sabbath day special: fasting

"To fast is to go without food and drink voluntarily for a certain period of time. Fasting combined with sincere prayer can help you prepare yourself and others to receive God's blessings."
- True to the Faith, "Fasting"

I've been an advocate for fasting since preparing for my mission, when I found out that fasting has somewhat "supercharged" spiritual power. Then, I came to realize on my mission that if I needed something major done, and I needed it done quickly, all I needed to do was fast - maybe that is why it's called fasting? My companions and I joked in awed whispers that we saw answers to our fasts literally within the day or over the next couple days.

I've still seen this to be true, though I think there isn't so much urgency in my questions as there was on my mission. However, today I was reminded just how much power fasting has, and my mother was an integral part of the whole thing. Maybe she was my angelic messenger for the day, and this was a small miracle in my recent life?

I was fasting for a couple different things - mostly more knowledge and understanding and hope in my life at this time, but also other somewhat intangible things. I didn't necessarily know how the answers could come immediately or in general. However, the lesson in Sunday School was along the lines of what I was thinking of and I thought, "Wow, maybe this is what Heavenly Father is trying to tell me? Cool." And I was grateful and learned a lot. But then, when I got home I checked my phone and my mom had texted me to tell me to check my email inbox. The email I had waiting for me contained literal answers to everything I had been fasting for. It was there on the screen, blaring right at me and I knew that she had been inspired to tell me all of those things. I read it three times over, as tears streamed down my face and I felt love fill every part of me.

I love this gospel and I love my Heavenly Father and I love my mom. I love how perfect the plan is for us to have these little moments of assurance and comfort. That we can choose to do things that God has asked us to do, like fast, so that we can receive His blessings. And I love that He has put us in families, so we can have little angels around us. Or for those that don't have the best family situation, He gives us friends or others that love us to convey important messages of a more divine love.

I'm so glad for this sabbath day and that I can have little miracles and angels that help me in my daily life.