Enos and the Power of Prayer:
What Other Special Helps Has Heavenly Father Given Me to Help Me Keep My Baptismal Covenants?

Enos had a righteous father who taught him about the power of prayer. One day while Enos was in the forest hunting, he began to feel bad about sins that he had committed. He felt an urge to pray.

“And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul” (Enos 1:4).

Enos had such a desire to receive forgiveness for his sins that he pleaded with the Lord all day and all night. At last, a voice came to him, saying, “Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed” (Enos 1:5).

Even after Enos had received forgiveness for his sins, he remained on his knees, pleading with the Lord—not for himself now, but for the rest of the Nephites.

“And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments” (Enos 1:10).

Enos still continued to pray, this time for the Lamanites, the enemies of his people. Enos grew very close to Heavenly Father by his willingness to pour out his soul in prayer.

Like Enos, we can become closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through our prayers. We, too, can be forgiven of our sins when we follow the necessary steps of repentance and ask Heavenly Father to forgive us.

Seven-year-old Craig Parker of Spanish Fork, Utah, gained a testimony of the role of prayer in the repentance process. One day while he was playing, he said a word that he knew was wrong. He felt very bad afterward. “In our home and at church I have learned about Jesus, and I know that He would not want me to say that word.”

Craig decided to kneel and pray for forgiveness. “I folded my arms and told Heavenly Father I was sorry for saying that word. I felt better after praying. I knew that Heavenly Father forgave me, and I have never said that word again.”

Instructions

Color the flannel-board figures, then mount them on heavy paper. Cut them out and use them to retell the story “Enos and the Power of Prayer.”

Image

flannel-board figures

Enos in the forest; Enos praying at night; Enos praying during the day; Boy praying.
(Illustrated by Beth Whittaker.)