Latter-day saints address their prayers to God the Father, and close them in the name of Jesus Christ. Latter-day saints believe God is all knowing, so Latter-day saints believe that God answers any sincere prayer regardless of how it is addressed, but also believe that addressing the prayer to Heavenly Father is the most respectful way to approach God in prayer.
Prayers are addressed to God the Father:
Related verses in the Bible:
Related verses in the Book of Mormon:
Related verses in the Doctrine and Covenants (part of the Mormon canon of scripture):
Prayers are done in the name of Jesus Christ:
Related verses in the Bible:
Related verses in the Book of Mormon:
Related verses in the Doctrine and Covenants (part of the Mormon canon of scripture):
As found in current teachings of the LDS church:
"We are commanded to pray to the Father (Elohim) in the name of the Son (Jehovah). The revelations are perfectly clear on this. “Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name,” the Lord Jesus said to the Nephites. (3 Ne. 18:19.) [...]
"It is true that when we pray to the Father, the answer comes from the Son, because 'there is ... one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. 2:5.) Joseph Smith, for instance, asked the Father, in the name of the Son, for answers to questions, and the answering voice was not that of the Father but of the Son, because Christ is our advocate, our intercessor, the God (under the Father) who rules and regulates this earth."
As found on the LDS website lds.org:
As found in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism:
"Although few set prayers occur in their worship, Latter-day Saints follow a pattern when praying. Prayers are addressed to the Father in Heaven, following the example set by Christ when instructing his disciples how to pray (Matt. 6:9; 3 Ne. 13:9). His prayer serves as a pattern: Disciples are to praise and thank God, ask for daily physical needs, and plead for the spiritual power to forgive, be forgiven, and resist temptation. Jesus used simple, expressive language in his prayers, avoiding vain repetition and flowery phrases (Matt. 6:5-13; 3 Ne. 13:5-13;19:20-23, 28-29; cf. 3 Ne. 17:14-17;19:31-34). More important than the words is the feeling that accompanies prayer. Christ reiterated a clear, prophetic warning: 'This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me' (Matt. 15:8; cf. Isa. 29:13). In praising God, in offering thanks, in asking for needs-remembering to pray that God's will be done-language is to be reverent, humble, and sincere. President Spencer W. Kimball commented, 'In all our prayers, it is well to use the pronouns thee, thou, thy, and thine instead of you, your, and yours inasmuch as they have come to indicate respect' (p. 201). Unnecessary repetition of God's name is avoided, as are idle clichés. Prayers close by stating that the prayer is offered in the name of Jesus Christ, concluding with amen."