I had two pretty interesting interactions with friends recently:
I have a friend that I only send memes or funny stuff to.
You gotta have a friend like that, right?
We met up, and all of a sudden I realized that even though we technically “communicated” often, we didn’t know much about what was really going on in each other’s lives.
We didn’t know about the more serious stuff. The struggles. The big decisions. The heartfelt emotions.
We had a lot of catching up to do. (And it was still fun!)
I had a chance to meet up with an old coworker, too.
We’ve done really well keeping in touch with the serious stuff in life.
I know about her health struggles, she knows about my struggles with figuring out work.
We are really good at having serious conversations.
And so when we met up, I realized she didn’t know about the funny moments in my life! The times where my kid is covered in who-knows-what from digging in the trash, or the exciting new achievement one of them made.
I love both of these friends so dearly and I value their friendships for the different ways that they happen.
Because I need both kinds of friends.
But I also realized… I want my Heavenly Father and my Savior to be both kinds of friends to me, and I to Them.
I want the formal, big, serious stuff.
The down-on-my-knees, eyes-filled-with-tears, baring my soul kind of prayer.
And I also want to share the easier, lighter, day-to-day stuff.
The prayer for patience as my daughter insists on telling me a story before she will buckle her car seat. The prayer of gratitude when my son gives a huge laugh.
I want both with Them.
The Lord taught:
“In prayer always, vocally and in thy heart, in public and in private”. (D&C 81:3)
Formal prayers are essential.
Informal prayers are essential.
We need both.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
