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A Mighty Change of Heart
Just 10 days of following the inspired council of the prophet can have life-long effects.
During the October 2018 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson invited the women of the Church to participate in a 10-day social media fast. I had already completed the 7-day social media fast with the youth but found that I spent the time anxiously anticipating the end rather than learning anything from it. Being invited to participate again, this time as a Relief Society sister, was the second chance I needed and an answer to prayer.
“I invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind. Pray to know which influences to remove during your fast. The effect of your 10-day fast may surprise you. What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit? Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy? Have any of your priorities shifted—even just a little? I urge you to record and follow through with each impression.”1
I know that this council was inspired for all women in the Church, but as I listened to the prophet’s voice, I felt a specific, personal message from the Holy Ghost touch my heart. “Linda, pray to know what negative influences are preventing you from ministering to others.”
“The effect of your 10-day fast may surprise you.”
I was indeed surprised as the spirit opened my eyes to so many things that I had not before considered, including those influences that were hurting my ability to minister. I realised that I was judging people based on their social media. I believed that knowing their status was knowing them enough, and I accepted my ignorant views on them easily. I realised that I was unconsciously looking for faults in others or things to gossip about. Though they were in my list of ‘friends,’ there were times when I only saw them as a status update or a post.
I felt a desire to change grow in my heart. I wanted to really understand what it truly means to minister. I wanted ministering to come more naturally to me.
Social media was consuming most of my life. People use social media for different reasons and I don’t judge but for me, most days, looking at my social media was the first and last thing I did. I justified this overuse by telling myself that I was only trying to keep in touch with family and friends overseas and didn’t want to miss their messages. I also tried to tell myself that the memes uplifted me and that I learned a lot from the motivational speeches online. I justified the music I listened to though the messages were not always good. Participating in the fast allowed the Spirit to cut through my justifications and show me the truth.
“What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit?”
I noticed that I have been in bondage to my social media and I don’t have to be. I don’t have to worry about the opinions of others. I don’t have to partake of information that is not aligned with my beliefs. I don’t have to engage in everything that is happening online; I can choose to turn it off. I noticed that the fast was cleansing my mind of the poison of those judgements made on others and I felt my heart changing.
“Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy? Have any of your priorities shifted—even just a little?”
Time is a gift that this fast has given me. I have time now to read through the general conference material and study the Book of Mormon. I have time to pray over the needs and concerns of those I have the sacred privilege of teaching as I prepare my lessons. I have time to spend with family having face to face conversations with my siblings and parents. I have time to really ponder on the needs of those I serve and find creative ways to minister to them. So many spiritual blessings and discoveries have come in only 10 days of following the counsel of the prophet.