2 Nephi 32 (II)

2 Nephi 32:8 For if you would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint. I noticed this verse for the first time somewhere back in high school, probably around tenth grade, and it was impactful to me then.  The scriptural case for prayer is strong throughout scripture, beginning with Adam, and continuing through Christ's ministry and that of his apostles.  It was prayer that led Joseph Smith to learn that the correct church was not on the earth at that time.  Without that fervent prayer and answer, he might well have joined with one of the protestant groups of the day, assuming it was as close as he could get to correctness.

Generally speaking, prayer should be personal--Christ clearly did not approve of the public manner of prayer of the hypocrites of his day, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.  This is not to say that public prayer is inappropriate, but that personal prayer in public is generally inappropriate.  Daniel was not saved from the lions for offering his private prayers in a public forum, but for doing so in the privacy of his own closet.  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.