Gene R. Cook - Receiving Answers to Our Prayers

How thankful I am to the Lord for the blessing he has given of continually answering my prayers over the years. I am grateful to my family and to many other wonderful Latter-day Saints who have shared with me their experiences in receiving answers to prayer. A special thanks is given to those who have shared their struggles in receiving such answers. Without any question, the Lord does answer all humble and sincere prayers, whether we recognize it at the time or not.

Sincere appreciation is expressed to Brother Jay A. Parry, whose excellent editing skills have caused this material to be presented in a more succinct way, thus making it more easily understood. I also appreciate the help of my secretary, Stephanie Colquitt, and former secretaries who typed experiences in my life at the time they occurred so they could be accurately shared with others.

Lastly, I would like to say that this book is not in any way an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Any shortcomings, omissions, or deficiencies are clearly mine as the one solely responsible for the material in this book.

We all need so much from the Lord! We need help in every area of our lives:

* personal failings and weaknesses * family problems and decisions * work and career * important decisions with money * difficult Church assignments * dealing with the many trials that come our way * learning the truth about the gospel * and just about every other aspect of life.

One vital key to success in all of these things is prayer. When we begin to learn how to obtain answers to our prayers, we are able to tap into the Lord's power and goodness to help us in our lives. But if our prayers are ineffective, or if we don't really learn to rely on the Lord, we're usually left to our own devices.

Often people will say, "I try to pray, but the Lord just doesn't speak to me. I know he lives, and I know he loves me, but he just doesn't answer my prayers. Maybe he wants me to live my life on my own, without his help."

It's true that the Lord wants us to constantly exercise our agency to do good, to grow, to develop, to learn to act for ourselves and not to be acted upon. However, he has promised every one of us the gift to be able to receive constant direction from the Holy Ghost. He has promised to help us in every aspect of our lives, if only we will let him.

I firmly believe that the problem is never with the Lord when we don't receive answers to our prayers. He is constant and true; he never fails in any of his promises. Rather, the failing is in us.

Often we just don't know how to obtain the answers we seek. Maybe we're not diligent enough in the seeking, or maybe we ask without listening to the Lord's reply. Maybe we haven't prepared our hearts to receive whatever the Lord might send. Maybe we haven't understood and practiced some of the basic principles he has taught us regarding prayer. Maybe we have allowed our will to dominate and have not truly sought his holy will.

I think the Lord at times must be saddened that while he has offered us so much, we're satisfied with so little. But when we begin to learn how to obtain answers to our prayers, we start to see the divine ways in which the Lord works, and we see we can receive the Father's many gifts.

In the pages of this book we will examine some of the very basic principles and practices of prayer, which the Lord has taught us through scripture and through living prophets. We will do our best to illustrate those principles through numerous examples and true-life stories, showing that the Lord does answer prayer and showing how it can work. We will discuss in some depth how you can know when you have received an answer to prayer. We will especially treat the difficult question of why at times it appears you have not received an answer, and what you can do even in those circumstances to increase your faith.

Now, how can you receive the most from this book? I hope that the ideas we discuss throughout these pages are truly of value to all those who read them. To help you and your family, I have placed some key questions for review at the conclusion of each chapter. I suggest you discuss these questions with someone else, where possible, to further your understanding. The Lord may further teach you both.

The highest level of learning I know of comes directly from the Spirit of the Lord. We can learn much by observing someone else or by reading concepts or doctrines that are taught. But the learning that is of the greatest value to me is that which comes by the Spirit, enlightening the mind and speaking to the heart. Such teachings are really nothing less than a message from the heavens to each of us, and they can have a profound effect on our lives.

I bear my testimony that this kind of learning is available to all those who seek, if they will humble themselves before the Lord and earnestly try to receive his instruction. If you will pray in your heart, with real intent, each time you pick up this book to read, the Lord will inspire you that you may be able to receive the blessings he desires to give you. He will send promptings and impressions to you, and you will know how prayer can bless youand how you can receive divine direction to help you in every aspect of your life.

Chapter 1

A few years ago our family was invited to vacation at a ranch in Wyoming. One of my sons had just come back from a mission to South America, and we were eager to get away from home so we could spend some time with him and the rest of our children.

We had a wonderful time, even though we were able to ride the horses only during the cool of the day. As the day heated up, the horseflies began to attack, biting the horses so viciously that the blood would literally flow down the horses' sides. Then the horses would get excited and would try to buck us off.

The night before we were to leave, as we were heading back to the ranch house, this son asked if he could keep riding with one of the rancher's sons. "We're going to round up some horses," he said, "and then I'll come in and join the family."

About an hour later he came in very upset. "What's the matter, Son?" I asked.

"I'm really mad," he said. "I lost my hat out there in the fields, and I know we'll never be able to find it."

I knew which hat he was talking about. It was a hat he'd purchased in South America as a remembrance of his mission, and it was irreplaceable to him.

He fretted and complained for a time about his lost hat, and then he brightened a bit and said, "Dad, what would you think if we got the family together before we left for home in the morning, had a family prayer, and then went out to try to find it?"

"That's a great idea," I said. "We'll get up an hour earlier than we'd planned and see what we can do."