“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, … glorify thy Son, that thy Son may also glorify thee…. “… I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do… “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. ” I pray for them.”[i] ~ Elder Russell M. Nelson, current President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in his book ‘Accomplishing the Impossible'(2015) quoting the Bible.
He went on to say; “From this prayer of the Lord we learn how keenly He feels his responsibility as our Mediator and Advocate with the Father. [ii](see below for more) Just as keenly, we should feel our responsibility to keep His commandments and endure to the end.[iii]
An intercessory prayer was also given by Jesus for the people of ancient America. “The record states that ‘no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.” [iv] Then Jesus added; “Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.”[v]
Continuing Elder Nelson said; “In a later prayer, Jesus included a plea for unity. “Father,” He said, “I pray onto thee for them,… that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one.”[vi] We too can pray for unity. We can pray to be of one heart and of one mind with the Lord’s anointed and with our loved ones. We can pray for mutual understanding and respect between ourselves and our neighbors. If we really care for others, we should pray for them.[vii](see below for more) “Pray one for another”, taught James, for the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.[viii]
Other lessons about prayer were taught by the Lord. He told his disciples that “ye must always pray to the Father in my name.”[ix] The Savior further emphasized. “Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name.”[x] Obediently , we apply that lesson when we pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.[xi](see below for more)
Another of the Lord’s prayers teach a lesson repeated in three consecutive verses: 1.”Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto these whom I have chosen….”. 2. “Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words.” 3. “Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me.”[xii]
If the companionship of the Holy Ghost is that important, we should pray for it too. We should likewise help all converts and our children cultivate the gift of the Holy Ghost. As we so pray, the Holy Ghost can become a vital force for good in our lives.”[xiii] (see below for more) ~ From President Nelson’s book: ‘Accomplishing the Impossible‘, Deseret Book 2015, p.48-49. emphasis added
(Brothers and Sisters, these are a few precious gems from a book packed full of them! kdm)
[ii] continued: 1 John 2:1, D&C 29:5, D&C 45:3, D&C 110:4
[vii] continued: Alma 34:27, 3 Nephi 18:21
[xi] continued; 2 Nephi 33:12, 3 Nephi 18:23, 30, 3 Nephi 19:6-7, 20:31; 28:30
[xiii] (compare Doctrine & Covenants 84:43-47); 2 Nephi 31:17-20 Alma 5:38, As per Elder Nelson’s comment: “And we may invite the companionship of the Spirit, who will intercede and help us know what to pray about (see Romans 8:26).
