Watch the video above and talk about it with a friend or mentor.

Prayer doesn’t have to be formal or a ritual, as in common in Mormonism. Prayer is a spontaneous, intimate conversation with the God who loves you.

Prayer is an important element of the Christian life because prayer is how we talk to God. Both Latter-day Saints and traditional Christians believe in prayer. But there are differences in how we experience prayer. As you transition from Mormonism to a new church, you may see people who  pray differently than you’re used to.

[Related Topic: Prayer: What? Why? When? Where? Who?]

Video Highlights:

  • Prayer for Latter-day Saints is often very formal. Prayer in Mormonism might feel distant. Mormons believe God answers prayer, but prayer is not usually an intimate thing. God is addressed with “thee” and “thou”. It often seems rote or rehearsed. Certain words and phrases get repeated over and over. A certain tone of voice is adopted. It can feel like a ritual.
  • God invites prayer to be an intimate conversation with him. In prayer, we have privilege of talking intimately to the God who made the universe. He listens to and comforts us. Prayer can happen all the time – driving down the road or doing anything in life (1 Thessalonians 5:17). God is infinite and powerful, but he is also accessible to even the humblest of us. He is the King, but he is our father at the same time (Luke 11:11-13). Prayer is having a conversation with someone we love who loves us. So we don’t have to talk to God in language that is distant and formal. We can reverence God but still speak to him with intimacy and spontaneity.
  • It can be hard to learn to pray in a new way. As Mormons, we were trained to pray a certain way. So it might feel awkward to speak to God like a friend. But Jesus wants this kind of relationship (Hebrews 4:15-16). Before long it is liberating to talk to God freely and intimately.

[Related Resource: Learn How to Pray (Series)]

[Related Topic: When God Is Silent]

Prayer is an expression of relationship between someone you love who loves you back. You can talk to God all the time, any time, with an honest expression of your heart. Prayer doesn’t have to be formal or a ritual. Instead, it’s a wonderful opportunity God has given us. So keep growing in prayer, because Jesus wants a relationship with you.

Read more
Read less

Key Points:

  • Prayer for Latter-day Saints is Often Very Formal
  • God Invites Prayer to Be an Intimate Conversation with Him
  • It Can Be Hard to Learn to Pray in a New Way

See Also: Tags

Talk About It
  1. Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
  2. What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
  3. What was your experience of prayer as a Mormon?
  4. What have you learned about prayer since leaving Mormonism?
  5. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17. What does it mean to “never stop praying”?
  6. Read Hebrews 4:15-16. What does this teach us about how to pray?
  7. Read Luke 11:11-13. What does it mean for prayer that God is a father to us?
  8. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.

This is part of the Spiritual Growth After Mormonism series.