How to Fast
Fast with a purpose
New Era March 2019 “Fasting on Purpose” Fasting for her grandmother helped a girl resist hunger.
Fasting can help me and bless others.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Esther” During a time of need, Esther and the Jews fasted. How can you help the children you teach understand the spiritual blessings of fasting?
- Invite the children to make a list of things they could fast for (if needed, they could look at “Fasting and Fast Offerings” in True to the Faith, 66–69). Then ask them to read Esther 4:1–3, 10–17 to find out why the Jews and Esther fasted. Encourage the children to think of a reason they might need special help from the Lord, and suggest they make that reason part of their fast during the next fast Sunday.
- Invite the children to pretend they are explaining to a friend why they fast. What would they say? Point them to Guide to the Scriptures, “Fast, Fasting” (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) if they need help. Share an experience when you fasted to receive the Lord’s help. Invite the children to share experiences they have had with fasting.
- “Fasting for Shem” (July 2013 Friend)
When Tim is worried about his friend Shem in the hospital, he decides to pray and fast for him.
- “Praying for David” (June 2011 Friend)
- John fasts and prays for his brother, who needs surgery.
“Lesson 38: Esther Saves Her People,” Primary 6: Old Testament To teach the children how fasting can bless their lives.
Fasting blesses me and others in need.
Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Isaiah 58–66” Some of the children you teach may be old enough to fast. But even those who are not can benefit from learning about the Lord’s law of the fast and preparing to fast when they are ready.
- Write on the board Why do we fast? and How do we fast? Invite the children to write possible answers on the board. Encourage them to review “Fast, Fasting” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) and Isaiah 58:6–11 to find additional answers. How might Isaiah 58:6–11 help us when fasting is difficult?
Friend Feb 1983 “Why do we Fast”
“Fasting and Fast Offerings” You can fast for many purposes. You can fast as you ask Heavenly Father to bless the sick or afflicted (see Matthew 17:14–21). Fasting may help you and those you love receive personal revelation and become converted to the truth (see Alma 5:46; 6:6). Through fasting you can gain strength to resist temptation (see Isaiah 58:6). You can fast as you strive to humble yourself before God and exercise faith in Jesus Christ (see Omni 1:26; Helaman 3:35). You may fast to receive guidance in sharing the gospel and magnifying Church callings (see Acts 13:2–3; Alma 17:3, 9; 3 Nephi 27:1–2).
Encourage the children to think of a reason they might need special help from the Lord, and suggest they make that reason part of their fast during the next fast Sunday.
New Era August 2013 “Blessings of Fasting”
- Share with the children a personal experience with fasting, or share a story from a Church magazine about fasting. Emphasize the blessings that come from fasting with a spiritual purpose. If any of the children have fasted, invite them to share their experiences. Encourage the children to talk to their parents next fast Sunday about what it means to fast. Help them understand what it means to fast with a sincere purpose and a prayerful heart.
Friend September 2000 “Fasting and Prayer” Dad told the family that their grandma was very sick. They decided to pray and fast for her. That night their mom called to say that their grandma was going to be okay. They realized that fasting helped them feel closer to Heavenly Father, and it wasn’t as hard to do because they were fasting for their grandmother.
- Read together Isaiah 58:6–7, and explain that one way we “deal [our] bread to the hungry” when we fast is by donating the money we would have spent on food as a fast offering. Show the children a donation slip for tithing and fast offerings, and explain how to fill it out. Invite the children to read Isaiah 58:8–10, looking for the blessings we are promised when we fast. How can fasting bless us and those in need?
Friend November 2019 “Searching for Sir Crunch-a-Lot” Mackenzie’s family shop at the bishop’s storehouse for their food because they didn’t have much money after her dad lost his job. Mackenzie wishes she didn’t have to eat boring food like granola instead of her favorite cereal brand, and sandwiches instead of pizza at school. But then she finds out that a friend sitting next to her isn’t eating lunch because she is fasting for a family member. Mackenzie realizes how hard it must be to fast, and she is grateful for all the people who fast and give fast offerings so she and her family don’t go hungry.
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022 “Isaiah 58–66”
These verses suggest that to many ancient Israelites, fasting was more of a burden than a blessing. Family members might better understand Isaiah’s message about fasting if they act out the type of fasting described in Isaiah 58:3–5 and the type of fasting described in Isaiah 58:6–8. How can we make our fasts more like “the fast that [God has] chosen”? What blessings have we seen from fasting?
When Am I Old Enough to Fast
Friend July 2017 “Question Corner: How do I know when I’m old enough to start fasting?”
Friend February 2024 “My First Fast” Emma’s father taught her about fasting. He explained that we fast to ask Heavenly Father for extra help or to tell Him that we are extra grateful. She decides to fast for her baby brother. She did activities to help her learn about Jesus so she wouldn’t think about food. She had to end her fast early due to hunger, but her parents said Heavenly Father is happy when we try.
