The First Presidency has issued the following statement endorsing the National Day of Prayer:
"We are pleased to endorse President Clinton's declaration of May 5 as a National Day of Prayer. Prayer is the channel to our Heavenly Father for personal inspiration and is the way to ascertain His will concerning our daily behavior and challenges."The act of prayer itself can change and purify both individuals and societies. As far as the individual is concerned, prayer also has positive and practical consequences. For example, recent medical research has documented that people who pray and are prayed for are more likely to deal positively with illness and the challenges of their lives than those who do not pray or who are not prayed for.
"Prayer in the family can be a meaningful way of binding family members together in love and mutual purpose. Regular family prayer has proven to be a tool that parents can use to direct their children in making correct and positive choices and in bringing the love of the Savior, Jesus Christ, into the lives of family members.
"It is our hope and desire that the National Day of Prayer will remind people throughout the nation of the power of this wonderful gift from God. May we all use prayer to create an environment in which peace and love replace war, hatred and intolerance."
