Kris/Sacrament Talk 1/31/21
Coming unto Christ through Fasting and Fast Offerings
The Savior loves all of us. We are all his children and we know that when we offer help to one of his children in any way at any time by any means He tells us that is the same as if we had offered it to him.
We know this because he tells us in Matthew 25:34-40 we can look forward to having this conversation with him at some time in the future. He tells us that we gave him a drink when He was thirsty, we fed Him when he was hungry, we visited him when he was sick, clothed him when he was naked. We asked him, Lord, when did we do this? We don’t remember doing these things for you.
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then he tells those that did not do these things that they have no place with Him in the Father’s kingdom, and in verse 46 he says
46 And these shall go away into aeverlasting bpunishment: but the crighteous into dlife eeternal.
Given the amount of poor, homeless, and suffering people in the world how could we ever do enough to be welcomed by Him, to come unto Him? the numbers grow ever bigger and our ability to help seems practically insignificant.
The Savior himself gives us an answer to this. When, prior to His betrayal and Crucifixion, Mary anointed Jesus’s head with an expensive burial ointment, Judas Iscariot protested this extravagance and “murmured against her.”
Jesus said:
“Why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work. …
“She hath done what she could.”
“She hath done what she could”! Isn’t this a perfect answer? To do what we can where we are right now.
So what is it that you and I can do to help these multitudes of poor, homeless, needy, dispossessed or hungry?
How can we do what we can so we can come unto Christ and be welcomed with open arms?
The Lord counsels us how in Isaiah 58:6-11
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
We can fast and give a generous fast offering! And then the Lord tells us the blessings that will follow:
8 ¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.
9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Showing compassion to those in need and giving of our abundance to help others is an ancient principle. The Lord commanded Moses,
Deut 15:7-8
“Thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need”
Alma 1:30
“In their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need” (Alma 1:30).
The Prophet Joseph Smith
“Let this be an [example] to all saints, and there will never be any lack for bread: When the poor are starving, let those who have, fast one day and give what they otherwise would have eaten to the bishops for the poor, and everyone will abound for a long time. … And so long as the saints will all live to this principle with glad hearts and cheerful countenances they will always have an abundance.”6
The Lord gives us the opportunity every month to participate and do what we can by fasting and giving a generous fast offering. Some of what we give may be used locally - what doesn’t get used locally will be sent to the stake or salt lake to be used where it is needed across the world
The process of fasting and giving a fast offering has so many blessings! I’ve been amazed as I’ve read and studied this past week. Multitudes of blessings that come from this keeping this commandment.
When we go without food for a little while, it helps us both physically and spiritually. “Periodic fasting,” explained President Ezra Taft Benson, “can help clear up the mind and strengthen the body and the spirit.”1 President Heber J. Grant promised that “every living soul among the Latter-day Saints that fasts two meals once a month will be benefitted spiritually and be built up in the faith of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ—benefitted spiritually in a wonderful way.”2 President Joseph F. Smith said that “such a fast would be a cure for every practical and intellectual error; vanity would disappear, love for our fellows would take its place, and we would gladly assist the poor and the needy.”3
Pres Kimball: As givers gain control of their desires and properly see other needs in light of their own wants, then the powers of the gospel are released in their lives. They learn that by living the great law of consecration they insure not only temporal salvation but also spiritual sanctification.
President Spencer W. Kimball called failing to follow that law a sin of omission with a heavy cost. He wrote: “Rich promises are made by the Lord to those who fast and assist the needy. … Inspiration and spiritual guidance will come with righteousness and closeness to our Heavenly Father. To omit to do this righteous act of fasting would deprive us of these blessings.”3
Blessing victims of natural disasters, war, and tragedies around the world to help someone whose relief the Lord will feel as if it were His own. At the Oct 2019 Conference President Nelson gave us a litany of the ways the Church has helped countless numbers of people through fast offerings and humanitarian aid projects:
He talked about his first visit to West Africa in 1986. The members had little in terms of material wealth and Pres Nelson asked the Stake President how he cared for members that had so little. He said if members could afford 2 meals a day they needed no help, but if they could only afford 1 or no meals the bishops provided food from the fast offerings. Then he related that their contributions usually exceeded their expenses and surplus fast offerings were sent elsewhere where the need exceeded theirs. This is truly a testimony of the power of fasting and giving generously.
When we fast we feel hunger. Being hungry for a short time helps us to have some understanding of the want that others might be feeling. When we give to the bishop an offering to relieve the suffering of others, we not only do something sublime for others, but we do something wonderful for ourselves as well. King Benjamin taught in Mosiah 4:26 that our sins can be remitted.
26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.
Amulek, explained that often our prayers have no power because we have turned our backs on the needy.9
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
If you feel that Heavenly Father is not listening to your petitions or you need your sins remitted (and which of us does not?), ask yourself if you are listening to the cries of the poor, the sick, the hungry, and the afflicted all around you by giving a generous fast offering
Abundance & Prosperity:
The widow of Zarephath:
During a time of famine, the prophet Elijah called upon a widow, who had no means to feed him, to provide him with water and bread. Her response was:
“As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
The prophet promised her that “the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail. …”
15 And she awent and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
Story in July 2016 Ensign of a family’s testimony of increasing their fast offerings at the invitation of their stake president during a time of economic crisis reminds me of this story. Their stake president did not specify how much to give but they remembered this promise given by President Marion G Romney, First Counselor in the First Presidency:
“I am a firm believer that you cannot give to the Church and to the building up of the kingdom of God and be any poorer financially. … A person could not give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return. That’s been my experience. If the members of the Church would double their fast-offering contributions, the spirituality in the Church would double. We need to keep that in mind and be liberal in our contributions.”2
As this family increased their fast offering donations they saw many blessings. Their gas tank seemed to stay full longer, they spent less on groceries, their children asked for less and their was less selfishness in their home. Their food storage seemed to be multiplying
During financial difficulties, giving a generous fast offering and helping care for the needy can be difficult, particularly when we are—like the widow of Zarephath—among the needy. Giving a generous fast offering, no matter the amount, requires faith in the Lord and His promise to care for us. But the Lord fulfills His promises, and our family’s experience taught us that the more we are willing to share, the more we are blessed.
