Elder Richard G. Scott on receiving God's help through prayer

Elder Richard G. Scott (1928-2015) served as a Seventy from 1977-1988, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He passed away in September 2015 at the age of 86.

"Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously. It may seem paradoxical, but that is why recognizing answers to prayer can sometimes be very difficult. Some face life with only their own experience and capacity to help them. Others seek, through prayer, divine inspiration to know what to do. When required, they qualify for power beyond their own capacity to do it. 

"Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege. It is based upon unchanging principles. When we receive help from our Father in Heaven, it is in response to faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency.... 

"Don't worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your Father. He hears every prayer and answers it in His way. 

"When we explain a problem and a proposed solution, sometimes He answers yes, sometimes no. Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves us—perfectly. He wants us to apply truths He has given us. For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions. We need to do what we feel is right. In time, He will answer. He will not fail us." 

- Richard G. Scott, "Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer," General Conference October 1989; Click here to read the full talk

This excerpt begins with a declaration that seems simple and obvious, but is full of meaning and critical to understanding Elder Scott's message:

I believe it's so important to understand and believe that statement. Any loving father or mother knows the truth of the principle; we yearn for the happiness and success of our children, in all the ways that matter most. If we truly believe our Father in Heaven feels that way about us, then it will guide our actions in many ways. In particular, related to the principle of prayer, we will know that our prayers matter, that they are heard, and that true communication will be established based on the unchanging principles that Elder Scott enumerates.

Another simple but profound principle. Just talk. Allow the real inner feelings of our heart to reach out to God, knowing that He truly does hear, and will answer — in His way and His timing. If we trust in his wisdom and love, we just need to learn to listen better, to act on what we know, and to be blessed in that process.

 

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
February 13, 2015