Comments on: Weird Mormon Beliefs?

By: karenrose

karenrose — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:45:51 +0000

Great questions. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Mormons), we generally fast for 2 consecutive meals/24 hours from Saturday to Sunday. Fasting usually includes abstaining from both food and water/drink, unless health restrictions dictate otherwise. For Latter-day Saints, fasting is always combined with prayer. We believe in fasting with a purpose. Before we begin fasting, we pray and ask God for guidance on a particular issue. Fasting not only has benefits for our physical body, but for our spiritual side as well. As Latter-day Saints, we contribute the money that would have been spent on the missed meals toward a “fast offering,” which goes directly to the poor and the needy. When we fast and momentarily deprive our body of it’s desires, our spirits are humbled and we are more in tune with the will of God. We break the fast by offering a prayer of gratitude.

Check out the following link for more information. Thanks again for your questions.
http://lds.org/study/topics/fasting-and-fast-offerings?lang=eng

By: karenrose

karenrose — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:19:37 +0000

Thanks for asking, Bruce, and for visiting our sites. The principle of fasting and prayer includes abstaining from food and water, as health permits, to spend time in communion with God and to seek His will and Spirit. It can begin at mid-day or early evening and continue until the next mid-day or early evening, respectively. For the monthly fast of one day, we do not drink water. However, for any separate or additional fasts, water is generally consumed. Each fast is broken with wisdom and personal discretion, with a meal that suits the body. There is no prescription there. The purpose of the fast, in addition to drawing nearer to the Spirit and overcoming the natural self, seeking answers to specific challenges and prayers for self and others, is to contribute to the poor and needy. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes known as Mormons by friends of other faiths) give a generous offering of money known as a fast offering, that represents at least the value of the two missed meals during the fast. That money is then directed to meet the needs of those in the local and global membership of the Church. In addition to fast offerings and tithes, members contribute to humanitarian and mission funds as well. But the fast offering is directly connected with the law of the fast, as restored in our day. Fasting and prayer brings joy, when combined, and miracles. Hope this is helpful. I’d be happy to send you some additional unofficial and official links to additional material and articles on the joy of fasting and prayer, if you like. I’ll email you and see if you would like to receive those. Warm regards and best in your spiritual journey, K.

By: Bruce Rosof

Bruce Rosof — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:00:39 +0000

I am interested in the health benefits of your once a month 24 hour fast on the first Sunday of every month. I have read about this in newspapers. When does it begin and end? Is drinking water allowed? How do you break the fast? Thank You.