How to Say a Mormon Prayer

Praying is an integral part of daily life for a Mormon.
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is often referred to as the Mormon Church, is a Christian primitivist church. Praying is extremely important for people of the Mormon faith. In fact, in part of the church's scriptures, 3 Nephi 18:20, the Saints are told to pray always or risk temptation from the devil. The privilege of praying is one of the greatest blessings in the life of a Mormon. Taking the time to learn how to pray as respectfully as possible shows your devotion to the heavenly Father and the faith.

Find a place where you are unlikely to be disturbed if you are not within a prayer group or church.

Sit or kneel for the prayer. Close your eyes and bow your head. Fold your arms or clasp your hands together.

Start the prayer respectfully, by saying, "God, my Heavenly Father," as you address God directly, or use a similar, formal greeting. If praying with a group, all should say in unison, "God, our Heavenly Father."

Speak or think your prayer sincerely. Open up about what comes from your heart. The Mormon faith tells believers that prayer is their direct line of communication to God the Father. Even if you are reciting a memorized prayer, take the time to connect with the words. Feel and mean what you say. According to Moroni 7:9 in the scriptures, only meaningful prayers are worthwhile.

Express your sincere thanks for specific blessings in your life. Although you may be thankful for everything you have, list a few specific things that you feel especially grateful for in the moment. Because of the importance of expressing gratitude before asking for something, the first sentence after addressing God usually starts with, "I thank Thee for... ."

Speak only words that demonstrate your reverence and closeness to God. When praying in English, use pronouns from the scriptures, such as thou, thy, thine, and thee. Choose your language carefully to properly convey the worshipful relationship you have with God.

Keep in mind that God's will must be acknowledged as the best thing. No matter how big or small the blessing is, conclude the request by stating, “. . . if it be according to Thy will.”

Ask for guidance from the Holy Ghost to know how to conclude your prayer, as recommend by the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since the Holy Ghost teaches believers to pray, he can guide you in finding the words to say.

Finish by establishing the fact that you are praying in the name of Jesus Christ. Say something like, "Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Eric Herboso is a nonprofit social media expert with articles appearing in national print magazines and throughout the blogosphere since 2003. He regularly gives talks and seminars at national nonprofit conventions, helping charities optimize their effectiveness through social media. He is currently working on a graduate degree in applied ethics from Stanford.

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