"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16
The first time I remember receiving a real answer to a prayer was when I was 16. My parents had recently been divorced and my mom decided to move to Arizona. Having grown up in Washington my whole life with the same people and friends, I had to make a decision: Should I go with my mom to AZ or stay with my dad in WA? I didn't know what to do but I had learned my entire life that God is my Heavenly Father and He wants us, even commands us, to talk to Him. I decided to try it out.
I went to my room, knelt down by my bed, and began talking to God. I explained the situation to Him (though He already knew it) with an honest heart and sincerely asked what I should do. Having weighed the options in my head, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do. I wasn't happy in my current situation and was ready for a change. I didn't know if moving would solve anything, but I was willing to try. I asked if it would be alright with Him if I moved to AZ. As soon as I asked the question, I felt my heart swell up inside me with such intense heat that I could not deny the "burning of the bosom" that I was feeling. I knew this was the Lord's will for me. My mind was at peace and I couldn't stop smiling. Somehow, I knew this was the answer to my prayer. From that moment on, I was completely content with my decision.
It was hard to tell my dad that I was leaving. It was hard to say goodbye to friends whom I had known since kindergarten. It definitely wasn't easy leaving behind everything familiar. BUT, moving to Arizona was one of the best things that has happened to me in my entire life. My life has had some major high points and none of them would have happened without this move. It was the first step to my becoming a "new creature." This move set the stage for a production put on by God Himself. It's been filled with adventure, excitement, love, heartbreak, and everything else that goes into a good plot. This one answered prayer has given me the strength to trust Him time and time again and to choose His will over mine. He has made my life more than I could have ever dreamed.
Another example of God answering prayers (or just read his account for yourself here):
This one is of a 14-year-old boy wondering which church he should join. His family was very religious but divided in Christian denomination. His mother was a staunch Methodist while his father chose not to join with any church. Both encouraged the boy to pray to find out which church he should join. After studying the scriptures, pondering the words, attending different churches, and offering many heartfelt prayers, he finally received an answer.
In early spring of 1830, this boy went into the woods to pray vocally to the Lord. He had never before prayed out loud and probably didn't want to be disturbed or overheard. He found a secluded place and "began to offer up the desires of [his] heart to God." In his own words, this is what happened next:
"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me....When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"
This boy, named Joseph Smith, saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. He asked them which church he should join and they answered him. They told him that he must join none of them; that they had all been corrupted; that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."
He then says, "I had found the testimony of James to be true--that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided."
This man was then led to restore the Lord's church on the earth as it was when Christ Himself organized it. It includes 12 apostles, priesthood authority, a church organization, and the true word of God in its fullness and glory.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's true church, restored to the earth after a long night of apostasy and spiritual darkness. There are prophets and apostles on the earth today, just as there were in the times of the Old and New Testaments. Jesus Christ is the Head of His church, leading the current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in performing His work. I know this is true. How? Because the Lord answers prayers. If we ask with a sincere heart, with real intent to act on the answer we receive, He will reveal the truth of all things to us. I have seen this in my life too many times to deny it. I challenge you to test the Lord. He commands us: "Ask, and you shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." God does not lie.
(For a more complete version of Joseph Smith's vision, go here.)
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