As I read 3 Nephi 13 this morning, the Savior is giving the people what we know as the Lord’s Prayer. But along with the prayer, He is teaching something deeper about quiet devotion.
His instructions are simple:
Give in quiet humility.
Pray in secret.
Keep our thoughts clean.
Fast without drawing attention to it.
Seek heavenly treasures rather than earthly ones.
A pattern begins to emerge—so much of true discipleship happens quietly.
“Pray in secret.” I love my private time with the Lord. It is sacred to me.
This makes me think about something I’ve pondered about before—blessing the food in a restaurant. I’ll admit it sometimes feels awkward. I’m probably wrong about that because we should give thanks in all things, and it can be a wonderful example. I’ve often seen couples bow their heads before eating and thought, Why don’t I do that?
I find peace in quietly pausing and thanking Heavenly Father in my heart. He knows my heart.
Verse 17 says, “Anoint thy head.” I’ve stopped on that phrase before and asked myself what it means.
Looking up the word wash led me to Book of Jeremiah 4:14:
“O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved.”
That answer satisfies me. I think of the initiatory anointing in the temple and the sacred symbolism there. For me, this instruction from Jesus means I need to cleanse my thoughts. My mind runs about ninety miles an hour most days, but fasting is a time to quiet it and focus on the purpose of the fast - drawing nearer to Him.
Verse 18 reminds us that the Father “who is in secret… seeth in secret.” Perhaps this is another reminder that fasting isn’t something to advertise.
Then the Savior speaks of treasures.
Verses 19–20 are clear as a bell: earthly treasures are temporary. The treasures that matter most to me are my family. I want every one of them securely anchored in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
At this stage of my life, how do I help with that?
Attend the temple regularly.
Pray for each of them by name.
Love them every chance I get.
And sometimes create those moments to love them, even when it isn’t easy.
Do family history work. We’ve been promised that those we help on the other side will help us here. I hold tightly to that promise.
Another verse that has fascinated me for decades is verse 22: “The light of the body is the eye.”
Over the years I’ve noticed something. When you look into someone’s eyes, you can often see light… or the absence of it. What is truly sad is watching someone turn away from the gospel of Jesus Christ. The change is visible.
There is a lot to ponder in this chapter. But the thought that keeps returning to me is this: we can trust our Heavenly Father. He knows our thoughts, our intentions, and our efforts. He knows how to guide each of us home.
More and more lately I hear the same message repeated—He is in relentless pursuit of His children. He wants us to return.
And in this chapter, the Savior gently teaches a few quiet ways we can begin becoming more like Him.
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