Rumbly in my Tummy

I woke up this morning with a rumbly stomach. Since breakfast is my favorite meal and I don't do well without eating it, I became a little grumpy when I remembered that it was fast Sunday and I would be going without. I began to think about why I was fasting and how much I really didn't enjoy doing it. In my head, I was really rebellious. I DID NOT want to fast!

I don't know quite when the change occurred, but I think it was when I had the thought that fasting is one way we give up something carnal (aka: worldly) for something spiritual. I have recently been learning a lot about Mosiah 3:19..."For the natural man is an enemy to God..." (What a deep and meaty verse!) and pondering about what it means to be more selfless and changing my will to be God's will. I believe the Spirit worked with and connected to what I had recently been learning to teach me about why I should fast. I didn't immediatly understand about fasting, but I went from being grumpy and rebellious to determined and ready to "experiment upon the word." I had been taught that fasting without prayer was equivalent to starving and served no real purpose, so I said a quick prayer. Nope, it wasn't a prayer about anything spiritual like it should have been. It was simply a prayer in my heart that Father would get me through the hunger. And off to church I went.

Sacrament meeting was mostly about entertaining Emmalee while trying to catch the words of testimonies being born. It wasn't until a sweet Grandpa got up and bore his testimony that the Spirit taught me again and I was brought to tears. This man expressed his love for his sick wife and then told a story about the Savior. He was humble and the Spirit worked through him. He told the story about the man who came to the disciples asking them to heal his son. They couldn't do it, so He went to the Savior. The Savior asked him if he believed. He said he did, but then, after thinking further, replied, "Help Thou mine unbelief." Wasn't that what I had been asking this morning...help Thou mine unbelief in the law of the fast? At that moment, I knew I needed to share my testimony of the Savior as well.

The next hour brought Primary. As a counselor in the Primary presidency I have the opportunity to teach Sharing Time. Today, I was teaching the children why Jesus Christ is our Savior. I began by showing 3 pictures of the Savior's life...the Garden of Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. Instead of reading the actual verses, I told the stories. (This was Junior primary. Telling scriptures is better than reading for these little ones.) With each story, a change came over the children. The listened and watched and were interested in these events of the Savior's life. By the end of the third story, it was so quiet that you didn't want to breathe for fear of breaking the moment. The Spirit was strong and the children were learning. I took a moment to tell them that the warm feelings and the quiet in the room were from the Spirit. I bore my testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and these events in His life provide the way for us to get back home to Heavenly Father. He is the only way. They actually heard, and more importantly, they FELT!

Exit Junior primary to classes and enter Senior primary. After a wild singing time and only 10 minutes of Primary left, the Senior primary feeling restless and talkative, it was my turn to teach again. The thought came to shorten my lesson and just tell the same 3 stories again. Because these kiddos were older, I added details about the Savior and the Atonement that I omitted for the Junior primary. Again, the transformation was astounding. They were glued...listening, asking questions, and understanding. And again, the Spirit was thick and the moment quiet.

Back to my experiment concerning fasting. I was shown that when I give up food on fast Sunday, I am nourished spiritually instead. And not just nourished, but filled to overflowing. I learned that when I am spiritually fed, I can be used as an instrument in the Lord's hands to feed others. I learned that Father does care if I fast, and the Savior is willing to help me through the physical discomfort so I can receive the blessings. I learned that Father hears my silly prayers. I learned that I have to give of myself to truly receive. I learned that turning my will over and letting go of my "natural man" put me in greater harmony with the Spirit. I learned that Father teaches me when I ask questions, and He does so in a way that I will understand. I gained a testimony of the law of the fast today. I am grateful!