Called to Serve?

[KillerDog]

I have been asked to teach in priesthood this coming week. The EQ and HPG are meeting in a combined meeting (they do this often) and my file leader has asked me to teach lesson 25. I said yes (because I generally enjoy teaching) but then found that the lesson is on Fasting. I don't believe in fasting. I think it is silly and useless. I think the regular fast days and the accompanying testimony are among our stupidest traditions in the LDS Church. How should I proceed?

I am considering morphing the lesson to be about fast offerings. I believe in fast offerings because of their immediate impact on the poor who live in my neighborhood. Giving a liberal fast offering is a great way to help change the lives of those who need it and is a better charity, imo, than any of the many charities for helping the poor because of the way it is administered. Do you think it will cause much heartache if I convert the lesson to fast offerings and speak on that subject?

[Indy Coug]

Gear it so that the class spends the time testifying about the principle of fasting and get out of their way. Problem solved.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I would have the same problem.

Start out by showing the evidence that the parts in the new testament mentioning fasting were not in the early biblical manuscripts and were most likely added centuries later by scribes associated with a christian sect that was focused on the practice of fasting. Then move on to fast offerings.

On second thought, maybe you should skip the first part.

[NorthwestUteFan]

Gear it so that the class spends the time testifying about the principle of fasting and get out of their way. Problem solved.

We did this one yesterday. A 5 minute lesson somehow stretched itself to a full 47 minutes.

In another topic I discussed sticking with basic gospel fundamentals in EQ lessons.

Here is why: One member of our ward (for whom I have a great amount of respect and love) mentioned he didn't know much about fasting when he converted to the church. He was going through a rough time of his life a few months after being baptized (at about 19 yrs of age), and so he decided to fast. He ended up going 5 days, mon-fri, and only ate one piece of bread and drank one glass of water per 24 hr period. He did this because he simply didn't know about the 'fast for 2 meals' direction, and figured more was better.

One semi-interesting factoid I pulled from the discussion: There is a 'physically able' aspect to fasting and the church doesn't strictly expect we stand by the law. My wife and two of my kids, for example, get hypoglycemic when they don't eat for an extended period of time. They (especially the kids) get irrational, emotional, cranky, and can be downright violent when they have low blood sugar levels. I dont' know that I will ever be able to expect my kids to fastidiously follow the fast, because they are biologically incapable of it.

In the end, I believe the prayer portion of the fast is the most important part.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I would have the same problem.

Start out by showing the evidence that the parts in the new testament mentioning fasting were not in the early biblical manuscripts and were most likely added centuries later by scribes associated with a christian sect that was focused on the practice of fasting.

It is a good thing the self-flagellation sect wasn't very popular at the time...

[TripletDaddy]

Not sure why this thread is titled "Called to Serve" but I think a lesson on Fast Offerings in lieu of fasting is fine. Offerings are a part of fasting so it would be entirely appropriate. It would be really interesting if you could speak to the Stake President or Bish and explain to the EQ how Fast Offerings are used...how charities or local causes are chosen, what sort of causes has the Church recently supported, what were some of the responses to those donations, etc.

The point would not be to pat ourselves on the back for the donations but to show everyone that their fast offerings are real dollars at work for good causes.

[Indy Coug]

Faith precedes the miracle. Fasting is one of many different ways to manifest faith. Inasmuch as fasting is done in the proper spirit, it has real power. Fasting may not be for you personally, but to dump on the practice entirely is ridiculously shortsighted, IMO.

[happyone]

...One semi-interesting factoid I pulled from the discussion: There is a 'physically able' aspect to fasting and the church doesn't strictly expect we stand by the law. My wife and two of my kids, for example, get hypoglycemic when they don't eat for an extended period of time. They (especially the kids) get irrational, emotional, cranky, and can be downright violent when they have low blood sugar levels. I dont' know that I will ever be able to expect my kids to fastidiously follow the fast, because they are biologically incapable of it.

In the end, I believe the prayer portion of the fast is the most important part.

Due to some stomach problems, my father doesn't fast, and one of the only "nice" things I can think of about diabetes is that they don't want you to fast so I was told.

[Clark Addison]

It would be really interesting if you could speak to the Stake President or Bish and explain to the EQ how Fast Offerings are used...how charities or local causes are chosen, what sort of causes has the Church recently supported, what were some of the responses to those donations, etc.

It would be even MORE interesting to get the actual names of people who were recently helped. You could say "Our fast offerings helped pay the Drury's mortgage last month!" It would be like one of my favorite parts of It's a Wonderful Life, when George says:

Ed. You know, you remember last year when things weren't going so well, and you couldn't make your payments. You didn't lose your house, did you?

