Answer to a Prayer question

Over Christmas I had a reader asked me a question about a website. She wanted to know what I thought about it, not being sure how she felt about it. The website is http://www.prayermarket.com/.

Prayer is a very powerful tool and it is very special. I love how Elder Richard G. Scott put it. He said, "Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it; the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father. Actually, because He knows how desperately we need his guidance, He commands, "Thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private. (D&C 19:28)""

As Elder Scott said God is literally our Father in Heaven. We need, and He wants, us to have a personal relationship with Him. The only way we can have that relationship is if we pray to Him ourselves. In Revelations chapter 3 verse 20 it reads, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." It is up to us as individuals to build that relationship.

I don't think there is anything wrong with asking people to pray for us or to pray for someone in need. There is strength in numbers and sometimes our combined faith can bring about many marvelous miracles according to God's will. There is something special when someone prays for you. I have had many prayers offered in my behalf. I have felt those prayers and when someone comes to me and tells me that they are genuinely praying for me and my circumstance, I feel very humbled that they would take the time to speak to the Lord concerning me.

The biggest problems that I see with this website is the money part. Paying someone to say your prayers in not right. First, it doesn't allow you to build your relationship with your Father in Heaven. Second, and probably the most important, is that you can't buy spiritual things. In Acts chapter 8 the apostle Peter was baptizing people and then giving them the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Then in verses 18-21 it reads, "And when Simon saw that though laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him. Thy money perish with thee, because those hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." Then Peter tells him, "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee."

I have a testimony of the power of prayer. I know that it works. I know that our Father in Heaven listens to our prayers. I know that He answers them according to His will and His time. I know that if we take the time to pray to Him we will feel His love for us as individuals and our lives will be blessed!

SJohnson, I hope this has answered your question concerning this website. If you would like to, here are a couple more scriptures concerning prayer:
Matt 6:5-15
Also Elder Henry B. Eyring goes into a little more detail concerning these scriptures in one of his talks entitled, "Write upon My Heart".
Thank you for your question.

If you have any of you have questions for me, I would love to hear them. I will answer them to the best of my knowledge and how I feel about the subject.