In the Name of the Son Forevermore

After Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit and were driven out of the Garden of Eden, God taught them to offer sacrifices as a religious ritual. Determined to be obedient, Adam built an altar of stone and offered sacrificial animals upon it on a regular basis for "many days." 

An angel eventually appeared to Adam and Eve and asked them if they understood the significance of this ritual. "Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord?" Surely, Adam and Eve must have asked themselves that same question many times. To the angel's question, Adam's answer is a perfect example of submissive obedience. "I know not, save the Lord commanded me" (see Moses 5:6).

Satisfied that Adam and Eve would be obedient no matter the logical reason, the angel explained the significance of the blood sacrifice. It represented the sacrifice that would be made by the Only Begotten Son of God to atone for the sins of the world.

Because of the Atonement of the Son of God, the conduit to the Father was opened, with Christ as the Advocate and Mediator. The angel then delivered this commandment to Adam and Eve: 

Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.
--Moses 5:8

All I do, including prayer, should be in the name of Christ, meaning I do it as He would do it, under His direction, and to honor Him and glorify Him. I shine a light on Christ's goodness when I do something good. I honor, acknowledge, and glorify Christ's perfect relationship with the Father when I exercise my own relationship with the Father in Christ's name. 

I rely on Jesus's atonement and grace when I approach the Father in Jesus's name. He washes me, clothes me in spotless apparel, and accompanies me to the Father's throne when I pray in His name. He advocates my cause, takes my imperfect prayer, polishes it, and represents it perfectly to the Father. 

God hears every prayer, but when I include Christ as my Advocate, Counselor, Champion, and Tutor, my prayers can become powerful indeed. 

Jesus testified during His earthly ministry that the Father heard Him (see John 12:41-42). When I pray in His name, I tap into His power and claim the same privilege to always be heard. 

It is the height of arrogance to do good and to approach the Father in my own name, for I am never good enough or worthy enough on my own to fully satisfy Him. However, when I do my best and come to the Father totality dependent on Jesus in the depths of humility, Jesus satisfies the Father for me, and I please Him. 

Jesus makes it possible for me to have a relationship with the Father. To cut Him out of the equation is to seriously diminish my opportunity for grace and divine approbation. 

Not a Ritual

After His resurrection, Jesus visited a group of people living on the American continent. These people, called Nephites after their first great prophet, had descended from ancient Israelites and were believers in the Messiah. The Nephites lived in a tradition of prophets, revelation, and scripture for six centuries. Jesus came to them to fulfill the prophecies of their prophets and to comply with His own prophecy: "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be cone fold, and one shepherd" (John 10:16).

The resurrected Christ taught the Nephites the same gospel that He had taught the Jews in Jerusalem. Having delivered His message, Jesus prepared to depart. When He looked about the congregation, however, the people "did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them" (3 Nephi 17:5). Moved with compassion, Jesus stayed, healed their sick, and then taught them to pray.

And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.
--3 Nephi 17:15

Jesus, our Exemplar in all things, set the example of prayer. Though He was resurrected and exalted, He still talked to His Father in prayer. 

Prayer is not a ritual. It is simply talking to God. The difference between praying and talking is the audience. We use a special word for this form of communication because we are talking to a special Being, but the essence of the act is the same. We put our thoughts into words, speak them either verbally or silently in our minds, and then we listen for a response. 

Like any talent, the more we practice, the easier the process becomes.