Teaching Me to Pray

After my mother's death, I was raised and lived with my Duncan grandparents. "Jean, is it your prayer time?". Grandma Duncan was reminding me that it was time for bed. I was just three years old.

We'll have family prayer with grandpa and Mick in a few minutes, but we need to have a few words of prayer alone." She led me into the big dining room and closed the door.
We knelt down beside the big chair by the door. As I peaked through my fingers I could see the heavily carved mahogany chair back and the deep red velvet seat.

"We will always have family prayer, but I know that there are special things that you will want to talk to Heavenly Father about" she said. "I will? " "like what?" I opened my eyes and unfolded my hands. The discussion might take a while. "Well, ask Heavenly Father to help you be good enough to see your mother Elaine again some day" she explained. That did seem like a good idea to me. "Pray for your dad. Heavenly Father could help him find happiness again." She looked at me for approval.

I closed my eyes and folded my hands again. Grandma started to teach me to pray. I repeated her words at first. After a few prayers on my own, I began praying for other family members and friends and our dog, but I always included in every prayer during those years "Please help me to be so good so I'll see my mother some day." I closed my eyes and folded my hands again.

In Memory of Violet Duncan 1885 to 1970