I think talking about fast offerings would be perfectly fine. Depending on your ward and the personalities in it, I think it would also be appropriate to say something like: "I'll be honest with you, I've never enjoyed fasting, and I don't get much out of it. Can anyone help me appreciate Fast Sunday more?" I guarantee you will not be the only person in the quorum who feels the way you do.

[Surfah]

I have been asked to teach in priesthood this coming week. The EQ and HPG are meeting in a combined meeting (they do this often) and my file leader has asked me to teach lesson 25. I said yes (because I generally enjoy teaching) but then found that the lesson is on Fasting. I don't believe in fasting. I think it is silly and useless. I think the regular fast days and the accompanying testimony are among our stupidest traditions in the LDS Church. How should I proceed?

I am considering morphing the lesson to be about fast offerings. I believe in fast offerings because of their immediate impact on the poor who live in my neighborhood. Giving a liberal fast offering is a great way to help change the lives of those who need it and is a better charity, imo, than any of the many charities for helping the poor because of the way it is administered. Do you think it will cause much heartache if I convert the lesson to fast offerings and speak on that subject?

I think fasting is important. I have a testimony of it. However, I also have a great testimony of Fast Offerings too. And I personally think it would be appropriate to speak solely on that. However, I think it may be difficult to take up 45-50 minutes on that alone. And if you introduce fasting, like Indy said, you may have a difficult time bringing that horse back to the corral if it gets loose.

[clackamascoug]

Plus one on Indy.

I fast maybe once a year, when I really feel an urgent need to be in tune with the Spirit. I've found that the sacrifice of fasting is an outward token of meeting the Lord half way in my condensed desire.

This past Dec 2010, my wife and I had an urgent need, and we felt compelled to fast and pray - for real, not just going through the motions. Without hesitation, and unequivocally, our desire was met in such a fashion that I am not the same person as I was. It's too sacred to share in detail, but miracles do happen, and sometimes it take a stretch of faith on our part to bridge between our reality and the reality the Lord wants for us.

If I was to teach the lesson, I'd be in tears the first 5 minutes, and my grateful heart wouldn't be able to finish the lesson. I don't think it's the principles fault that you find it difficult to teach it. (Meant is as nice a way as I can muster, but still trying to make a point.)

[KillerDog]

Not sure why this thread is titled "Called to Serve" but I think a lesson on Fast Offerings in lieu of fasting is fine. Offerings are a part of fasting so it would be entirely appropriate. It would be really interesting if you could speak to the Stake President or Bish and explain to the EQ how Fast Offerings are used...how charities or local causes are chosen, what sort of causes has the Church recently supported, what were some of the responses to those donations, etc.

The point would not be to pat ourselves on the back for the donations but to show everyone that their fast offerings are real dollars at work for good causes.

Because I've been called to serve as the teacher this coming week and I thought people would read a thread entitled "Called to Serve" over a thread entitled "I hate fasting but have to teach about it, do you have suggestions?"

[KillerDog]

Faith precedes the miracle. Fasting is one of many different ways to manifest faith. Inasmuch as fasting is done in the proper spirit, it has real power. Fasting may not be for you personally, but to dump on the practice entirely is ridiculously shortsighted, IMO.

That's precisely my point. I don't think fasting has any value but I don't want to dump on it in the role as instructor. I would rather talk about something I believe in than something I don't so I am floating the idea of whether it would be acceptable to speak on fast offering instead of fasting. Personally, I think dumping on someone because they lack belief is ridiculously short sighted especially when that person is admitting the lack of belief and requesting advice on how to deal with it. I guess it isn't just short-sighted it is also counter-productive and unchristlike.

[TripletDaddy]

Because I've been called to serve as the teacher this coming week and I thought people would read a thread entitled "Called to Serve" over a thread entitled "I hate fasting but have to teach about it, do you have suggestions?"

Oh.

Technically you haven't been called to serve, just asked to teach for one week, unless you indeed received a calling to be the teacher.

If you did actually receive the calling, I would suggest that you fast about it prior to accepting.

[KillerDog]

Oh.

Technically you haven't been called to serve, just asked to teach for one week, unless you indeed received a calling to be the teacher.

If you did actually receive the calling, I would suggest that you fast about it prior to accepting.

I did not accept a calling and have not been set apart but my file leader called me to serve the HPG by teaching the combined meeting. I consider that a calling to serve since it is the method I became a home teacher.