Prayer: Holy Communication and Consecrated Work
Prayer: Holy Communication and Consecrated Work
President Quinn’s Weekly Message
California Santa Rosa Mission
November 11th, 2024
Sister Quinn and I enjoyed being with most of you last week in interviews. Thank you for meeting with us.
During interviews, a few of you asked me about ways to improve your prayers. I shared that my prayers are most meaningful as I take time to prepare for them. A few minutes before kneeling in prayer, I take time to reflect on my many blessings. I also ponder on those people and blessings I need to pray for. As I take time to prepare to pray, I have found my prayers become my sincere, faith filled, and exact. I also believe my connection to heavenly power is strongest when my prayers are mostly filled with expressions of gratitude for my abundant blessings.
Elder Bednar has shared additional instruction on prayer I hope you will find helpful:
“I long have been impressed with the truth that meaningful prayer requires both holy communication and consecrated work. Blessings require some effort on our part before we can obtain them, and prayer, as “a form of work, … is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 753). We press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer, after we say “amen,” by acting upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father.
“Asking in faith requires honesty, effort, commitment, and persistence.” (GC, Ask in Faith, April 2008)
I am grateful for this insight that meaningful prayers require “consecrated work.” There are many examples in the Book of Mormon where prophets prayed and then acted. I think of Nephi building the ship for his family to cross the ocean. He consistently sought the direction of the Lord – and then acted (1 Nephi 17:7-11). The bother of Jared sought the Lord in prayer to find a solution for providing light in the vessels his people would use to cross the ocean. After his prayer, he went to work providing a solution for the Lord to use in blessing he and his people (Ether 3:1-6).
I know you pray each day for the Lord to bless you in your missionary labors. In addition to your holy communication with your Father in Heaven, I hope you will follow Elder Bednar’s instruction to act in ways that will bring about the blessings you seek. I have found in my life that my prayers are most often answered as I am on the move, working to qualify for the Lord’s blessings. I have found that the more effort I exert to bring about the blessings I desire, the more my faith increases.
I know our Father in Heaven hears and answers our prayers. I testify answers to prayers come through sincere prayer and actions. Please seek the Lord’s blessings through prayer to accomplish your missionary purpose – and then do the “consecrated work” that will allow the Lord to bless you.
We continue to make good progress towards our mission goal of 66 baptisms. We had another 4 baptisms this last week. That makes for a total of 20 baptisms since the challenge was issued. We have 10 friends on date next weekend and 29 through December 16th. I know we can reach our goal. Please pray that our friends will be faithful to their baptismal invitation and that we can do all that is needed to help them be baptized.
I pray daily for you, your friends, and your families. I have seen the Lord’s hands and blessings in your and my service in CASRM. It is a great blessing to serve with each of you.
Love,
President Quinn
(630) 881-4030
