From Father to Son

¿como estas?

well i heard that you killed your talk this last Sunday, which is no surprise, i wish i was there to hear it. dad, i have an investigator right now who is struggling with the cigarettes. we have tried a lot of things and nothing has really worked. we decided to fast this past week, and as we were teaching him about principle of a fast i realized something that scared me. I don't really have a very good testimony of the fast. its always been something that has been difficult for me. i was wondering if you could send we some of your thoughts on fasting, your experiences, and your testimony of the fast. thanks for every thing, dad. i hope all is going well.

I love you dad

Elder Gardner

 

Tyler,

I always enjoy your emails. The principle of the Fast has caused in me one of the greatest desires for gospel research. I'll send a few articles from the Brethren that I think will help you in your search for knowledge and enlightenment -- The Law of the Fast by Elder Worthlin; Fasting with Power by Elder Bowen; The Blessing of a Proper Fast by Elder Pratt; and one by Bishop Brown. There are several others but these will get you started.

But perhaps the best source, and my favorite, is the 58th chapter of Isaiah, specifically verses 2 through 12. As you read these verses the doctrine of the fast will distill upon your soul. Elder Pratt does a good job of helping explain some of the key verses. But the Spirit will show you the full meaning of the verses as you study them over time.

Here are my thoughts.

You'll remember that the Savior fasted for 40 days in the wilderness when he wanted to draw close to Heavenly Father just before his temptations by Lucifer. Because he was half immortal he could do that without serious injury to his body. It gave him great spiritual focus. He later fasted as he went up on Mount transfiguration. We know this because when he can down with Peter, James, and John he met the other apostles who had not been able to cast out a particularly difficult spirit. Matthew 17:21 says, "This [kind] goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Fasting provides spiritual power to accomplish things that require a powerful spirit.

When I fast properly, I am drawn closer to the Spirit. I can always tell when I am having a good fast because I don't have much trouble with hunger. It makes me feel as though Heavenly Father is listening to me when I pray. It gives me greater strength and focus to do the right thing, whatever that may be. It is a chance for me to demonstrate to Heavenly Father that communicating with Him and doing His will is more important to me than meeting my physical needs. Isaiah says, "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am." (58:9.) I want Him to always be willing to answer me when I need Him, especially in my most earnest and difficult situations.

When Marc was 3 years old, just as you were born and right after we had moved to Albuquerque, I fasted for four days because I needed Heavenly Father's help to prepare me to give him a blessing. The Lord healed Marc from his seizures. Not because of my fast, but because it was His will and many people united their faith in Marc's behalf. But because of my fasting I felt that I could ask the Lord for this blessing for my poor suffering son, and He would hear me, and I could live with the result what ever it might be.

We don't need to fast for an extended time for the Lord to hear our cries. We can't hold Heavenly Father hostage by fasting for more than two meals. Two meals, 24 hours is really all we generally need.

The other side of Fasting is our giving an offering to the church for the benefit of the poor and needy. We should give the value of the food not eaten as a minimum. But we ought to be generous in our offerings if we can. I've heard the brethren say that if we want to increase our spirituality and devotion to God, we can increase our offerings. I know of some people who give more than 10 or 20 times or more the amount of food they did not eat during their fast. This principle of giving generously is also contained in Isaiah 58, in verse 7.

Read verse 6. "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heaven burdens and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" This may have direct application to your investigator. And to everything that binds you and me down.

The fast is a way to draw closer to Heaven and gather the strength and clarity to do the right thing. I can't say that I have an effective fast every month. But when I put my heart into it, I am always blessed.

I'll send those articles over through Dear missionary in case you can't print them from the attachments.

All my love,

Dad

 

 

Dad,

I’m so blessed to have a dad who knows so much that he can give me the exact type of help when i need it.  thank you dad for living your life the way that god intended, you bless us as your family, more then you know. 

I want to study all this information first, then put it into practice.  i will write you a letter when i have found my testimony of the fast, and share my thoughts with you.

thanks again dad, i love you so much

your son,

Elder Gardner