Gospel Principles
Unit 7: Perfecting Our Lives
Chapter 25: Fasting
Concept 3: The Fast Day
"One Sunday each month Latter-day Saints observe a fast day. On this day we neither eat nor drink for two consecutive meals, thus making a fast of twenty-four hours. If we eat our evening meal on Saturday, then we would not eat or drink until the evening meal on Sunday.
Everyone who can do so should fast. However, "many are subject to weakness, others are delicate in health, and others have nursing babies; of such it should not be required to fast. Neither should parents compel their little children to fast"" Gospel Doctrine, p. 244).
We should encourage our children to fast after they have been baptized, but we should never force them. The fast day is a special day for us to humble ourselves before the Lord in fasting and prayer. It is a day to pray for forgiveness from our sins and for the power to overcome our faults and to forgive others.
On fast Sunday, members of the Church meet together and partake of the sacrament. They strengthen themselves and one another by bearing testimony in fast and testimony meeting.
Fast Offerings
"When we fast each month, the Lord asks us to help those in need. One way we do this is by giving through the proper priesthood authority either the food or the money we would have spent on food for the two meals. We should give as generously as we are able. Through our fast offerings we become partners with the Lord in administering to the needs of our less fortunate brothers and sisters.
Discussion
What should we do on fast day to make fasting more meaningful?
What are some of the reasons we pay fast offerings?"