The Way to Perfection: Prayer

You run, sprint, hit, catch and practice you hardest!!!
You tighten up your laces, put the head gear on, practice your shots, and get the blood pumping!!!

These are all things that we do as we prepare for the big games, for Football and Wrestling. We do all these things for the physical aspect of the game, but what do we do to prepare spiritually? Both steps can help reach that goal of Perfection!!

Each time I went out to the field for a game, or to the mat for a match, I always turned to something. What might that be.....? PRAYER!!! We always need something to prepare us, For the Perfection in Sports its practice. Practice, Practice, Practice. and Spiritually its Prayer.  I never really thought about how much prayer works. But it does, and this is how.

Before running out to the field before each game, my team and myself would all gather together and have a moment of silence, each time we did this, I would bow my head and say a little prayer to my Heavenly Father. For protection, guidance and possibly success. Saying that little prayer kept my relationship with my Heavenly Father strong and close, I new each time I went out to the field I would have His added protection with me. In the Book of Mormon, a Prophet councils us to "pray always", 2 Nephi 32:9 says, "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform anything unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." (Boldness added). Always turn to the Lord in everything we do.

Another experience is for Wrestling, before each time stepping into the middle of the mat to shake the opponents hand, I would grab my ankle strap and I would walk to the edge of the mat bow down and as I put the strap around my ankle I would always say a little prayer. Saying that prayer to my Heavenly Father, I would feel the Peace of the Holy Ghost that I would be watched over.

The power of Prayer is so important for us to prepare us for Perfection. It shows our Humility that we need the help of our Hevanly Father in our Lives. Over the years as I have turned to prayer in sports, or just questions and concerns I might have for life. I truly see the care our Heavenly Father has for us. I know as we turn to Him, our Heavenly Father in prayer, we can be guided and protected for the evil ways of the advisary, D&C 10:5 states,  "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." We can make that step to Perfection!!!