The greatest purpose and challenge in
life is to learn to know the Savior. We
learn to know him as we live like him by
keeping his commandments. Knowing
him is increased as we testify of him. In
this mortal experience there are many
Christlike things we can do; but unless
we keep his commandments and testify
of him, we will not achieve our full
purpose in life.
As we pursue on our eternal goal, we
will experience many difficulty and
hardships in life. These elements can
decrease our testimony, especially in
times that our will is contrary to the will
of God.
Despite of this difficulties, Our Savior
Jesus Christ gave as an assurance as
recorded in John 14:18 “I will never
leave you comfortless”
Such a great assurance that our Father
in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ is
always there to listen and help us in
times of trouble.
My wife is a great listener, she never
criticizes me despite of my weaknesses
instead, she showed me a greater love,
that gives me motivation to become
better.
The same analogy with this bro. and
sisters our Father in heaven will never
criticize us despite of our weaknesses,
an increased love is felt through the holy
ghost as we talk sincerely to our Father
in Heaven through prayer.
Prayer is given to everyone of us.
Prayer is our personal communication
with our Father in Heaven. As we
communicate with Our Father in Heaven
Through prayer, He listens, and we are
strengthened!
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 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).
Some prayers are answered, and some prayers
are not.
We sometimes get disappointed if our prayers
aren’t answered. We began to ask ourselves
“Does God really hears my prayer?” days and
months pass by and our prayers are not yet
answered, then we start to question the Lord,
then our faith and testimony wavers.
Bro. And sisters, Does God really hear and
answers prayer? YES! There is no doubt on that,
but why there are some prayers that are not
answered?
But what if brothers and sister all our prayers The people of Limhi and The People of
are answered immediately? Alma. There is a great lesson that we can
President Spencer W. Kimball thought: learn from this two group.

Should all prayers be immediately answered After the death of Abinadi there were
according to our selfish desires and our limited two colonies. The people of Limhi and
understanding, then there would be little or no
Alma, they were both in bondage by the
suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even
laminates.
death, and if these were not, there would also
be no joy, success, resurrection, nor eternal life
and godhood.
Problem:
“For it must needs be, that there is an The people of Limhi – Bondage because
opposition in all things … righteousness … of wickedness
wickedness … holiness … misery … good … bad.
…” (2 Nephi 2:11.
The people of Alma – Were caught into
bondage because they choose to hear
Bro. And Sisters today let us consider the
the word of God.
effectiveness of our prayers. How close do we
feel to our Heavenly Father? Do we feel that What were there solution to their
our prayers are answered? Do we feel that the
problem?
time we spend in prayer enriches and uplifts
People of Limhi - Mosiah 21: 14 And
our soul? Is there room for improvement?
they did humble themselves even in the
Do our prayers at times sound and feel the depths of humility; and they did cry
same? Have we ever said a prayer mechanically,
mightily to God; yea, even all the day
do we sometimes bore yourself as you pray?
long did they cry unto their God that he
Perhaps these are the reason Bro. and would deliver them out of their
sisters why our prayers are sometimes afflictions.
delayed and not even answered. I know
15 And now the Lord was slow to hear
that as we contemplate and think on
their cry because of their iniquities;
how we can improve our prayers- the
nevertheless the Lord did hear their
effectivity of our prayers will increase-
cries, and began to soften the hearts of
Our capacity to see, feel and hear Gods
the Lamanites that they began to ease
answer will accelerate.
their burdens; yet the Lord did not see
In closing, I want to share the groups of fit to deliver them out of bondage.
people from the book of Mormon
People of Alma : Mosiah 24: 10- 14 What principle can we learn from this?

10 And it came to pass that so We can learn that Our Heavenly Father
loves all his Children, But He listens and
great were their afflictions that
answers immediately the Prayers of the
they began to cry mightily to righteous!
God.
Our righteousness will also affect the
13 And it came to pass that the voice of
way how we receive answers to our
the Lord came to them in their
prayers. As Nephi once said, Being highly
afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and
favored of the Lord! Because of
be of good comfort, for I know of the
righteousness.
covenant which ye have made unto me;
and I will covenant with my people and
May we improve our prayers and
deliver them out of bondage.
become highly favored by the Lord is my
14 And I will also ease the burdens humble prayer in the name of Jesus
which are put upon your shoulders, that Christ Amen!
even you cannot feel them upon your
backs, even while you are in bondage;
and this will I do that ye may stand as
witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye
may know of a surety that I, the Lord
God, do visit my people in their
afflictions.

Notice the difference between the

Group.

The people of Limhi prayed unto the

Lord but God is slow to hear their
prayers

While the people of Alma prayed unto

the Lord and the Lord answered their
prayers immediately