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Since my husband passed away, I have felt a more extreme need
and inclination to be closer to my Father in Heaven.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
we're asked once a month to fast and to give
a generous fast offering.
First of all, we go without food for a period of 24 hours or two
consecutive meals.
Fasting is something that we do when
we need to focus on a question that we have
or a problem that we have.
When we couple our fast with prayer and meditation,
we grow closer to Heavenly Father,
and we're more able to feel His inspiration for the things
that we're fasting for, for the questions that we have.
I have a prayer, and it helps me.
And also, it gives me a better realization
of the Holy Spirit and my Savior and His love for me.
Yesterday several things came to my mind about one
of my problems that I have asked about--just came as I was
shopping, doing things, and, "Oh, wow.
That's so wonderful.
Yeah, I'm going to do that."
The fast offering completes our fasting
by us being able to give the monetary value of the meals
that we give up and give that to the Church.
It was over 30 years ago that I actually was
a recipient of this program.
My family needed help, and I was a single mom,
and the Church just provided us with food for as long
as we [SNIFFLES] needed it.
I'm sorry, but it's a very emotional thing.
Sometimes the people that are giving those donations
are people I know that don't have a lot of money themselves.
And the faith that they have, to give that money to the Lord's
Church to help their brothers and sisters,
is a wonderful thing to see.
I just find it increasingly meaningful to fast.
And I find that I am learning to be more prayerful and closer
to my Heavenly Father.
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