Prayers for Peace
To discuss the doctrine of prayer and write your own plan for the week. Based on President Henry B. Eyring's April 2026 talk, Prayers for Peace.
The Promise of Peace
I am grateful to be with you at this time when we can remember again the Savior's comfort to His Apostles, as He knew that He would have to leave them alone, without Him to lead, protect, and succor them in their perils.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27, Jesus to His apostles at the Last Supper
"My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands."
How is the peace He offers different from the peace the world offers? Where have you confused the two?
What does His peace look like for you this week?
When the World Shakes
The world today seems to be in commotion. There are wars and rumors of wars. The economies of whole continents seem to be faltering. Prophesied wickedness seems to be accelerating as the Savior's return draws nearer.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:91, given through Joseph Smith on signs of the Second Coming
"On Tuesday morning, September 11, the world changed... I have spent the time since searching the scriptures for an appropriate word that might be helpful. I have found it in the 46th Psalm. 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea... The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.'"
What in the world right now feels like commotion to you? That you feel comfortable sharing.
List the commotions in your life. What has you nervous or anxious?
Flooded Heaven
Faithful Latter-day Saints in hardship across the world have flooded heaven with prayers. In times of fear, tragedy, danger, trouble, or illness, people often turn to God in prayer. His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, lives, knows us, watches over us, and cares for us.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Psalm 9:9–10, David praising God as a refuge in trouble
"Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me. For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ. And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life."
Recall a moment God was a refuge for you. What do you remember about it?
What are you flooding heaven for this week?
Ask, Seek, Knock
In moments of pain, loneliness, or confusion, we know that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are aware of our circumstances and that They yearn to bless us.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matthew 7:7–8, from the Sermon on the Mount
"At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God... So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt... I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God... I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me."
What is the difference between asking and asking plainly? Give a real example from your own life.
What are you asking the Lord for this week, in plain words?
Pour Out Your Soul
Opening the windows of heaven through fervent prayer does not require the use of many words or flowery language. Rather, the diligence in prayer which Heavenly Father requires of us is to pour out our souls in private places and have our hearts drawn out in prayer unto him continually.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:15, Hannah praying for a son at Shiloh
"Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord."
What gets in the way of being honest with God? What does it cost you to keep dressing your prayers up?
Write the prayer you would say if no one was listening but Him.
Prayers of the Heart
You may not feel like praying or you may not know what to say, but God hears the secret prayers of your heart. The feelings of your heart and the love for our Heavenly Father and for His Beloved Son can be so constant that your prayers will ascend always.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.
Mosiah 24:12, Alma's people in bondage to the Lamanites
"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
When have you prayed without words, in your chest only, and felt heard? What does that tell you about how God listens?
Write the one wordless line your heart will carry this week.
Burdens Made Light
I testify that the Lord hears and answers the prayers of our hearts, just as He did for Alma and his people. We can follow His commandment to pray always by having a continual prayer in our hearts.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage. The burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
Mosiah 24:14–15, the Lord lightening the burdens of Alma's people
"Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he was a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered."
When has the Lord answered prayer by changing you instead of changing the situation? What did that look like in real life?
Name the burden you are carrying. Then write what it would mean for that burden to be made light without being removed.
Pray Always
It is significant that their spiritual strength came from continued prayer rather than waiting to pray until a moment of crisis when they desperately needed divine help. Consistent prayer during joyous times and also during seasons of distress and grief will surely be rewarded according to His will and perfect timing.
President Eyring, Prayers for Peace, April 2026
They had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.
Alma 17:3, the sons of Mosiah preparing to preach to the Lamanites
"The time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament."
What does pray-always look like for a working man on a Tuesday? Driving, in a meeting, on a job site, at the dinner table. Real examples, not church answers.
Pick a cue already in your day and stack prayer on top of it. Right after my feet hit the floor. Before I pick up my phone. Lights off, before I sleep.
Recognizing the Answer
Most of the time our prayers will be answered in a still, small voice from the Spirit. The answer may come as we read the scriptures or hear the words of a prophet. It may come during a quiet walk or in the middle of the night. The Lord has His own timing. He answers in a way that builds our faith and our willingness to act.
President Henry B. Eyring, Prayer, October 2001 General Conference
I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery learning how revelation comes
"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; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed."
When has an answer come in a way you almost missed? A thought, a verse, a friend's offhand comment, a feeling on a drive home.
What prayer have you been listening for? Where might the answer already be arriving quietly?
Compass vs Map
I asked my son to pray about which road to take, and he felt strongly that we should go to the right, and I did as well. We went to the right and it was a dead end. Matt said, Dad, why did we feel, after praying about it, that the right road was the proper one to take, and it wasn't? I said, I think the Lord's answer to our prayer was to get us on the right road as quickly as possible, with some reassurance that we were on the right road and we didn't have to worry about it. The easiest way to do that was to let us go five hundred yards down the wrong road, and very quickly know, without a doubt, it was the wrong road, and therefore with equal certainty know the other one was the right road.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Wrong Roads, Mormon Channel
The pointers which were in the ball did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them. And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.
1 Nephi 16:28–29, Lehi's family in the wilderness with the Liahona
"I drove my carriage into Mr. Williams' yard, and put my horses into his barn. I had not been there but a few minutes when the Spirit said to me, 'Get up and move your carriage.' I told my wife I must move my carriage. She said, 'What for?' I said, 'I do not know.' That is all the Lord said to me. I got up and moved my carriage some four or five rods... Within a few minutes, a whirlwind came through the lot, took the barn down, tore it in pieces, and carried a great portion of it across the public road, and laid it on the ground where my carriage had stood. What would have been the consequences if I had not listened to the revelation of the Spirit?"
When have you prayed, felt good about a road, started down it, and run into a dead end? Looking back, was it really an unanswered prayer, or was the dead end the answer?
List times you felt good about a road, started down it, and ran into a dead end. What did you learn? What themes can you carry with you?
Peace I leave with you.
My peace I give unto you.