FASTING

Dear Missionary,

We all know the feeling.  It's Sunday morning and we open the pantry to find our favorite cereal looking back at us.  We pour ourselves a nice big bowl, grab the milk and douse the cereal to our heart's content.  As we shovel a spoonful of cereal into our mouth, we begin to wonder why we are the only ones in the kitchen and why we are so darn hungry.  As we chew and swallow the first bite, it hits us.  It's fast Sunday!

Fast Sunday can seem to sneak up on us and catch us unawares.  Yet fasting is one of the greatest tools the Lord has given us in building his kingdom and MUST be utilized to invoke the full powers of heaven as we seek to be missionaries. 

The Lord often refers to his kingdom as being a "field, already to harvest".  Imagine yourself being in a huge field on a hot, sunny day and given the task of harvesting all the crops by yourself.  Pretty daunting, huh?  Often times, missionary work feels like that: a burden of hard work in which we are all alone.  However through prayer and fasting, we are not alone.  We call down God's spirit and innumerable angels to work and harvest in the field with us.

In the Book of Mormon we are taught that "angels are declaring [the gospel] unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word..." (Alma 13:24).  These angels will come to work in the field with us as we "join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who [know] not God" (Alma 6:6).

I am reminded of the story of Elisha from the Old Testament.  The King of Syria was upset with Elisha the Prophet and sent a great group of soldiers on horses and chariots to capture him.  When Elisha's servant woke up and saw the surrounding army, he was afraid.  Elisha comforted the boy and prayed that his eyes would be opened so that he would know that "they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kings 2:16).  The boy's eyes were opened and he saw an innumerable heavenly host surrounding and protecting them.  If only our eyes were opened to see how the Lord is sending heavenly hosts to prepare the hearts of many to receive the gospel!

There are many ways we can access the powers of heaven in missionary work, but here is just one suggestion.  On fast Sunday, take just 5 minutes to offer a prayer asking the Lord who he has put in your path than you can share the gospel with and bless during the month.  Write down the names that come to mind.  Prayerfully choose a few names of people from the list that you will seek to reach out to during the coming weeks.  As you pray for those few people and reach out to them, I promise that the windows of heaven will be opened and the Lord will send forth heavenly hosts to work in the field with you.  

You'll never know unless you try!

Remember who you are.  You are a Missionary.

--Parker

P.s.  Any other ideas or experiences on how to use fasting more in missionary work??