Feed Your Faith. Draw Nearer to God through Fasting.

Experience the many blessings that fasting can bring. Learn more with missionaries.

Fasting is one way that you can feel closer to God, develop spiritual strength, and call on the powers of heaven to help yourself or others in need. Missionaries can talk with you about what it means to fast, how to fast, and other ways you can feel God’s love and seek His guidance.

Learn about fasting with missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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Church leaders share the blessings of fasting

“Truly, some blessings are obtained only through fasting. ... I know that the Lord keeps His promises, for I have seen them in my life. I have seen blessings bestowed, testimony strengthened, health recovered, revelation revealed, and prayers answered.”

Elder Ifanomezana Rasolondraibe

“The Promised Blessings of Fasting,” Liahona, July 2022, Africa South Local Pages, Gospel Library

“Fasting can help us become more humble, less prideful, less selfish, and more concerned about the needs of others. It can help us see more clearly our own mistakes and weaknesses and help us be less prone to criticize others.”

Elder Carl B. Pratt

“The Blessings of a Proper Fast,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2004, 47

“As we choose to seek Christ, the Spirit will witness of Him in many different situations. These witnesses of the Spirit occur as we fast, pray, wait, and continue forward.”

Sister Bonnie H. Cordon

“Never Give Up an Opportunity to Testify of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2023, 12

“If a person fasts properly and consistently, he can overcome any bad habit, sin, or addiction that burdens his life.”

Elder Shayne M. Bowen

“Fasting with Power” (Ensign College devotionals, May 28, 2019), ensign.edu/devotionals

What should I expect?

We’re excited to meet you and help you strengthen your relationship with God through fasting and prayer. Here’s what your visit might be like:

1. We’ll get to know each other.
2. We’ll pray together.
3. We’ll talk about fasting or a topic of your choice.
4. We’ll invite you to grow closer to God by worshipping with us at church.

“Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit” (Alma 5:46).

What is fasting?

Fasting, or voluntarily going without food or drink, is something that has been practiced for thousands of years around the world. Though many people today fast for physical health benefits, the goals of a religious fast are primarily spiritual—to connect with God, to ask for His blessings, and to increase our faith. Prophets like Adam, Moses, and even Jesus, the Son of God, fasted (see Luke 4:1–4). If you find yourself in need of heavenly guidance or feeling far from God’s presence, you can fast by following their examples.

What can I fast for?

When you begin a spiritual fast, it’s important to have a purpose or goal in mind. You can fast for any righteous desire that’s in your heart, but here are a few examples of specific things someone might fast for:

To find answers to spiritual questions
To feel closer to God
To give thanks
To overcome a trial or weakness
To seek blessings for oneself or others
To help a sick friend or family member recover

How long should I fast?

Generally, a period of fasting lasts for 24 hours or two consecutive meals. However, the length of your fast is entirely up to you. As you fast, please be conscious of your health and well-being. It is not necessary or expected to fast for long periods of time or at a high frequency.

When should I fast?

You can fast whenever you feel inspired to do so. However, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fast together on the first Sunday of each month. If you’d like, you can join us in fasting and for a special Sunday service where we share our testimonies of Jesus Christ. As part of this “fast Sunday,” Church members are also invited to donate the money that they would have spent on meals to help those in need. This donation is called a fast offering.

Seek more of God’s guidance with missionaries

As you strive to grow closer to God and bring more of His blessings into your life, our missionaries can help. Not only can they answer your questions about fasting, but they can also help you strengthen your relationship with God through other means, such as scripture study, church worship, and prayer. Sign up today to talk with missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

How to fast:

Start with a prayer. Express to God your desire to fast and the purpose or reason for your fast.
After you pray, abstain from food and drink for 24 hours or until you are ready to “break” (or finish) your fast.
To close your fast, say another prayer to give thanks to God for your fasting experience and to reiterate any blessings, guidance, or help you are hoping to receive.

Common Questions

Sometimes medical conditions or other factors may make it unwise for you to go without food or drink. If that’s the case, you can still have a spiritual experience like fasting as you choose to sacrifice (or give up) something else for a period of time. You might decide to abstain from social media, television, or any other activity that you feel could distract you from drawing nearer to God or feeling the Holy Spirit. As you do so, you can also commit to spending more time reading the scriptures, serving others, or in personal reflection. Because one of the most important parts of fasting is a prayer with a purpose, you can receive the same blessings that you would from a traditional fast as you focus on turning your thoughts to God and demonstrating to Him the righteous desires of your heart.

Sometimes God doesn’t seem to answer prayers right away—or at all. Does that mean He doesn’t care or that He’s not listening? No. God sometimes waits to answer our prayers because He trusts us to make the right decision. Other times, God requires us to patiently wait for an answer so we can build our faith and trust in Him. And on some occasions, God gives us answers but they may not be what we’d hoped for. Whatever the answer, take comfort in the fact that God always listens when you pray, and He will give you the right guidance at the right time through the Holy Ghost.

Missionaries are volunteers who have set aside their everyday lives for up to two years to help others come closer to Jesus Christ. Before leaving on a mission, they were students, employees, athletes, bookworms, musicians, and, well, you get the idea. After their service, they will return home and go back to normal life.

They come from all over the world. It’s not uncommon for missionaries to serve in a country and speak a language other than their own. Missionaries serve as young adults or in their retired years as singles or couples. Whatever their age, their motivation is sincere—they leave their homes and families for a period to do what Jesus taught His Apostles: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

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