Fast From The World

I was asked to teach a lesson in Young Womens about technology.  I was excited to teach about this subject.  It was fun to "create" a lesson, since this was not a normal lesson out of the Young Women lesson manual.  I scoured talks, quotes, stories and scriptures to pieced together this Lesson.  There was inspiration along the way. The spirit helped me to recall things from seminary, young women lessons, institute lessons, scriptures.  I felt strongly about including certain things.  I felt very strongly about issuing them a challenge.  It was inspired by Fast From The World Week (the non LDS kids at my high school called it crazy Mormon week) when I was in seminary.  Every year we would fast from the world the week before General Conference.  It was also missionary week so we had a lot of rules to live by during that week.

They were:
Read your scriptures 30 min every day.
Write in your journal daily.
Refer to each other and brother and sister.
Stay arms length away from the opposite sex.
No TV, movies or radio.
No music other then church or classical.
Attend all 4 (5 for men) session of general conference.
Wear Sunday dress the entire week.
Carry your scriptures with you at all times.

It really was a challenge.  It also provided the opportunity for some spiritual experiences!  I still have very fond and special memories from the many fasts from the world that I did.  What a wonderful way it was to bring the spirit into my life.

I felt it would be wonderful to challenge the girls to fast from the world.  At first I thought about a whole week, like I did in seminary.  I did not feel that was realistic to expect.  So then I decided on just 24 hours, as you would fasting from food.  Here is how I modified the challenge for them:

Fast From The World
Read scriptures for 30 min.                                                     No music except for church or classical
Wear Sunday dress all day on Sunday                                   No TV movies radio or iPods
No internet except for academic or religious purposes          Attend all 3 hours of church
No texting

It was weird to think that when I accepted this same challenge there was no texting, no iPods, internet was still so new that it wasn't an issue. Just 10 years and so much has changed.

I'm going to start my fast from the world this evening. I really hope my young women do the same. I know they can have a spiritual experience if they accept the challenge with an open heart desiring the spirit.

If you would like to join us in our fast from the world this fast Sunday, please do! Then let me know your experiences!