Why Do We Fast?
Friend Feb 1983 “Why do we Fast”
Fast Offering
Friend June 2024 “Serving at the Storehouse” Dominic and his mother help fill an order at the Bishop’s Storehouse. His mother explains that when we pay a fast offering the money helps buy food for those that need help. That is a way all the members of the Church help each other, so none go hungry.
Friend January 2016 Mini Story about the compassion of a child, and lesson ideas about how to give a fast offering and who the fast offering helps.
Friend November 2019 “Searching for Sir Crunch-a-Lot” Mackenzie’s family shop at the bishop’s storehouse for their food because they don’t have much money after her dad lost his job. Mackenzie wishes she didn’t have to eat boring food like granola instead of her favorite cereal brand, and sandwiches instead of pizza at school. But then she finds out that a friend sitting next to her isn’t eating lunch because she is fasting for a family member. Mackenzie realizes how hard it must be to fast, and she is grateful for all the people who fast and give fast offerings so she and her family don’t go hungry.
Friend September 2015 – Pres Eyring’s story about fast offerings for Vanuatu (Read the story and then number the pictures in order.)
Blessings of Fasting
Friend September 2015 “Fasting for Vanuatu” Heavenly Father promises us amazing blessings when we fast. Find one by doing the crossword.
Law of Consecration
Doctrine and Covenants 42:30–42
Explain that in the early days of the Church, the Saints were commanded to share with each other everything they had been blessed with. This commandment was called the law of consecration. Write the word consecration on the chalkboard. Explain that to consecrate means to dedicate or give for a sacred purpose.
When the Saints began gathering in Ohio in early 1831, the Prophet Joseph Smith was concerned because many of them were very poor and did not have the things they needed, such as food, clothing, and shelter. The Prophet began looking for a way to help these poor members of the Church.
When the Prophet first arrived in Kirtland, Ohio, he found that some members of the Church were living together on a farm owned by Isaac Morley. They had read in the Bible that the members of the Church in Jesus’ time shared everything they had (see Acts 2:44–45; 4:32), and they were trying to live the same way. This plan did not always work very well, however. For example, one man thought that if all things were shared, it was all right for him to sell a watch that actually belonged to another man. This made the owner of the watch very angry. The Prophet saw that although it was good that these people were trying to share with each other, their plan was not approved by the Lord. Joseph prayed to find out what the Lord wanted the members of the Church to do.
A few days after calling Edward Partridge to be the bishop of the Church, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith the law of consecration (see D&C 42:30–39, 42). This law commanded the Saints to share with each other in an organized way. The Lord gave the following instructions:
- The Saints were to consecrate, or give, all of their property and possessions to the Church. The bishop would be responsible for these consecrations.
- The bishop would decide with the head of each family what property and possessions the family needed to work and live. The bishop would give these needed items to the family.
- Families would work hard to provide for themselves using the things they were given. After they filled their own needs and wants, anything extra they had earned or created was to be given to the bishop to help the poor and strengthen the Church.
Play the game “I Don’t Need It—Would You Like It?” to help the children understand the concept of sharing their excess with others. Give each child a piece of paper and a pencil, and have the children list food, clothing, shelter, money, and books and games on their papers. The object of the game is for each child to obtain all the items on the list by either picking the items from the container or receiving them from another child.
Pass the container of papers to a child and have him or her choose a paper, read it, and put it back into the container. Have the child circle the named item on his or her paper. Then pass the container to the next child. When all the children have had a turn, begin again with the first child and have him or her pick another paper.
If on a subsequent turn a child picks an item that is already circled on his or her list, he or she turns to the child on the left and says, “I don’t need it—would you like it?” Then the child sitting to the left can circle that item on his or her list. If that child already has the item circled, he or she asks the question of the next child to the left. Continue until someone is able to circle the item.
Play the game until each child has circled every item on the list.
This law helped the Church grow and helped the members take care of each other while they lived in Ohio and Missouri. People donated their time and talents as well as their money and possessions so that missionary work could be done, a temple could be built, and newly arriving Saints would have a place to live and food to eat. Even though most of the people were poor, when they shared what they did have, everyone had enough.
Early members of the Church lived the law of consecration for only a short while. Someday the Church will practice the law of consecration again, but today we as members are asked to live only part of the law. We are not asked to give all we have to the Church, but we are asked to pay tithing and fast offerings. (You may need to explain that when we fast, we are asked to contribute to the Church at least the amount of money we would have spent on two meals that day. This is a fast offering.) Tithing and fast offerings are used to take care of the poor, build temples and meetinghouses, and provide other things such as lesson manuals. We are also asked to share our time and talents by doing things such as giving talks or teaching Primary classes. As we share, we are helping to build the kingdom of God on the earth.
