Preparing With Prayer

March and April are two of the most spiritually packed months of our year. We have Stake Conference in March, General Conference in March and April, and Easter in April. Are we ready for the spiritual feast we are about to partake of? Have we been preparing room in our hearts and minds? Have we stretched our spiritual pants to allow us to gain knowledge and faith?

The best way we can prepare ourselves is through prayer. Prayer precedes our meetings, our study, and the beginning of each day. We are asked to pray for others, for ourselves, and for our family. We are asked to pray when a new Bishopric or Stake Presidency isbeing chosen, when someone is sick or struggling, and we are asked to pray that our hearts will be open to receive the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

One of the most beautiful definitions of prayer is found in our Bible Dictionary: "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God, then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. 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. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

As we ponder this definition of prayer, may our relationship with our Heavenly Father grow, may our desire to pray increase, and may we be prepared for the blessings to come through counsel and guidance from the Lord's servans and through the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Through prayer we become his chosen people.