Improving Our Prayers | Joseph B. Wirthlin | 2003

As we approach our Heavenly Father in the name of Christ, we open the windows of heaven. We can receive from Him truth, light, and knowledge. Prayer is the doorway through which we commence our discipleship to things heavenly and eternal. We will never be alone so long as we know how to pray.

This speech was given on January 21, 2003.

Read this speech here:
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© Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.
I feel fortunate to be here this morning and grateful to spend a few moments with you. This university is very dear to me. The decisions that have been made over the years regarding this institution have not been made lightly.

As a church, we have invested sacred resources in this university and especially in the students. What happens here is important to the Brethren, to the Church, and to the Lord.

We are hopeful that those who walk upon this sacred ground will be an influence for good in their homes, in their communities, and throughout the world.

There is greatness here. You can feel it.

Who knows what literature, law, science, invention, insight, research, and art will flow from here? Who knows how the world will be blessed as a result of your efforts and inspiration?

One of the reasons you will achieve great things is because you will not be alone. The Lord is waiting to open the windows of heaven and magnify your righteous endeavors. He will bless your homes and your relationships. If you will come unto Him and serve Him, He will take the talents and abilities you possess and magnify them in marvelous ways.

So that we may come unto the Lord, we must communicate with Him through prayer. There may not be a commandment uttered more frequently than that we lift up our hearts and our voices in prayer to our Heavenly Father.

“Pray always,” the Lord has commanded to us in these latter-days, “and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing” (D&C 19:38). The Book of Mormon teaches, “Ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness” (Alma 34:26).

The Apostle Paul taught that we should “pray without ceasing. [And] in every thing give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18).

Jesus the Christ, our Exemplar, often prayed to the Father. If the Savior of all mankind felt such a need to supplicate the Father, how much more should we lift up our voices in prayer!

Every person here today lived at one time in heavenly realms. We walked with our Heavenly Father. We knew Him. We heard His voice. We loved Him.

And although we were eager to enter mortality and continue our progression, we must have regretted the separation that would accompany it. We must have sorrowed that a veil would cover our eyes and the bright memories of our lives would be cloaked in the forgetfulness of mortality. How we must have yearned to stay close to our Father in Heaven. How we must have covenanted to ever reach after Him and commune with Him.

Undoubtedly our separation from our Heavenly Father was softened when He promised that as we sought after Him in prayer, He would reach toward us.

Now we are here. Our memories of our premortal life are dim and dark. We have forgotten those things we supposed we could never forget. Unfortunately and tragically we sometimes even forget our Heavenly Father, whom we loved so dearly.

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