Answers to Prayer

The pattern of our lives determines our eligibility to receive the promptings of the Spirit and to hear the answers to our prayers. Again, let there be no misunderstanding. Heavenly Father does answer our prayers, but often we aren't prepared to hear him.
--H. Burke Peterson, Ensign, June 1981

Erik's Primary teachers are some of the best. In the past they've invited the children in their class over to their house for dinner and to practice for their Class Presentation Sharing Time. They come to baptisms and send homework home each Sunday. They are Brother and Sister Harman and he's our former bishop. During Sacrament Meeting I read through Erik's homework on prayer. I enjoyed the story, but particularly loved what Elder Scott said at the end.

NO ANSWER
by Michelle Van Tassell Nielsen

God will give me, if I ask not amiss (2 Ne. 4:35).

“Drat!” Ben slapped the water in disgust as he watched his scuba man settle at the bottom of his uncle’s swimming pool—again. His two plastic turtles floated just fine, but the plastic scuba diver kept slipping from his hand and sinking like a stone. Ben couldn’t dive to get it, so he had to keep asking his brother for help. Ben knew that Heavenly Father helped people who had faith. When he had the scuba diver in his hand again, he closed his eyes and said a silent prayer: “Please don’t let my scuba man sink.” As soon as he had said amen, he opened his eyes and dropped the little plastic man into the water. It sank right back to the bottom. “Why didn’t Heavenly Father answer my prayer?”

A few days later, Ben came home and found his mom cooking squishy broccoli casserole with slimy sauce. Ben hated broccoli. “Please, Heavenly Father,” he prayed. “Let me have ice cream for dinner instead of squishy broccoli.” But Mom still served broccoli and slimy sauce for dinner.  

“Why didn’t Heavenly Father answer my prayer?”

One afternoon, Ben’s mom said he had to clean up his room in the next 15 minutes if he wanted to play video games. Ben’s room was a big mess, with toys, clothes, and books all over the floor. Ben wanted to play video games, but he didn’t want to clean his room. “Please let my room be cleaned by magic,” he prayed. Fifteen minutes later when Mom came back to check, the room was still messy. Ben was not allowed to play video games. “

Why didn’t Heavenly Father answer my prayer?”

As Mom tucked him back into bed, Ben told her about the scuba diver, the broccoli, and the messy room. “Why does Heavenly Father answer some prayers and not others?” he asked. “Heavenly Father always answers our prayers,” she said. “But sometimes the answer is no if we ask for things that would be bad for us. He wants us to learn here on earth. What did you learn at the swimming pool?” Ben thought for a minute. “I learned that some things float and some don’t,” he said. “And that I have a nice brother who will help me.” Mom nodded. “Then there’s the casserole. I’m sorry you think that broccoli is squishy, but it’s good for you. Why do you suppose Heavenly Father let you eat it?” Ben sighed. “Because he wants me to be healthy and strong.” “And finally the messy room,” Mom said. “Why didn’t Heavenly Father clean it for you?” Ben sat quietly for a minute, thinking. Ben frowned. “Heavenly Father wants us to do all we can to help solve our problems.” “Sometimes the answer is yes, and sometimes it’s no.” “And sometimes it’s ‘not yet,’ ” Mom added. From now on, I’m going to try to ask for things that are good for me. Heavenly Father knows how to answer best.” Mom gave him a hug. “I think that broccoli is making you smarter already!”

"[Heavenly Father] knows what is best for us. …

When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.
When He answers no, it is to prevent error.
When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him."
--Richard G. Scott, “Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayer,” Ensign, November 1989

One can devote countless hours to examining the experiences of others, but nothing penetrates the human heart as does a personal, fervent prayer and its heaven-sent response.

--Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, October 2004

This story reminded me of the time we were coming home from camping and decided to take a shortcut. It was a prettier route but some of it was washboarded and bumpy. Kiersten and Erik were little and I was 7 months pregnant with Nate.

Out in the middle of nowhere, our van got a flat tire. We'd only had our van a year or two and hadn't taken the time to figure out the spare tire. Tyler and I found the spare, but could not figure out how to get it off. All of our camping equipment came out of the van and we still could not find anything to help us. No manual, no instructions, nothing.

It was getting hot and I was to the point of starting to walk. We had brought the wagon and could haul two little kids if we had to. But before we did this I suggested we say a prayer. So out on a dusty dirt road, in the middle of nowhere, we offered a prayer of help.

We got up and continued to look for anything to help get the tire out from underneath the van. About 5 minutes later I returned to the back of the van. There sitting in full view was a white piece of paper detailing exactly how to get the spare tire off and change the flat. Just as we were finishing up the job (after being stuck for about 2 hours), a truck came along and offered to help. Heavenly Father knew we needed an immediate answer to our prayer, but we had to humble ourselves enough to ask.

To this day I have no idea where that white piece of paper came from. I know it was not anywhere in that van. We had literally unloaded everything and wouldn't have missed it just sitting there. Prayers do get answered. Most of the time we just have to be patient and wait. The answers will come.

AND in the words of Virginia Reed, a 12-year-old survivor of the Donner party: “Never take no cutof[f]s."