Prayer in Mormonism

rdf:langString Prayer in Mormonism

rdf:langString For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), prayer is a means of communicating with God. Such communication is considered to be two-way, with the praying individual both expressing thoughts to God and receiving revelation, or communication from God, in return. As such, individuals who pray privately often include time to listen and ponder, during or after a prayer is uttered. Communication from God is received through the Holy Ghost, which speaks to the mind and heart of an individual. Prayer is one of the central teachings of the church, and adherents believe that they are commanded to pray often. The LDS Church teaches that humankind has been commanded to pray since its first generation. There are no restrictions as to who can pray, and the LDS Church teaches that all should pray and that God hears and listens to all prayers. Members are taught to begin to pray from a young age, and young children are sometimes asked to offer public prayers. Individuals who are not members of the LDS Church are also encouraged to pray both publicly and privately.