Praying

I have come home early from work so Teresa can go to the doctor so I thought I would take some time to catch up. Sadly, my sweetheart has been ill for several days and doesn't seem to be getting better. She can hardly sleep at night and she is miserable all day long. And with a houseful of kids that can make the days really long. Looks like it's going to be a difficult Valentines day for this little girl.

The topic of prayer has been on my mind for the past few days and I thought I might share some insights I have had as I studied. There are two talks by Elder Bednar that have helped me as I have considered the efficacy of my own prayers. They have come in the past two conferences and are excellent for firming your mind on what can be done to make our communications with God better. They are called "Pray Always", and "Ask in Faith." My most important discovery is that I have not been focused correctly as I pray each day. My daily offerings to Heavenly Father need to be more organized and direct and less of the wandering discussions I have had in the past. If my days are to be better and my heart is to be given to God, then my prayers must reflect my desires to have His help in deciding what I should do. Not that I need to wait on every decision, but I do need to be committed to His work more than my own agenda. When that happens, my agency and my will are His to do with as He wishes. And the end result will be greater joy for me and those I love. I don't know how clear that is but it has given me something to work on for a while. Try reading and pondering Elder Bednar's words and it might make more sense.

Gonna be short today so I will see you next time.