaving the café, another girl walked in who had worked there the evening prior. Overhearing the conversation, she reached into a drawer, pulled out the planner, and asked, “Is this what you’re looking for?” An hour later the missionary couple returned the planner to me during the teaching session. While our doctor was delivering a lecture, I interrupted him and handed him the planner in front of the entire class. You should have seen his face!

Might both the address list and the planner have been found even without the Lord’s help? Certainly. But, I was there, and I feel he did intervene.

1 For a discussion of the doctrine of revelation see volume 2, chapter 9, Revelation.

For a discussion of this important topic, see “Perquisite Gifts of the Spirit,” in volume 1, chapter 8, The Blessings of Spiritual Gifts.

See “‘Specificity’ of Spiritual Gifts” in volume 1, chapter 8, The Blessings of Spiritual Gifts.

See volume 1, chapter 10, Deliberate Faith and Revealed Faith.

5 See chapter 5, Divine Indebtedness.

6 See chapter 17, The Law and Spirit of Sacrifice.

See “How Might We Categorize Adversities and Sufferings?” in chapter 1, Adversity and Suffering.

8 For a discussion of the necessary preconditions for the full exercise of agency, see “The Vital Preconditions for Spiritual Growth” in volume 1, chapter 13, Agency and Freedom.

9 See “Is There a Limit to Our Adversity and Suffering?” in chapter 2, The Roles of Suffering in Our Lives.