Fast & Testimony Sunday!

Today was a most wonderful Fast and Testimony Sunday! The testimonies that were given today were so beautiful and full of the Spirit. I got up and shared my testimony for the first time since joining this Church ( a little over a month ago) I get pretty nervous talking in front of people but have noticed it happening much less, especially when sharing about the Gospel. At a point, after I had walked up to the podium, I wasn't aware of what I was saying anymore. My planned words were set aside and a beautiful testimony flowed out of my mouth. Unplanned, but very true and touching to me. It was that I had acquired a sense of peace and calm, which is the Spirit, and was able to express what I felt at that moment, my gratefulness and love for the Gospel of this Church and the truthfulness of it that I am able to receive them in this life.

Fast and Testimony meetings are so important to our development as Children of Our Eternal Father.

I have heard the question and have wondered myself, what is the fasting about?

Well, there are many great things that can come from fasting and prayer.

And there are many purposes that people fast for.

~Fasting is one way to serve and worship Our Heavenly Father.

~It also can be done when preparing to give a blessing to someone who is sick or troubled, or in preparation to pray for someone the same.

~And with that, can help bring revelation/inspiration to ourselves or another, or to bring truthfulness to their lives.

~Fasting may also help us to overcome strong temptations in difficult areas of our daily lives. And is one way to humble ourselves before Our Father in Heaven and strengthen our faith in Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we go through our hours of fasting, we also stay deep in prayer and thoughtfulness that our empty grumbling tummy represents more than the absence of food.
We are becoming closer to Christ.

Fasting for our Fast Sundays includes not drinking any liquids or eating any food for at least two whole meals (breakfast and lunch)

We also attend our fast and testimony meetings and give a fast offering which goes to those less fortunate. Our fast offering is usually the amount of money we would have spent on the two meals that we missed earlier that day.

For our Fast and Testimony Sundays, many of the members bring a type of food, kind of like a pot luck, and we bless the food and eat our first meal of the day together.

Bearing testimonies on Fast and Testimony Sunday is a really special part of our lives. As we share our testimonies, as given by the Holy Ghost, we are blessed and those many that hear us bear witness to Christ are blessed as well. One thing that I love about bearing my testimony is that it gives the Holy Ghost an opportunity to speak through me, that others may hear what they need to. And with that, I love to hear others' testimonies because I hear many wonderful and inspiring things, that I am sure Heavenly Father placed on their lips so that I may know this. Our testimonies grow as they are shared with others.

Testimony is defined on our Latter-Day Saint website as a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost.

I heard many good things in today's Fast and Testimony meeting and am so grateful that there are many people who know this truth!
I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and am so thankful for its many blessings in my life. I am grateful that Our Savior, Jesus Christ has given us an example of what to do, and I pray that we may all follow Him in full faith. I leave these words with you in the name of Our Savior, the Son of the Eternal Father, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Awesome Information Pages:
Elder Whirthlin on The Law of the Fast

 Primary Explanation :) Fasting Brings Us Closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

Testimony Tips and Family Home Evening Blog