Fasting

Fasting is one of those things my parents taught us well when we were younger. I knew it was important to them and usually didn't have a problem waiting until 4:00 or 5:00 to eat. I tried fasting for a purpose and as I grew up experienced testimony builders of the power of fasting.

However, when I got pregnant for the first time (over 4 years ago), I thought it was kind of cool I didn't have to fast. :) I was pregnant for 9 months, nursed for 12, got pregnant again for 9 months, nursed for 12, got pregnant again. Do the math, I went 45 months only fasting maybe 2 times. And I did begin to miss it. I could still see the power of fasting and watched Jack do special fasts several times, but I felt like I was missing out.

I remember fasting for the first time after my first miscarriage, and finding it funny one of the first things I thought about when I found out about my second one was that I was going to get to fast again. I really wanted to take advantage of it so studied the topic the week before Fast Sunday approached. I appreciated my experience reading and one aspect I really liked was the following-

"This account teaches that prayer and fasting can give added strength to those giving and receiving priesthood blessings."

I really liked that. The account it is referring to is Christ with his disciples. "One one occasion the Savior cast a devil out from a child and used this experience to teach His disciples about the power of prayer and fasting. His disciples asked Him, 'Why could not we cast him out?' Jesus answered: 'Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:14-21).

It follows this account by saying, "Like the demon that Christ cast out, our difficulty may be the kind that will go out only through prayer and fasting."

I knew what I wanted to fast for. It was a wonderful Fast Sunday, and I found it fitting that our bishop who opened the meeting talked about the power of fasting and that tended to be a theme throughout the remainder of time. I also forgot how good food and water tastes after not having it :) I know fasting can give us strength and prepare us for receiving our Heavenly Father's blessings.

*These quotes were all found under Gospel Study-Fasting and Fast Offerings