Forgiveness and Fasting

Forgiveness and Fasting
12 Week Scripture Challenge:  Week 3
3 Nephi 13:14-21

14 For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 16 Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;

 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Obviously, if we are to expect to be forgiven, even through the gift of the atonement, we need to be willing to forgive others.  Even when they have not asked for our forgiveness nor seem to be repentant.  One thing that really spoke to me this week in Stake Conference was President Fajardo’s message to not judge, and to be kind.  I don’t ever intentionally judge others  . . . or do I?  This is a hard one.  I think we all make judgments of others on a regular basis.  But we need to always give others the benefit of the doubt, and we always need to be kind. 
When fasting, do I appear not unto men to fast?  Of course this means to not gripe or complain or brag or be showy in my fasting.  Nor should I brag or be showy in any of the ways I go about living the gospel, serving, and trying to be charitable.  We don’t need to call attention to ourselves in our service, but just quietly do what needs to be doing without fanfare or expectations of praise, thanks, or reward.  This is how to lay up treasures in heaven.