"God our Father is not a feeling or an idea or a force. He is a holy person who, as the scriptures teach, has a face and hands and a glorious immortal body. He is real; He knows each of us individually; and He loves us, every one. He wants to bless us," declared Elder J. Devn Cornish of the Seventy in his Sunday afternoon conference address.
Elder Cornish related an experience from when he was a resident physician at Boston's Children hospital. As he rode a bicycle home one evening, tired, hungry and a bit discouraged after a long period in the hospital, he felt he would be able to give time, energy and cheery attitude to his wife and four small children if, along the way, he could buy a piece of fried chicken, which cost 29 cents; he had a nickel. "As I rode along, I told the Lord my situation and asked if in His mercy He could let me find a quarter on the side of the road," he said. He watched the road carefully and saw a quarter on the ground.
"Little children, young people, and adults alike, please believe how very much your loving Heavenly Father wants to bless you. But because He will not infringe upon our agency we must ask for His help," he said. "This is generally done through prayer. Prayer is one of the most precious gifts of God to man."
He quoted from the 11th chapter of Luke, in which the Savior gave an example serves as a guide to key principles of prayer.
The pattern of prayer is to speak to Heavenly Father, addressing Him in an attitude of worship, acknowledging dependence on Him and expressing the desire to do His will and honestly ask for the things desired.
"An essential and sometimes forgotten part of personal prayer is repentance. For repentance to work, it must be specific, profound and lasting," Elder Cornish said.
Forgiving others should be part of prayer.
Also in the pattern of prayer is a petition for guidance and deliverance from evil. "Please, my friends, do not forget to ask the Lord to protect and be with you," Elder Cornish said.
Another part of the pattern set by the Savior is to praise Heavenly Father again and express reverence for and submission to Him.
Elder Cornish said there is a risk that a person might not feel good enough to pray; that idea comes from Satan.
Elder Cornish counseled that individuals must not only say prayers, but also live them.
"Sometimes we seem to get no answer to our sincere and striving prayers," he said. "It takes faith to remember that prayers are answered in the Lord's own time and in His own way."
Concluding, Elder Cornish said, "Please do not be discouraged if this does not work for you all at once. Like learning a foreign language, it takes practice and effort. Please know, though, that you can learn the language of the Spirit, and when you do, it will give you great faith and power in righteousness."