As we considered giving a more generous fast offering, we remembered that a person cannot give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return.
Pres Kimball
“I think we should … give, instead of the amount saved by our two meals of fasting, perhaps much, much more—ten times more when we are in a position to do it.” (Conference Report, Apr. 1974, p. 184.)
If we give a generous fast offering, we shall increase our own prosperity both spiritually and temporally.
Protecting ourselves against economic need
Elder Marion G. Romney, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,13 June 1956),:
“I believe the most practical way to protect one’s self and family against economic need is to make liberal contributions for the support to the Lord’s poor according to the law of the Gospel. I am not promising you riches, but I am telling you that this is the most practical way to protect yourselves and families from actual need.
“I believe that it is consistent with the laws of Heaven that one’s right of reliance upon the Lord for protection against want is in direct proportion to his own liberality in sustaining the Lord’s poor.”15
Elder Harold B. Lee, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, “If you would qualify so that in times of trouble you could call and the Lord would … say, ‘Here I am,’ … you must observe the fast day of the Lord and deal out your ‘bread to the hungry.’”14
Pres Kimball: Fast offerings have long constituted the means from which the needs of the Lord’s poor have been provided. . . . If we give a generous fast offering, we shall increase our own prosperity both spiritually and temporally.
Kathleen H. Hughes
First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency Oct 2004
Finally, I’m coming to understand the meaning and importance of our offerings—specifically, our tithes and fast offerings. Throughout the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord admonishes us to care for each other and to give of our temporal resources to build the kingdom of God. In fact, our willingness to do this is one of the prerequisites for the Lord’s returning to the earth. Though each of our circumstances may differ, it is important for us to give all that we can. The Lord has seldom required individuals to give all, but it is important for Him to know that we would and could do it, if asked. In one stake where my husband and I lived, our stake president challenged members to double their fast offerings and prepare for the blessings that would come. I can now bear personal testimony that the Lord will bless us in unfathomable ways if we are true and faithful in giving generous
Victor L Brown, presiding bishop, May 1991 shared a letter received from Elder John H. Groberg,(the other side of heaven) John H Groberg who at that time was president of the Tongan Mission. He went to visit a Tongan widow who lived on a very remote island in extreme poverty. He said when he got there it had just rained and there was mud and decay and the unpleasant smell of drying fish, but the pleasure of meeting with this woman soon pushed the unpleasant circumstances into the background. Then he goes on:
“As we conversed in her fluid native tongue and she told of her love for and faith in the Church and of all the blessings she had received, I could not help but think about her apparently miserable circumstances. … All sorts of ideas went through my mind, and I must have let my thoughts wander as I suddenly became aware that somewhere between phrases about blessings and poverty and service she had gone to her hut and was now returning with a small knotted rag.
“Suddenly my mind seemed to fill with light, and the words ‘fast offerings’ flooded in. I was so excited with the idea that had come so suddenly and so clearly, that you can imagine my utter amazement and unpreparedness when she took a threepence (a coin worth about 3¢) from her rag and said softly, ‘Here is my fast offering … to help the poor.’
“I wanted to explain that fast offering was to help her, not for her to help others. The explanation never came, for as I looked through misty eyes, first at the threepence then back at the good sister, the whole scene changed.
President Eyring shared the story of a sister in Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world. During a civil war in 1991 the entire country was in chaos, tens of thousands lost their lives and more than two million people were displaced. She tells of running to hide in the bush with her children to avoid being killed with only a blanket because it was the first thing she could grab as she ran out of her home. “Sister Turay speaks of her gratitude for a mission president who would make his way into the war-torn country with [money] in his pocket.” Those funds, from the fast-offering donations of people like you, allowed the Saints to buy food that most Sierra Leoneans could not afford.9 A visitor from the United States noticed her well worn scriptures and picked them on.
He held the scriptures in his “hand and gently turned the pages. As [he did, he found a] yellow copy of a tithing donation slip. [He] could see that, in a country where [a dollar was worth its] weight in gold, Abie Turay had paid one dollar as her tithing, one dollar to the missionary fund, and one dollar as a fast offering for those who, in her words, were ‘truly poor.’”
The visitor closed Sister Turay’s scriptures and thought, as he stood with this faithful African mother, that he was on sacred ground.11
In Malachi 3:8
8 ¶ aWill a man brob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In ctithes and offerings.
Yes, tithing is a commandment, but so are our offerings.
I can testify to these blessings also. When Chip and I lived in Phoenix our Stake President read us President Romney’s challenge and promise and we increased our fast offerings and have continued to do so over the years. I have spent some time this week contemplating all the blessings both spiritual and temporal we have received because of following this council. I believe that many of the opportunities we’ve had, ideas that have come to us, things that we may have considered “good luck” are in fact blessings the Lord has given us for paying our tithes and offerings. As President Romney said we cannot give a crust of bread to the Lord and not receive an entire loaf in return.
As we give generous fast offerings, we literally feed the hungry, bind up the wounds of the sick, and clothe the naked. By so doing, we not only bless the lives of others, but we open the windows of heaven and qualify ourselves to be welcomed back into his presence - to come unto him.
