Consider Conference: Pray, He is There

2024 April General Conference, Sunday Morning Session

President Susan H. Porter
Primary General President

Main Points

I invite you to pray to know Heavenly Father is there, pray to grow to become like Him, and pray to show His love to others.
Pray to Know: Encouraging children to pray to understand that Heavenly Father is real, listens to their prayers, and loves them.
Pray to Grow: Highlighting the importance of prayer in seeking personal growth, such as developing patience, courage, and other virtues through divine guidance.
Pray to Show: Advising to pray for opportunities to show Heavenly Father’s love to others, helping and serving them, and being examples of Christlike behavior.

Gospel Principles taught

Prayer, Faith in Jesus Christ, Service, Endurance, Personal Revelation

Gospel Doctrine taught

Prayer, Faith, Service, Endure to the end

Scriptures

Other Sources

“A Child’s Prayer,” Children’s Songbook, 12.

Related talks:

Look for Jesus Christ:

Testimony of Christ.
- Sister Porter shares her testimony by affirming, “I know He lives and loves you.”
Description of His Life.
- She mentions that “Heavenly Father loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way to live.”
- He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way to live.
Description of His Teachings.
- “Ask, and ye shall receive.”
Description of His Atonement.
- Sister Porter explains that Jesus “suffered, died, and was resurrected so we can be forgiven of our sins.”
- Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected so we can be forgiven of our sins and grow to become more like Him.

Inspiring Words & Phrases

Pray to know Heavenly Father is real and loves you.
Pray to grow in virtue and develop Christlike attributes.
Pray to show love and serve others.
Our Savior taught us to pray always.
Through sincere prayer, we draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Prayer changes our hearts and brings peace.
Even when we feel alone, we can pray and know that Heavenly Father hears us.
Often the best question to ask Heavenly Father is not why but what.
Heavenly Father does not force anyone to make a choice. He can send us answers to our prayers in other ways.
Perhaps you are praying for blessings for your family and others you love. Don’t give up! Heavenly Father will show you what you can do.

Lists

What do you need to know:

You can pray for help to show Heavenly Father’s love to others:

Heavenly Father will help you notice someone who is sad so you can comfort them.
He can help you show His love by forgiving someone.
He can give you courage to serve someone and share with them that they are a child of God.
You can help others come to know and love Jesus and Heavenly Father as you do.

Gifts you can pray for:

Invitations/Challenges

Pray to Know: She invites listeners to pray to know that Heavenly Father is real, loves them, and listens to their prayers.
Pray to Grow: She challenges individuals to use prayer to seek personal growth and develop Christlike attributes.
Pray to Show: She encourages praying for opportunities to show love and serve others, reflecting Christ’s love through actions.
Share with Heavenly Father what is in your heart. As you sincerely ask for His help, you will receive His Spirit to guide you.
Praying every day will fill you with love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. This will help you want to follow Them your whole life!
I invite you to pray to know Heavenly Father is there, pray to grow to become like Him, and pray to show His love to others. I know He lives and loves you.

Warnings

Blessings/Promises

You can come to know for yourself that He is there and that He loves you.
When you know that Heavenly Father is real and that He loves you, you can live with courage and hope!
Heavenly Father will guide you when you ask Him what you can do and what you can learn.
Through His Spirit, your heart can change, and you can receive strength.
Through His Spirit, Heavenly Father will help you notice someone who is sad so you can comfort them.

Stories:

One day when our granddaughter Ashley was six years old, she was the only one without a friend to play with on the school playground. As she stood there, feeling unimportant and unseen, a specific thought came into her mind: “Wait! I’m not alone! I have Christ!” Ashley knelt down right in the middle of the playground, folded her arms, and prayed to Heavenly Father. The moment she opened her eyes, a girl her age was standing there asking her if she wanted to play. Ashley came to know, “We are important to the Lord, and we are never truly alone.”
When Nephi and his brothers went to hunt for food, Nephi broke his bow. But he didn’t ask why. Nephi made a new bow and asked his father, Lehi, where he could go to get food. Lehi prayed, and the Lord showed them where Nephi could go. Heavenly Father will guide you when you ask Him what you can do and what you can learn.
Jonah shared how he prays to help feel less anxious about going to school.
The story of President Porter’s father, who never joined the church in this life. She prayed for this blessing from the time she was a child until she was a grandmother. After his death, she felt a confirmation that he had accepted the gospel. Her family was sealed together in the temple.

Application Ideas

Over the next few days, read the information found here. As you study, keep your heart open in prayer and ask to feel Heavenly Father’s love for you personally. Write any impressions in your journal.
Consider President Porter’s words: “Perhaps you are praying for blessings for your family and others you love. Don’t give up! Heavenly Father will show you what you can do.” It’s very likely that when you read that, the name of someone you love who is struggling in some way came to your mind. Think of ways that you can “not give up” as you pray for Heavenly Father to show you what you can do to help that person. Take prompt action on any ideas that come to you, even if they seem small.
Pray to grow. Make it a central part of your prayers to understand one thing that you could do right now to come closer to your Heavenly Father and Christ. When you feel you have received an answer, write it down in your scriptures or journal, and then take action on that answer.
President Porter encouraged us to pay attention to the thoughts in our mind and the feelings in our heart. What does this differentiation mean to you? Write in your journal about how God communicates with you.
Think of something you could do right now to show someone you love them. Go and do it!

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