My First Fast Sunday in Years

Last night, before I closed my eyes for the night, I said a prayer and opened my first fast in a long time. I've fasted before, but not purposefully and with real intent.

This morning, I woke up at 7:20 just in time to get myself ready for our 8 o'clock sacrament meeting and I remembered that I was fasting. So I took no thought for breakfast, and instead, just got ready, and tried to wake up Koki and Tehani. Both were too tired and neither got up to get ready for church. I asked myself, "Do I struggle with trying to make them get up, or do I just let them be, and enjoy a stress free sunday morning"? I chose the latter. I wanted to have the spirit with me.

Myself, Dad, Kama, and Mana, went to church together. Although we walked into the chapel late, and just in time for the sacrament, I didn't let the shame of it, get to me. I was just glad that I was going to be able to take the sacrament. I was observing the priesthood who blessed the sacrament today and two of the them are in my seminary class. I was so proud, and watched how they handled everything they touched with a reverence. It told me they understood the sacredness of it. And I was touched. From then on, the spirit kept touching my heart, and I was getting all sorts of promptings and feelings. I fought back tears as I listened to one sister bear her testimony about tithes and fast offerings. Something I'm guilty of not paying. But, I intend to pay all that I owe. I wrote down some observations that I made of people in the ward, and what they did. There's a young man who passed the sacrament and I couldn't take my eyes off him. It's nothing like how it just sounded. He stood so upright, and confident, and respectable. You'll just know by looking at him that his parents taught him well. I wrote down some of the impressions that came to me throughout the day and the spirit continued to fill my soul. I have not felt this way for a long time and I just felt I was where I was supposed to be. It's amazing! I felt a love for my ward members, and I didn't feel like I didn't belong. I felt that I belonged, and that they cared for me just as much as I did for them. Today was the best Sunday for me, so far. I hope for many more to come.