Pour Out Your Heart — Mosiah 25–28

Come, Follow Me: Book of Mormon 2024 (May 27—June 2)

The first counseling session can be both hard and life changing. It’s when the client tells their story of trouble and pain. It’s when they say whatever they want without judgement or interruptions. They talk as long as it takes until all the worries and wishes have poured out of their mind and heart. Then, healing begins.

For Alma, it was after the pouring out of his whole soul that the Lord spoke to him. “And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God. And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him…” (Mosiah 26:13, 14).

Enos used the pour out prayer practice, “I did pour out my whole soul unto God” (Enos 1:9), as did Mormon, “and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them” (Mormon 3:12), and Amulek, “But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and your wilderness” (Alma 34:26).

Pouring out works. It creates space for perspective, sorting, and new answers to old problems. Above all, it creates room for Him to enter. So why do I pray with sprinkles, dribbles, and trickles? What keeps me from pouring? A good question to ponder. 

“Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will ‘grow into the principle of revelation’” (President Russell M. Nelson).

Do Hard Divinely Better Lesson #21: Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father when you’re troubled.