My Mormon Third Eye: I See... How to Say Really Long Prayers

Sunday, January 24, 2010

I See... How to Say Really Long Prayers

“For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.”

The Mormom Third Eye is a veritable treasure trove of practical advice, and today's post was pulled from that trove. We've taught you how to shake the very powers of hell; do something successfully you've never done before; know if you are really funny; end an argument with your wife; name a rock band; keep male and female teenagers apart during dates, tame them, and teach them about money; buy a new car for 200 dollars; efficiently sin and repent; and make a ward grow. Now it's time to learn how to say really long prayers.

If you're a normal Mormon guy or gal, every once in awhile you may prompted by a combination of circumstances and conscience to pray for a really long time. Perhaps you're experiencing a testimony crisis, like Enos; or maybe you are facing an impossible challenge, like a teenager that won't listen or a spouse that won't talk. In any event, when life becomes impossible, and your only hope is God, it is only natural to turn to Him, and many times that prompting includes a true desire to pray for a really long time, because you know that at a minimum it will make you feel better, and it will.

But there are only so many words in the human vocabulary, and only so many of those are worthy of divine conversation. It is possible to fill a few minutes of prayer with meaningful repetition, but after that, it is easy for a focus to wander to more mundane, less ethereal interests, such as the great hamburgers at Five Guys or that great sale at Shoe Warehouse. What is the secret to praying a really long time, long enough to virtually guarantee that your heart is open wide enough to accept the comfort God has to offer?

The secret lies in the “song of the heart.” The Savior revealled to the Prophet Joseph that the “song of the heart,” or the “song of the righteous” is a “prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.” In other words, when righteous people listen with their hearts to sacred music, it is prayer!

I know that this is not breaking news to many members who have endured many Sunday School/Priesthood/Releif Society lessons and Sacrament Meeting/Conference talks about the power of sacred music to bring us closer to God, but how many of us really take it seriously?

I did last week. During my one-hour one-way commute, I listened attentively to talented pianist Paul Cardall's creative collection of sacred hymns with an open heart, and I ended up logging about 10 hours of prayer in a five-day work week. Now I'm just hoping that my head can bear all the blessings coming my way!

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The Mormon Third Eye Quote of the Week

"As men of the priesthood, we have an essential role to play in society, at home, and in the Church. But we must be men that women can trust, that children can trust, and that God can trust. In the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days, we cannot afford to have boys and men who are drifting. We cannot afford young men who lack self-discipline and live only to be entertained. We cannot afford young adult men who are going nowhere in life, who are not serious about forming families and making a real contribution in this world. We cannot afford husbands and fathers who fail to provide spiritual leadership in the home."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Priesthood Session Conference, October 2012

Why My Mormon Third Eye?

When I politely excused myself in the middle of dinner to make a bathroom stop, how did Mom know that I had uneaten peas in my pocket to flush down the toilet? When I came home late from a youth dance and slid quietly into bed to avoid waking parental units, how did Dad know, without looking at the car, that I smashed in the front bumper? When I watch my daughter play a video game, how do I know that she's not ready for her Geometry final?

Its the Third Eye. The notorious eye in the back of the head, the extra view of life that God blesses parents striving to do the right thing so they can see more of life than the children they chase after.

Our third eye also permits us to see things and feel emotions that are too refined, too far on the edge of our standard two-eyed peripheral vision to enjoy in its fullness. I've learned that I have a Mormon Third Eye; that is, as a life-long, fully-dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have unique perspective on how the doctrines of the gospel and the demands of my faith in them intersect every other part of my mortal existence to create the entertaining, self-deprecating kaleidoscope of my life.

So... for those of you bold and bored enough to read this far, every so often I'll be sharing here what my Mormon third eye sees. Third eyes are relatively huge; they see the humorous, the entertaining, the embarrassing, the beautiful, the inspirational, and even the moral and political; however, they tend to ignore the evil, depressing and destructive: there is enough of that in world already!

The Four Secrets to Successful Living

Always Go Where There is Free Food - This includes ward and work parties, wedding receptions and missionary open houses; the money you spend to buy the ingredients for the world-famous triple chocolate cake you bring doesn’t count.
Never Pay Full Price for Anything – See my posts on Black Friday escapades for more information on this.
Never, Ever Press the Red Button - Usually, if you are faced with a red button somewhere, don’t press it – it usually means trouble. For example, the red button launches the missiles. Do yourself a favor and don’t press it.
Any Problem You Face Can Be Solved With Bungee Cords and Duct Tape - Bungee cord and duct tape technology has saved many marriages and ward parties. I’m not just talking about problems with plumbing or keeping groceries from bouncing around the trunk; I know of relationship and family issues that have been solved with creative applications of these two substances.